Exchange Building--1905 Harney

[iamjacobm]

http://siliconprairienews.com/2015/10/w ... y-problem/

Good article about how this building is becoming a startup center for Omaha. Startup operations now occupy 3 full floors here and there are talks of expanding services in the future.

http://www.omahaexchange.co/

[RNcyanide]

I had no idea this place even existed!

[skinzfan23]

I didn't realize that the building was 100 years old. Any idea what it originally looked like?

[Midwestern]

Oh wow, I had no idea this building was that old either. Wonder what it looks like underneath.

I've gotta say though, this is one of the very few times where I think the new "modern" facade actually looks pretty good.

[mr. omaha]

Naturally... the old Omaha Grain Exchange was one of those buildings that used to look absolutely amazing, but no longer does:

[Brad]

Naturally... the old Omaha Grain Exchange was one of those buildings that used to look absolutely amazing, but no longer does:

That's the same building?

[PotatoeEatsFish]

It has the same number of floors and the same shape, so it must be.

[SaveOmaha]

It is the same building before it was heavily altered!

[daveoma]

http://siliconprairienews.com/2015/10/w ... y-problem/

Good article about how this building is becoming a startup center for Omaha. Startup operations now occupy 3 full floors here and there are talks of expanding services in the future.

http://www.omahaexchange.co/

I'm glad to see startups having a place they can call home. One of these might be the next ConAgra.

[skinzfan23]

Thanks for posting Mr. Omaha, that is exactly what I was looking for. It is amazing that so many of us on here that follow Omaha still don't know how great some of these buildings looked originally. I think the current design is ok, but compared to the original, not even in the same ballpark. This is a perfect example why I believe modern architecture is so bland. There used to be attention to detail with all the overhangs, different sized windows, woodwork, etc. Now, every building looks the same. Clean lines, prefab materials and cheaply put together.

This is a picture I found when when checking google for 1905 Harney. You can slightly see the picture of original building hanging on the wall to the left.

[mr. omaha]

Here's another photo of the Omaha Grain Exchange building from some time in the early 80's. You can see that some significant alterations had already been made to the cornice and base by then.

[mr. omaha]

Here's a photo illustrating the detail surrounding the original entryway.

[Joe_Sovereign]

Here's a photo illustrating the detail surrounding the original entryway.

I was not upset by the renovations until I saw this. I think the current building does not look bad and you can't expect every building to not change over time. However tearing out this level of detail to replace with nothing is mind boggling. Just a matter of perspective I guess, I am sure the old guy who authorized the renovations saw this kind of detail everyday of his life growing up and just thought of it as old.

[nebugeater]

Here's a photo illustrating the detail surrounding the original entryway.

I was not upset by the renovations until I saw this. I think the current building does not look bad and you can't expect every building to not change over time. However tearing out this level of detail to replace with nothing is mind boggling. Just a matter of perspective I guess, I am sure the old guy who authorized the renovations saw this kind of detail everyday of his life growing up and just thought of it as old.

While I agree with what you are saying there is also the possibility that the condition of the detail was such that it needed to be addressed.

[Midwestern]

Well since the cornice and base were already destroyed, I like the look of the building now a lot more than that picture from the early 80's.

I never even knew that was an old building, I just always assumed it was something from the 60's or 70's.