BY RHONDA STANSBERRY

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Architectural preser-vation in Omaha hasgained steam andcontinues at a strong

pace despite some setbacks in its50-year history.

That history dates from a spring1965 meetingbetween OmahaUniversity DeanWilliam Utley anddirector of JoslynArt MuseumEugene Kingmandiscussing how tosave the OmahaPost Office fromdemolition.

The post officeoccupied theentire block between 15th and16th Streets on the north side ofDodge Street. Built of dark stone,it fronted east with bold Romanarches and a clock tower thatrose high above its roof line. TheRomanesque design was similar toothers around the United States,including a larger one in St. Paul,Minnesota, that was saved andrestored.

Utley and Kingman enlistedmore than 20 others to formLandmarks Inc., whose purposewould be: to stimulate publicawareness and concern for thecity’s architectural heritage; toencourage groups to undertakespecific projects of restoration,preservation and effective use;and to serve as an intermediary inobtaining and conveying items oflocal importance.

Landmarks’ attempts to savethe old post office failed, and thegroup turned its attention to theJohn A. Creighton mansion at 20thand Burt Streets, the Victorian

home of one of the foundersof Creighton University. Thebuilding, which had been convert-ed over the years to a home forelderly residents, was deemed toofar gone to save.

But the spirit of preservationprevailed and a string of suc-cesses followed: Union Station,Orpheum Tower, the former AstroTheater (now the Rose Theater),Joslyn Castle, Dundee Theater andthe Omaha Rail and CommerceHistoric District.

Landmarks also helped estab-lish the Omaha Landmarks Heri-tage Preservation Commission andpreservation ordinances. Land-marks raised public awareness byhosting special events and publish-ing books, including “Omaha CityArchitecture” and “Building forthe Ages.”

George Haecker, a foundingprincipal of Bahr Vermeer Haeck-er Architects in 1971 (now knownas BVH Architects), becameinvolved in the preservation orga-nization in the mid-1970s. Over theyears, he has served as a memberof the preservation group and asits president. During the yearshis Omaha firm was housed in theold New York Life Building, nowknown as the Omaha Building,the Kutak Rock law firm “steppedup and that building was saved,”Haecker said.

“We had offices in the OmahaBuilding, and I put a big red stopsign in the window,” he said of hispersonal commitment to savingthe structure.

As for the activities of Land-marks, he said “a lot has beensaved, and lots have been lost. It’sstill happening.”

In 1989, Landmarks lost itsbattle to save Jobbers Canyon, anarea of downtown warehouses,

some of which had already beenconverted to loft-style apartments.Interest in Landmarks Inc. lostmomentum, and membershipdeclined.

Enter Restore Omaha, whichwas launched in 2005 by a groupof architects, city planners, neigh-borhood leaders, conservators andother preservation and restorationenthusiasts in Omaha and CouncilBluffs. Its focus was similar toLandmarks but added a dimensionthat included neighborhood toursand annual seminars featuringpresentations by nationally knownand locally proficient preserva-tionists and craftsmen.

Those seminars brought thepreservation movement a wideraudience, said Lynn Meyer, whowas a city planner from 1980 to2007, served as an administratorfor the Landmarks Heritage Pres-ervation Commission and worked

with Landmarks Inc. in a numberof capacities. He helped writenominations to the National Reg-ister of Historic Places and gavepresentations about Landmarks invarious public forums.

“I’ve just continually tried toadvocate for preservation,” hesaid. “I think they’ve done a greatjob with the yearly events, theseminars that give hands-on expe-riences and the tours that createawareness of what we have here.”

Another group, Omaha UrbanNeighborhoods, was formed 10years ago. The Nebraska nonprof-it, operated by Vince Furlong,focused on revitalizing neigh-borhood business districts. Chiefamong its successes have beenthe listing of Vinton Street com-mercial district to the NationalRegister of Historic Places, andwalking tours of North and South24th Streets.

With the growing momentum in

preservation, Omaha still had nosingle organization that encom-passed all preservation activi-ties. In 2011, Omaha By Designcommissioned the National Trustfor Historic Preservation to assessthe preservation community in theOmaha metro area. Their recom-mendation from the study wasthat a preservation makeover wasneeded for the metro region. Thatmakeover resulted in the creationof Restoration Exchange Omaha in2013, headed by executive directorKristine Gerber.

