Federal Office Building (Omaha, Nebraska)

Federal Office Building
The Federal Office Building in downtown Omaha upon completion in 1934.
Federal Office Building (Omaha, Nebraska) is located in Nebraska
Federal Office Building (Omaha, Nebraska)
Location106 South 15th Street
Omaha, Nebraska
Coordinates41°15′19″N 95°56′12″W / 41.25528°N 95.93667°W / 41.25528; -95.93667
Built1934
ArchitectThomas R. Kimball,
William L. Steele,
Josiah D. Sandham,
George B. Prinz.
Architectural styleStripped classical with Art Deco elements
NRHP reference No.09000131[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 17, 2009

The Federal Office Building (Omaha, Nebraska), also known as the Old Federal Building, is a thirteen story, stripped classical style building with Art Deco elements located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska.[2] The building was designed and built in 1933-34 by architects Thomas R. Kimball, William L. Steele, and Josiah D. Sandham as part of the firm Kimball, Steele & Sandham, plus associated architect George B. Prinz. It was built on the site of first U.S Courthouse and Post Office.

Part of the New Deal building program, the structure's original occupants were all federal agencies including the US Weather Bureau, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Department of Agriculture, Civil Service Commission, Customs Service, Army, and Navy. The federal District Court for Nebraska met here until the late 1950s or early 1960s. The US Army Corps of Engineers was the last federal agency officed here, and subsequent to their departure in July 2008, it has not been in use by the federal government. In 1995, the building was allegedly examined as a target by Timothy McVeigh prior to his involvement in the Oklahoma City Bombing, although this fact was not substantiated by the FBI.[3]

In December 2011, the building was sold to developers who planned on turning it into a 152-room Residence Inn by Marriott. The $23 million project was expected to be completed by 2013, and opened to guests in October 2013. In order to keep the building on the NRHP, the exterior facade remains the same, as do some of the original interior features, such as terrazzo marble floors.[3][4]

Facade of the building as it appears in 2010.

References

  1. ^ "Nebraska National Register Sites in Douglas County". Lincoln, Nebraska: Nebrasksa State Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 12, 2000. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  2. ^ "Old Federal Building". Buildings. Frankfort, Germany: Emporis. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  3. ^ a b Gonzalez, Cindy (March 18, 2012). "Federal building to get new life as hotel". Omaha World Herald. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  4. ^ "Old federal building turns into Residence Inn". KETV. Omaha, NE. October 24, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
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