Archive for March, 2012

Hayes, Suttle speak on Chief’s departure

Hayes, Suttle speak on Chief’s departure

After a few days of vacation, Police Chief Alex Hayes confirms his retirement

 

(Update, 3/05: City officials calculate Hayes will be eligible for a $127,000 annual pension once he retires)

Mayor Jim Suttle says he’ll select a new police chief between now and March 30, after (soon to be former) Police Chief Alex Hayes confirmed he’ll leave the department at the end of the month.

“Chief Hayes has been an asset to this community and he will be greatly missed,” Suttle said. “He has set a standard for public safety that we will continue to model in his absence. We will work with the Chief and his leadership team to maintain continuity during this transition so residents can be sure that our streets and neighborhoods remain safe.”

Hayes, meanwhile, didn’t elaborate much on why he’s leaving.

“My decision to retire at this time was personal and was not an easy decision to make,” Hayes said. “I will be working with my staff, community leaders, and the Mayor’s office to make sure there is a smooth transition for the community at large. It has been a privilege to work for the citizens of Omaha.”

The chief’s exit will put Omaha in a familiar place. We’ll see what happens next.

March 5, 2012 Read More
How many stories is the Hyatt Place anyway?

How many stories is the Hyatt Place anyway?

The curious construction behind the new hotel coming to the Old Market

 

Look closely at the rendering for the Hyatt Place that is coming to the Old Market. Make sure to count those floors. Maybe I should say “floors.”

An eagle-eyed reader pointed out a seeming discrepancy involving the hotel’s plans for 12th and Jackson Streets.

My story on the project was clear: It’s a nine-story hotel. Hyatt said so in its press release.

But the rendering sure looks like 11 stories.

My source wondered: What gives?

So I asked Hyatt to clarify.

The response from Hyatt spokeswoman Laurie Cole: The building is, in fact, nine stories and the rendering does appear to be 11 levels.

Here’s the deal:

Hyatt is building a parking structure into the building, but the parking levels don’t line up with what look like floors from the outside.

The building will have a ground level, following by three parking levels, followed by five levels of hotel rooms. That’s nine “stories.”

“In layman’s terms, the rendering makes it look like 11 floors, when there are really only 9,” Cole wrote me back.

Question answered. And now on to construction.

March 1, 2012 Read More