Its mission, Gerber said, isto become the premier regionalpreservation force dedicated toeducating and motivating thepublic to restore, preserve andrehabilitate older homes, buildingsand neighborhoods.

Today, through productive part-nerships and more than 60 dedi-cated volunteers, Restoration Ex-change Omaha educates throughneighborhood tours, the RestoreOmaha Conference and ongoingtours in historic commercial dis-tricts. It advocates by nominatingand saving homes, buildings andhistoric districts, working closelywith local and state governmentofficials, the Landmark Commis-sion and the public to create lawsand policies that favor historicpreservation.

Using traditional communica-tions, publications, social mediaand by developing and maintain-ing an online resource directory,Restoration Exchange Omahaserves as a resource for those whowant to restore older properties,connecting people to the appro-priate products, craftsmen andavailable funding sources.

To learn more, go to www.resto-rationexchange.org.

Restoration, preservation of Omahalandmarks began in 1965

Landmarks Inc. was formed in 1965 with the mission of saving the post officein downtown Omaha. While the group was unsuccessful at saving the postoffice, hundreds of other buildings have been saved because of their work.

Special sections editorShelley Larsen

Section editor/designerKiley Cruse

ReportersCarol Bicak, RhondaStansberry

PhotographersKen Mayer, Aaron Deter,Kristine Gerber, Lynn Meyer,Trina Westman, Greg Eden,Jeffrey Spencer, Jim Scholz,Dorothy Tuma, KesslerPhotography

ContributorsKristine Gerber, GaryRosenberg

Copy editorHoward K. Marcus

Advertising coordinatorMarilyn Martin

ON THE COVERTop row, from left: Anheuser-BuschBuilding, Florence Mill, St. Cecilia Cathedral.Middle row, from left: Scottish Rite, CentralHigh School, Joel Cornish Residence.Bottom row, from left: Carpenter Buildingon South 24th Street, Rose Theater Dome.

Trinity Cathedral18th & Capitol

St. Philomena Church10th & William

Brandeis Building16th & Douglas

Redick Tower15th & Harney

Nash BlockNinth & Farnam

First National Bank16th & Farnam

Burlington Headquarters10th & Farnam

PreservationsuccessesA few of the

many buildingssaved in

Omaha in thelast 50 years.(Find descrip-tions of thesebuildings onPages 4 & 5.)

WilliamUtley

A special advertising sectionof the Omaha World-Herald,produced in conjunction withRestoration Exchange Omaha.

BY CAROL BICAK

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Spend time in downtown ormidtown Omaha, and you’llsee Todd Heistand’s vision.

It’s in old apartment buildings thathave been saved from destructionand in the repurposing of old busi-ness and industrial sites.

Heistand is a developer who knowsthe importance of history. Since 1988,he has been working to save the city’srich architectural heritage. His com-pany, NuStyle Development Corp.,is responsible for much of Omaha’srestored urban landscape.

For that work, Heistand will re-ceive this year’s Kimball Prize fromRestoration Exchange Omaha.

“It’s nice to be recognized,” hesaid.

His company is very much afamily affair. Heistand’s sister,Tammy Barrett; his wife, Mary; andtheir children all have been or areinvolved in NuStyle. The companycurrently has 26 employees, thoughTodd Heistand works with numerouscontractors.

Despite doing a lot of work in Oma-ha, Heistand lives in Woodbine, Iowa,

where he also has been involved inrenovating old buildings.

NuStyle is responsible for pro-

ducing affordable and market-valuehousing in older Omaha neighbor-hoods. Many apartment buildingsthat had stood empty or fallen intoruin have been revitalized and reno-vated.

If Heistand has a regret, it’s thatmany of the interior architecturaltreasures of those buildings cannotbe saved. But he is happy to save anypart of an old building.

“They were built to last a hundredyears,” he said. “Now they’ll be goodfor another hundred.”

The company’s list of accomplish-ments is long, including salvaging116 condemned single-family homes,constructing 68 new single-familyhomes and converting 74 buildings tohousing units or commercial space.

