Latest news with #Osmundson
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why isn't Rochester's skyline a bit more impressive?
May 31—Dear Answer Man: Why can't Rochester encourage at least some developers to think tall? Verticality shows we have arrived, that we are a place to live and work. Well-designed and architecturally interesting towers can be important landmarks, giving Rochester its own unique skyline and character. Can Rochester get something that truly stands out among its dull downtown buildings? — Disappointed Dan. Dear Disappointed, It seems like you're asking for two things: height and pizzazz. Preferably in the same building. Think New York City's Empire State Building or the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, I assume. Well, don't expect something akin to the Burj Khalifa to be built on the old Post Bulletin site. That said, whatever replaces the old Post Bulletin building can only be an improvement. Overall, I think you're being a bit hard on the Med City. First, many of our larger buildings are somewhat utilitarian. The Gonda Building, for example, is a clinical building meant for patient care. That said, considering the purpose, I think it's quite lovely. Want more evidence of a quality skyline? The Plummer Building comes with bona fide 1920s Art Deco style. Broadway Plaza tops off at 29 stories tall. The space-age Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Building is both energy efficient and stylistically forward. But for a bit more context, I reached out to Chris Osmundson, director at Onward Investors, to discuss why tall buildings are not a priority in Rochester. Osmundson said it all comes down to the differences between Type III and Type I construction. Type III — "lumber typically over a pre-cast concrete podium" — can only be built up to 75 feet, up to seven stories. Just one more story would require a different, and much more expensive, construction type. Type I — post-tension concrete — can be build taller, but at a 35% increase in costs per floor. Examples of Type I construction in Rochester would be The Berkman. And while that building got built at 11 stories, it also came with $10.5 million in tax-increment financing funding. Then there's the matter of rents. No one is probably going to pay the rents that would make such a tall building profitable — especially at today's construction prices — in Rochester. "The taller projects that are working to get done or have gotten done in Rochester are trophy assets trying to command rents that they can only get from a small percentage of the population, and also need significant subsidy," Osmundson said. So, dream all you like about a one-third scale model of the Taipei 101 tower (good luck building something so tall and heavy atop our karst geology) in downtown Rochester, but my guess is nothing in the next 10 years will top Broadway Plaza. And, considering how I feel about Rochester's current skyline, Answer Man is OK with that. Send questions to Answer Man at answerman@ .
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
High School Senior Dies in Crash Just Days Before Graduation: 'Only 2 Miles from Her House', Family Says
Davis High School student Averiee Osmundson, 18, died in a traffic collision near U.S. Highway 77 in Oklahoma, almost a week before her graduation In a statement, her cousin said that she was planning to attend Oklahoma State University on a scholarship 'She could always just put a smile on everybody's face,' said Osmundson's auntA high school student who was about to graduate in a few days was killed in a single-vehicle collision in Oklahoma last weekend. In an incident report obtained by PEOPLE, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) stated that the crash occurred on Saturday, May 10, on Foothill Road about 0.4 miles west of U.S. Highway 77, which is approximately 3 miles north of Springer. The OHP report said that a 2005 Lexus RX330 driven by Averiee Osmundson, 18, was traveling eastbound on Foothill Road. The vehicle departed the roadway to the left when it 'overcorrected reentering the roadway before overturning an unknown amount of times.' The Lexus was ejected 'approximately 78 feet from where the vehicle came to rest,' continued the report. Osmundson, who hailed from Springer, was pronounced dead at the scene following injuries sustained in the crash, according to authorities. Her body was taken to the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office. The OHP report also noted that a seatbelt was not in use at the time. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Kegan Muth, Osmundson's cousin, paid tribute to her in a statement shared with KOKH. 'She was more than an 18-year-old graduating high school; she was a beautiful, young, talented girl,' Muth's statement read in part. 'She knew just the right words to say and when to say them. She had a scholarship to attend Oklahoma State University, which she couldn't wait to attend, even if her bubs said to rethink it.' 'She wanted to be a pediatrician,' the statement continued. 'All she ever wanted was to help the ones who needed the help. She always made everyone smile and happy. She didn't see life like everyone else. She saw the bright light in the pitch black dark.' Osmundson was a senior at Davis High School and was scheduled to graduate on Friday, May 16, per CBS affiliate KOTV. Davis Public Schools acknowledged Osmundson's death in a letter shared on Facebook Sunday, May 11. 'This devastating loss will be deeply felt throughout our entire school community, especially among the Senior Class of 2025,' read the letter in part. 'Our deepest sympathy goes out to Averiee's family, friends, and our entire school community,' the letter added. 'Please continue to keep her loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.' Cassie Muth, Osmundson's aunt, told KOTV that the family has been shattered by what happened. 'She was only two miles from her house," said Muth. Muth remembered her niece for having an amazing heart. 'She could always just put a smile on everybody's face. She was very adventurous, very outgoing,' Muth said. 'Honestly, I'm still in disbelief that she's been taken from us at such a young age with so much potential and a lot still ahead of her,' she said, per KOTV. Read the original article on People
