Building Skyscrapers in Lincoln?

Should we build skyscrapers in Lincoln

  • Yes, but only one

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Yes, but we will need 2 or more

    Votes: 10 76.9%

  • No, that would cost a lot

    Votes: 2 15.4%

  • No, that will ruin our city's and school's tradition

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • Total voters
    13
knapplc said:
Foppa said:
Not to be insensitive, but this is a dumb poll. As knapplc already stated, the laws that founded this farmtown cannot have a building too high for blue-hairs to risk a neck injury by having to look up at it. Ok...so he didn't state it like that, but it will never happen, so no point discussing it.
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Believe me, it was implied. :D

I agree with the sentiment of your post. It's absurd that we can't have taller towers in Lincoln. I don't know that it's hampering growth much, but it's not helping.

The State Capitol building is swell. But it's not so end-all, be-all important that we have to maintain it as the dominant architectural structure in the skyline. I think it's an absurd law. Maybe it'll change in a few decades, when some of the blue-hairs die off.
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The way the experts talk, when the blue-hairs die off in Nebraska, there won't be anyone left in the state, and complete and total anarchy will reign.

So I guess we sit back and wait...?

 
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In regards to the whole skyscraper issue, it absolutely needs to be done. It brings a lot of jobs and money to the city. I run into this a lot because I am in Missouri; people are just so old-fashioned that they are completely closed off to anything new. People have to learn to roll with change.

 
You don't just build one to attract business, that isn't how it works. Depends on demand, the current economic situation, land value, etc

 
Back in the '80's the local rag (New Times) had a picture of Nebraska's Capital Building because there was talk of building one similar to it in Phoenix. Where there are similar laws restricting heights of buildings.

Of course, being a "rag" it was free to mention something about the nicknames being "Penis of the Plains" and "Dildo of the Desert".

 
tschu said:
You don't just build one to attract business, that isn't how it works. Depends on demand, the current economic situation, land value, etc
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True, but I was referencing the fact that they won't let a building be built that is taller than the capitol building. That's an old way of thinking and prohibits any companies from utilizing space by building large, tall buildings and creating more jobs in Lincoln.

 
What they should do is create a business park on the outskirts of town. Then they could keep their precious skyline and still have tower space available for big business.

That's a moot point, though - the reason we don't have towers is because nobody wants to build them. Nobody wants to build them because Lincoln isn't "business friendly," for those kinds of major businesses. We have the interstate but no major airline connections. Lincoln's airport gets very little traffic and has only a few flights available. Bo has talked about how difficult it can be to get a kid in here for an official visit because of the lack of flights. Businesses don't want that hassle, either.

 
I don't understand the "build it and they will come" sentiment exhibited by some here. There is no magic "they" group who is going to build a skyscraper or even a large office building in Lincoln without having a darn good economically driven reason to need to build it. Sure it might be cool, sure the existing laws prohibiting it may be antiquated but, the real issue is who has the bucks and the tenants lined up. This isn't something "somebody" should do just to say it got done. If you want a skyscraper in Lincoln, pony up the bucks, lobby for zoning/law changes, and then build it. Don't expect some unnamed sugar daddy organization to do it simply because you feel it would be cool or you think it might be needed. Surely no one is suggesting that some government entity like the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County, or the State of Nebraska should do a project like this on mere speculation.

 
It should also be noted Omaha didn't get a building taller than the state capitol until the 1969 when the Omaha metro had 540K+ Lincoln only has 300K right now.

Lincoln's best opportunity for a decent skyscraper would of been Assurity building more up than out like the did. Although I am a big fan of the Assurity building.

Parkhaus is taller than I expected, but in the end it is a parking garage with off campus student housing on top, was never going to be a super tall building.

A decent sized software company is building another mid height building in downtown Lincoln soon.

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Lincoln should be EXTREMELY pleased with all the new construction in it's downtown. Lots of cities much larger than Lincoln are not seeing anything close to the stuff Lincoln is doing.

Skyscrapers are cool to look at, but it is the infill projects that make downtowns great. 3 150 foot buildings would do much more for the city than 1 450 footer would.

 
Forgot to mention - they're taking down the sky crane at 14th & Q street, the Parkhaus building. They had most of the main arm gone and were taking out the ballast when I walked by this AM.

 
I remember when there was talk about building an Int'l Airport between Lincoln and Omaha, servicing Canada and Mexico. Then making Eppley and Lincoln airports used as a commercial shipping hub in the center of the U.S. I don't remember the details, but basically Lincoln and Omaha got into a big pissing match and it was written off before it even got to any kind of vote or legislative discussion. Then there was the disaster that was the ''Downtown Lincoln to Downtown Omaha train" idea. Sounds pretty typical of Nebraska business planning. Except when it comes to Husker football, I think it's pretty safe to say that the two cities absolutely hate each other.

 
knapplc said:
Forgot to mention - they're taking down the sky crane at 14th & Q street, the Parkhaus building. They had most of the main arm gone and were taking out the ballast when I walked by this AM.
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Was watching them take sections of the tower down as I walked home from work. Pretty neat to watch. Although, I hate the view from campus looking south now. 12-story parking garage / apt complexes aren't exactly aesthetically pleasing

 
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knapplc said:
City of Lincoln zoning rules prohibit any building taller than the State Capitol building. The tallest buildings you see in Lincoln are as high as they are allowed to build.
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No they aren't..........the city allows a building height of 285 feet.  Currently none of our other buildings are of this height.  US Bank building is 225 feet, so we can build higher.......its stupid the city doesn't take advantage of the maximum building height.   All the city of Lincoln is doing is limiting itself of its  opportunities and growth by restricting building height limits.  All they have to do is follow Baton Rouges laws and build further away from its capitol building so as to not obstruct its view.  Louisiana has the tallest capitol building in the nation.......not Nebraska.

 
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