Thirty-nine of Heistand’s ren-ovated buildings are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.The names are familiar, includ-ing Highline Apartments, TipTopApartments, Old Market Lofts, DrakeCourt Apartments, Beebe RunyanBuilding and El Mercado, to namea few. Heistand said if he had tochoose a favorite project, it would bethe Livestock Exchange Building inSouth Omaha.

KIMBALL AWARDWINNER

Heistand understands importance of history

BY CAROL BICAK

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

When Matt Baker moved his wife and 2-month-old son into a 1925 house on Minne LusaBoulevard back in 2007, he wasn’t seeing a

“money pit.” He saw a diamond in the rough.Baker saw possibilities in the house and the neighbor-

hood. Since then, he has dedicated time and money torestoring both.

Now, in addition to having a lovely home in an areathat is regaining some of its historical significance, Bak-er has been named recipient of Restoration ExchangeOmaha’s Young Preservationist Award.

He was nominated for the award by two of his neigh-bors, Beth Richards and Sharon Olson, founders ofMinne Lusa House, another force seeking to revitalizethe neighborhood.

In the seven years since Baker purchased his home,he has restored much of it to its 1925 appearance,including removing asbestos tiles that covered the orig-inal clapboard siding, reconstructing exterior windowframes, and opening and partially rebuilding the frontporch.

In the nomination letter, Baker’s wife, Brandy, is quot-ed as saying that “Matt’s focus on preservation seems toteeter between passion and obsession.”

Matt Baker is a firm believer in preserving overreplacing, calling his view of what can be done withold houses “PreserVision.” He said he hopes his effortsinspire his neighbors to follow his lead.

It is clear that he has contributed to a communitywideeffort. Baker led the drive to have Minne Lusa listed asa Historic District on the National Register of HistoricPlaces. He uses social media to stay in touch with neigh-bors and to encourage potential home buyers — espe-cially young people — to invest in Minne Lusa.

In an interview, Baker said he is flattered but a little

uncomfortable being in the spotlight. Yet he is happy todraw attention to the changes in Minne Lusa.

“Getting our name out there is exciting,” he said.Baker won’t be resting on his laurels. He isn’t finished

working on his house, and the neighborhood is makingplans for its centennial celebration in September.

“I’d like to believe I’ve been an influence,” he said.

YOUNG PRESERVATIONIST AWARDWINNER

Baker saw home as ‘diamond in the rough’

Todd and Mary Heistand

Todd Heistand transformed a formeroffice building at 2223 Dodge St. intothe Highline Apartments.

Matt Baker moved into this home on Minne Lusa Boulevard in 2007 and has restored much of it to its 1925 appearance. Bakerspoke about the work he did on his porch during the Restoration Jam! Session at the Restore Omaha conference in March.

4W SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2015 OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

1. St. Mary Magdalene Church •19th & Dodge • 1903 Gothic-stylechurch of buff brick withstood the ad-dition of a new substructure in 1920when the city lowered Dodge Street.It was officially completed in 2007,when topped by a 70-foot, aluminumsteeple.2. Burlington Headquarters • 10th &Farnam • 1879 Long associated withthe Burlington Railroad, this building’shistorical importance and beautyhelped it survive when the CentralPark Mall coursed through downtownOmaha. The redesigned interior in-cludes a central atrium and skylight.3. King Fong • 315½ S. 16th St. •1880 Tolf Hanson had grand plansfor his Café Beautiful in 1908, butthe restaurant was short-lived. KingFong, with its exotic décor, has calledit home since 1920.4. Old Market • 10th to 13th, Harneyto Jackson Streets • 1880-1905 Bull-dozers once threatened this collectionof warehouse buildings that housedproduce wholesalers and commissionmerchants. Since the late 1960s, ithas become a vibrant zone of restau-rants, shops and apartments and oneof Omaha’s top tourist attractions.5. Ford Warehouses • 10th & Jones• 1881-1918 These three warehous-es were first built for wholesale fooddistribution. Ray Ford bought themand used them for his moving andstorage company. They now house186 residential units and retail shops.6. Trinity Cathedral • 18th & Capitol• 1883 This Late Gothic Revival-stylecathedral has maintained its statelypresence over the decades. Englisharchitect Henry Harrison designedthe Episcopal cathedral; a historicalsociety and museum are dedicated toits heritage.7. Christian Specht Building • 1110Douglas St. • 1884 This distinctivebuilding, with its cast-metal façade,survived a demolition threat in 2001.It now houses a design studio andapartments.8. Anheuser-Busch Building • 1213Jones St. • 1887 The only remnant ofthe original Krug Brewery, this buildingfeatures arched windows and distinc-

