The vision of restoring and rehabilitating block 318, “the NorthEnd” into an urban node and destination for the City of Omaha is not the work of a single individual; rather, is the collective work of many voices, this collective effort is appreciated and it will be vibrantly evident as the project progresses from vision to reality.
These drawings have become the catalyst to bring a new beginning to an existing group of structures located within the original city blocks of the City of Omaha Nebraska. Block 318 the former location of the M.A. Disbrow & Company manufacturing facilities encompasses four building and two empty lots to complete the entire city block between 12th and 13th streets and Nicholas and Izard streets.
These brick and timber structures have been seating dormant for many years, some of the structure have suffered damage and need urgent repairs. The recent purchase of these structures by a sensitive and visionary individual have revived the hopes to rehabilitate the entire block to aid in the efforts ofthe implementation of the City of Omaha Master Plan for the North Downtown and Art and Trades District.
The efforts of the design team is to document the existing conditions of all the buildings in this City Block, to illustrate and captures significant architectural features from each building and the complex as a whole. This documentation work will be followed by the design effort to implement an intervention into the existing fabric of the block, to capture the juxtaposition of old and new, to give a new use to existing spaces that at one time in the past were use for the creation of exquisite architectural wood products; can today, serve as a multi-use urban destination node for living, work and entertainment.
