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Friday, September 8, 2006 - Draw. Consider. Crumple. Repeat. And so continues the process today as the Freeman Property charrette team builds on three days' progress and begins their final push to design Omaha's first new traditional neighborhood.
"I love the give and take," says Cathy Lorenz, who observed the controlled mayhem Thursday. "I saw a lot of creativity."
The swarm-like activity follows Thursday's morning meeting with local architects, builders and realtors, where the collective comments made a noticeable turn from what's not allowed (a component of previous meetings) to what those on the front lines, bringing housing to the people who want it, believe will serve the project.
There's good reason for their enthusiasm and support. "When it's executed well, traditional neighborhood developments have been extraordinarily lucrative," said Nathan Norris, director of implementation advisory for PlaceMakers.
Not surprisingly, the point was well received.
Midday brought a pleasant surprise in the form of visitor counts for this website, confirming an audience of 1,650 people actively following the activities from points afar. Even more encouraging was the degree to which they've been symbolically "lining up," registering their contact information and requesting ongoing information as the project moves forward. Not registered yet? Secure your spot here.
One of the key themes for discussions leading into the final days of the planning effort is the architectural personality of the project. For the coming days, team architects will be working to create design solutions that complement the existing Freeman home.
Today, we'll be watching as architect Victor Deupi refines his ideas about the conversion of the Freeman residence to a community center and "spiritual focus" of the new neighborhood.
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 Join the Builders and
Realtors meeting.
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Architecture