tive ornamentation. It was renovatedfor office space in 1989.9. New York Life Building • 17th& Farnam • 1889 Omaha’s firstskyscraper, this Renaissance Revivalbuilding is an imposing 10-story struc-ture of brownstone and brick. KutakRock, its primary tenant since 1977,has twice made major renovationsto the structure, now known as theOmaha Building.10. Harriman Dispatch Center •Ninth & Jackson • 1890 A goodexample of reuse, the center’ssteel trusses are from the originalUnion Station of 1872. Union Pacificadapted the former freight depot intoa state-of-the-art dispatch center in1988.11. Omaha Public Library • 19th &Harney • 1892 One of six on the listdesigned by Omaha native ThomasRogers Kimball, this Italian-inspiredbuilding was Omaha’s first permanentlibrary. It was redeveloped as officespace when a new library was built in1977.12. Central High School • 20th& Dodge • 1912 This edifice wasdesigned by Omaha architect JohnLatenser in the Second RenaissanceRevival style. It was constructed oneside at a time around the existingOmaha High School between 1900and 1912.13. Brandeis Building • 16th & Doug-las • 1906 Originally an eight-storystructure, the J.L. Brandeis & SonsDepartment Store added two addition-al stories in 1921. The store closedin 1980; the building now housesapartments and condominiums.14. Nash Block • Ninth & Farnam• 1907 Built with a twin warehousebuilding to the south, this eight-storystructure now houses apartments. Itis the sole remaining structure of theJobbers Canyon district.15. Douglas County Courthouse• 17th & Farnam • 1912 Thislimestone-and-granite fortress wasdesigned in the French RenaissanceRevival style by John Latenser. Therotunda features a skylight and eightmurals that depict westward migrationand agriculture.

16. Scottish Rite Cathedral •20th & Douglas • 1914 ScottishRite Masons commissioned thisneoclassical revival style building in1912. Still used for Masonic meetingsand events, the public may rent theballroom and auditorium.17. First National Bank • 16th &Farnam • 1917 First National Bank’shome from 1917 until 1970, the14-story, double-tower building ofwhite brick and polished granite nowhouses 81 luxury apartments, 27office suites and additional commer-cial space.18. Aquila Court • 16th & Howard• 1923 Original developer RaymondCook insisted that the building ofmixed retail and upstairs apartmentsinclude an Italian-style courtyard. Thecourtyard is still there, but the buildingis now home to a luxury hotel.19. Riviera Theater • 20th & Farnam• 1926 Chicago architect John Eber-son designed dozens of theaters inthe “atmospheric” style, including theRiviera, which was built to resemblea Moorish palace. Threatened bydemolition when it closed in 1980,the theater was restored through thegenerosity of Rose Blumkin.20. Orpheum Theater • 409 S. 16thSt. • 1927 Built into the existing CityNational Bank Building, this ornatetheater holds nearly 3,000 people.Several renovations in the past 50years have kept the theater a main-stay for the performing arts.21. Paxton Hotel • 14th & Farnam• 1928 The 11-floor art deco hotelreplaced two others built at the site.When the hotel closed, the buildingserved as a Job Corps site and aretirement center before its latestevolution into luxury condominiums.22. Redick Tower • 15th & Harney •1930 This 12-story art deco construc-tion was the first building in Omaha toinclude a parking garage. It becamethe Hotel Deco in 2012.23. Union Station • 10th &Mason• 1931 This art deco constructionserved as Union Pacific’s passengerterminal in Omaha for 40 years. In1975 it became the Western HeritageMuseum, now known as The Durham.

31. Mercer Mansion • 40th &Cuming • 1885 Dr. Samuel Mercer,who founded Omaha’s first hospital,built this 23-room Victorian mansion.It was converted to apartments in1920.32. The Barnard • Park Ave. & Leav-enworth • 1902 This three-story,U-shaped apartment building fea-tures a private courtyard. Its recentrenovation, along with that of TheUnitah, across Leavenworth Street,helped transform the neighborhood.33. Joslyn Castle • 39th &Davenport • 1903 Architect JohnMcDonald designed this ScottishBaronial home for George Joslyn,then Nebraska’s wealthiest citizen. Itis likely the most ornate home everbuilt in the state.34. Brandeis/Millard Residence •38th & Dewey • 1904 Departmentstore magnate Arthur Brandeisbuilt the Jacobethan-style homebut lived there just five years. Sen.Joseph Millard next took possession.Restored as an Edwardian manor, itnow serves as a private residenceand a reception venue.35. Gottlieb Storz Residence • 37th& Farnam • 1905 Three decadesafter Gottlieb Storz came to Omaha,the construction of this 27-roommansion was evidence of his brewingsuccess. Purchased in 2007 and un-dergoing a major interior restoration,the mansion boasts hand-paintedmurals, stained-glass windows and amassive chandelier.36. Mary Rogers Kimball Residence• 23rd & St. Mary’s Ave. • 1905Distinguished by its three steppedgables and arched windows, thishome was designed by Thomas Rog-ers Kimball for his mother. A localfamily is restoring the interior.37. St. Cecilia Cathedral • 40th &Burt • 1905 First used in 1916 but

not fully completed until the bellswere hung in its twin towers in 1959,the cathedral is the mother church ofthe Omaha Catholic Archdiocese andone of midtown’s architectural gems.38. St. John’s Greek OrthodoxChurch • Park Ave. & St. Mary’sAve. • 1907 Originally built forTemple Israel, this Byzantine-stylesynagogue was easily adapted asa church when St. John’s parishpurchased it in 1951.39. Drake Court • 22nd & Jones• 1916 The 14-building apartmentcomplex was designed and con-structed between 1916 and 1919by William Drake. A 2002 renovationbrought it back from years of neglect.40. Blackstone Hotel • 36th &Farnam • 1916 Renowned for itselegance, fine restaurants and leg-endary cuisine, the Blackstone Hotelfeatured suites of six to eight rooms.It was converted into office space inthe 1980s.41. First Unitarian Church • 31st &Harney • 1917 A touch of New En-gland in midtown Omaha, this churchwas designed by father and sonarchitects John and Alan McDonald.42. St. Regis Apartments • 37th& Jones • 1916 This 38-unit apart-ment complex built in a U-shapedconfiguration incorporates a mix ofBeaux Arts, Italian Renaissance,and Arts and Crafts elements in itsdesign.43. Northern Natural Gas Building• 23rd & Dodge • 1951 The originalsix-story headquarters building wasbuilt in 1951. Rapid expansion bythe utility necessitated the additionof a 15-story tower in 1957. Localarchitects Latenser & Sons designedboth buildings. In 2012 NuStyleDevelopment converted the buildinginto apartments.

44. Florence (Weber) Mill • 30th &McKinley • 1856 One of the oldestbuildings in Omaha, the frameworkdates back to the Mormons’ timeat the site. Linda Meigs bought thebuilding in 1998 and has mademajor upgrades, converting the millinto a museum and art gallery.45. Fort Omaha • 30th & Fort •1868Most of the buildings at thisformer Army fort date to the early20th century, though the GeneralCrook House was built in 1878. Anaval post for about 30 years, thesite became home to MetropolitanCommunity College in 1975.46. Sherman Apartments • 16th& Lake • 1897 Omaha’s firstapartment building, the neoclassicaldesign was the work of FrederickHenninger. Realtor G.H. Paynefinanced the construction. News-papers report apartment living wassoon considered “ultra fashionable.”47. Sacred Heart Church • 22nd &Binney • 1902With its 124-foot tow-er, the Gothic-style Catholic church

makes a prominent landmark inNorth Omaha. The parish continuesa strong outreach in the community.48. Kierle Home • 30th &Mormon• 1905When the site was soughtfor parking, preservationists inter-vened, and a family purchased thehouse and began to restore it. TheQueen Anne and classical revivalhome is located across from theFlorence town square.49. Strehlow Terrace • 16th &Yates • 1905 Contractor RobertStrehlow built this apartment com-plex of six buildings around a centralcourt and decorative fountain. Afterextensive renovation, it was renamedErnie Chambers Court in honor ofthe longtime state senator.50. Jewell Building • 24th & Grant• 1923 Until the 1960s, this build-ing housed the famed DreamlandBallroom, where jazz legends played.The Omaha Economic DevelopmentCorporation converted the building tooffice space in 1980; the photo-graphs lining its walls recall its past.

24. Joel Cornish Residence • 10th&William • 1886 This distinctivethree-story house was built forlawyer and banker Joel Cornish.Grace University owned the housefor a time. Arnie Breslow has beenrestoring the house since buying itabout 20 years ago.25. South 24th Street CommercialDistrict • South 24th between Mand O • 1890-1910 The buildingserected along this stretch of South24th Street once housed theaters,groceries, banks and auto dealer-ships. Now a variety of shops andrestaurants, most with a decidedlyLatin flavor, populate the district.26. Burlington Station • 10th &Pacific • 1898 This passenger

terminal welcomed visitors to theTrans-Mississippi and InternationalExposition when it opened in 1898.After it closed in 1974, a number ofattempts to restore the building fellthrough until television station KETVmade a firm commitment to makethe station its headquarters.27. Prague Hotel • 13th &William• 1898 The Prague Hotel was animportant center of Czech activityfor nearly half a century. The tavernremains on the first floor, but upperfloors have been converted intoapartments.28. St. Philomena Church • 10th &William • 1908 Like St. Cecilia, thisThomas Kimball-designed churchincorporates a Spanish Renaissance

Revival style. Its stained-glass win-dows were originally in the chapel atSt. Joseph Hospital.29. Vinton School • 22nd & DeerPark • 1908 One of six schoolbuildings designed by FrederickClarke, this Tudor Revival-styleschool traded its students for apart-ment dwellers in 1989.30. Livestock Exchange Building• 29th & O • 1926 This monu-mental building served a vital rolewhen South Omaha was a majormeatpacking center. It now servesthe community in a different way—as apartments for middle-incomefamilies and as a health center.

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BY CAROL BICAK

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

The Buffett and Son Grocery build-ing at 5015 Underwood Ave. wasbuilt in 1915 by Ernest Buffett,

Warren Buffett’s grandfather. In fact,Warren Buffett worked in the store as a boy.The grocery closed in 1969, and the buildinghas since passed through many hands. Overthe years, many historical architecturaldetails were lost. The structure becamea false-fronted building that no one couldadmire.

The Architectural Offices acquired thebuilding in 2004 and set about restoring itsoriginal look to the extent possible.

The project is receiving the 2015 Build-ing Preservation Award from RestorationExchange Omaha.

The Architectural Offices worked on therehabilitation project off and on for abouteight years, said project manager BryanZimmer.

By referring to photographs of the build-ing and digging through layers of history,the original facade was revealed and muchof the exterior architectural detail from the1920s and ’30s was restored. The interi-or was a different story. Of the original

architectural details, only the pressed metalceiling and the skylights remained. Theproject incorporated those features andused them in the contemporary design ofthe workspaces.

At first, the building was divided betweenthe Architectural Offices and Dundee Bank.

But soon the bank needed more space. Zim-mer said AO moved out and gave the bankthe entire space.

AO moved its office to another restorationproject, a building on Dodge Street.

“It’s nice to be recognized,” Zimmer saidof the award. “It’s fulfilling to see your hard

work appreciated.”He said his company has been involved

in the Dundee area for many years. Thegrocery project has been called an impetusto restoration of other buildings in the 50thStreet and Underwood Avenue area. AO alsoworked on many of those restorations andrenovations.

“There’s still room for improvement,”Zimmer said. “Benson has the good buildingstock Dundee wishes it had. The stock(buildings to work with) is thin, so everybuilding in Dundee is critical.”

Working with Zimmer on the BuffettGrocery project were Randy Palandri,Bill Stott, Joe Saniuk, Keith Herrman andNicole Malone.

BUILDING PRESERVATION AWARD

From Buffett and Son Grocery to Dundee Bank

BY CAROL BICAK

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

For the past decade, three brothers have beenmaking a difference in the Gifford Park Neigh-borhood with restoration projects.

Now Martin, John and Rob Janousek are beingrecognized with Restoration Exchange Omaha’s HomePreservation Award for their work on the home at 3201California St.

The two-story home, built in the early 1900s, was aderelict when the Janouseks purchased it. It had beentreated badly by many tenants, then sat empty for ayear. The brothers bought the house when it went intoforeclosure.

“We had noticed it a few years ago,” said MartinJanousek, an architect. “It was a nice house on a corner.Corner houses are so important. They set the tone forthe area.”

Though the brothers have completed a variety ofprojects, the fact that they all hold down regular jobsmeans the work on the houses must be done on week-ends or in the evenings. The house on California Streettook them over a year and a half to finish, Martin said.

Though the brothers do most of the work, they havecontractors help with some of the jobs. This projectrequired stabilizing the porch and replacing steps;installing a new roof, gutters and downspouts; repairingor replacing eaves and siding; painting the exterior;restoring the windows; putting in an all-new kitchenand bathroom (except for a restored claw-foot bathtub);refinishing floors; stripping and refinishing baseboardsand trim; adding insulation; installing new front andback doors; and putting in new landscaping.

Martin Janousek compares these projects to chil-dren — you take care of them and eventually have to let

them go. In the case of this house, they found a depend-able renter.

Though the brothers tackle different types of resto-ration projects, working on old houses is both challeng-ing and rewarding, he said.

“It’s really about giving back to the neighborhood,”he said, adding that it’s important to create positivechange.

There is a ripple effect. One project by them leads toother projects by the neighbors. Pretty soon the entireneighborhood has a different vibe.

This is the first time their work has been given anaward.

“It’s exciting,” Martin Janousek said. “It’s an honor.”

HOME PRESERVATION AWARD

Brothers restore Gifford Park home

Buffett and Son Grocery was built in 1915.

The Janousek brothers — John, Martin and Rob — restoredthis home at 3201 California St.

Home Preservation Awards ofMerit:Judges’comments

CHUDOMELKA HOUSE, 1039 S. 30TH AVE.

The owners of this homeclearly recognize theirrole as stewards. Weas homeowners havea duty — a duty toensure that our homesare better for the futureowner and generationsbeyond when wetook ownership. MikeChudomelka hasdone the researchto understand hishome’s history andover the last 12 yearshas painstakinglyrehabilitated the home.Beyond the blood, sweat and tears, Mike even confronted his own fear ofheights to ensure that the necessary repairs were made.

The building at 5015 Underwood Ave. was restored by The Architectural Offices and is the BuildingPreservation Award winner. Dundee Bank currently occupies the building.

MINNE LUSA HOUSE, 2737MARY ST.

It’s not every day thatpeople decide to investin a home not forthemselves but for thecommunity at large.The folks behind theMinne Lusa Househave taken a liabilityfor the neighborhood,and against all oddscreated a resourceand an asset. Previousrenovations to the homehad done damage butthe owners found waysto install appropriatenew pieces mixed with reusing what remained — an important balance thatwe can all seek to emulate.

AWARDSCOMMITTEEMatt DeBoer, AIAGeorge Haecker, AIALarry Jacobsen,AIARoss Miller, Assoc. AIALynn MeyerMike PeterRobert PetersJenni ShukertBrian Spencer, AIATrinaWestman

THANK YOU!AwardsSponsor

AIAOmaha

AWARDSCHAIRJoe Saniuk,AIA

JURYCHAIRWill O’Keefe

Minnesota Preservation Alliance

Click. Give. Preserve!DONATE $10 to RESTORATION EXCHANGE OMAHA

Now through May 20www.omahagives24.org

Help us Create Communities that Show their Age Proudly!

BY CAROL BICAK

WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Not too long ago, the Hughes-IronsMotor Co. building at 141 WestBroadway in Council Bluffs was

one of several buildings near downtown thatfaced demolition.

It is actually two buildings that housedautomobile sales and service. One buildingwas built in the 1880s, the other in 1917. Anaddition was built in 1923.

The project to rehabilitate the site — notinitially greeted with great enthusiasm,but now a showplace — was backed by thePottawattamie County Development Corp.under the direction of Andrea Kathol. ThenAlley Poyner Macchietto Architecture wasbrought in.

The successful repurposing of thebuilding is being recognized by RestorationExchange Omaha with the AIA Omaha Pres-ervation Award.

The building now includes a restaurantand art venue, Dixie Quicks Public Houseand RNG Gallery; the Council Bluffs Cham-ber of Commerce office; a Scooters Coffee-house; and 17 market-rate loft apartments.

Interior work required altering existingfeatures so they would perform better forthe building’s new use, such as cutting adrive-thru opening in the load-bearing ma-sonry center wall at the rear indoor parkingarea.

A mosaic tile floor in the former show-room was retained in the first floor officespace. The original wood floor of the main-tenance garage was repaired and refinished,while allowing layers of grease and paint toshow through and add character. The garage

doors became art on the second floor.Exterior work included putting in new

windows that matched the historic details ofthe older windows and restoring the prismglass transoms.

The garage doors were replaced withaluminum-framed systems that retained thelook of the doors. Missing masonry and bellcurves were rebuilt with new material tomatch the appearance of the old.

“It’s modern, but we tried to save histori-cal elements,” Kathol said.

The project was completed in two-and-a-half to three years for $8.5 million to $9million, she said. It had multiple goals thatwent beyond historic preservation.

“Revitalizing the block on West Broad-way was one of the major goals,” said Bob

Mundt, President/CEO of the Council BluffsArea Chamber of Commerce. “This would bea catalyst for the block’s development andthe area around it.”

Other goals included creating somethingthat would draw people to downtown CouncilBluffs. That’s where the restaurant andhousing components of the project came in.

“The mixed-use theme we’re trying topromote downtown is bringing people backto the center,” Mundt said.

The architecture, historical researchand design work were completed by a teamthat included Albert Macchietto, JenniferHonebrink, Martin Kluck, Jenny ZimmerBrennan, Jean Vacha, Katrina Stoffel, ErinTrofholz and Dennis Nelsen.

AIA OMAHA PRESERVATION AWARD

New life for Hughes-IronsMotor Co.

SECURITY NATIONAL BANK, ANSLEY, NEBRASKA

We’ve all looked at projects in our smaller communities andquestioned the feasibility and willingness for preservation. TheSecurity State Bank is an impressive melding of taking a buildingin need of significant rehabilitation and finding a way to give it newlife and add value for the entire community. The owners made aconscious decision to find a solution that would allow for retentionof the original use as well as bringing the second floor back tolife — not only was this a challenging question but an expensiveone. Ultimately, a sensitive addition was added onto the buildingallowing for necessary egress; it would have been easier tomothball the second floor and revitalize the first floor. But now,the Security State Bank has community space upstairs and thebuilding is clearly a major asset to Ansley.

AIAOmahaPreservation

Award ofMerit,The Architectural

Offices:Judges’comments

The former Hughes-Irons Motor Co. building at 141 West Broadway in Council Bluffs was rehabilitatedand now is home to Dixie Quicks, the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce office, a ScootersCoffeehouse and 17 loft apartments.

Restoration Exchangeupcoming events

OMAHA GIVES! RESTORATION TOUR

Flatiron Building

1722 St. Mary’s Ave.

Wednesday, May 20, 5-8 p.m.

Restoration work is in full swing.

Check out the progress plus enjoy freefood and drink with Restoration Exchange.

NORTH 24TH, SOUTH 24TH ANDVINTON STREETWALKING TOURS

Ongoing through October

For dates visitwww.restorationexchange.org/educate

HANSCOMPARKNEIGHBORHOOD TOUR

Sunday, Oct. 4Noon to 5 p.m.

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BUILDINGS.IT’S ABOUT THE PEOPLE

WHO LOVE THEM.

JOIN US.restorationexchange.org/get-involved

When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present

delight nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants

will thank us for; and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to

come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched

them, and that men will say, “See! This our father did for us.”

John Ruskin (1819 ~ 1900 )

The Blackstone Hotel, 1915