Creighton weighing options for use of Storz mansion

[Finn]

An alumni center would be a good use of the mansion.

Creighton weighing options for use of Storz mansion

[DTO Luv]

The alumni center sounds like a nice idea, but it being a private residence would be good for attracting someone who could afford it to the area. If I ever could I would by the Joslyn Castle and live there. My mom's always favored the Mercer Mansion.

[Brad]

I don't particular care what the building is used for as long as its historical qualities are preserved. I think there would by a few buyers if it went on the market. I don't want it to be turned in to appartments.

[UNOstudent]

Storz Mansion was recently purchased by an older couple for 475,000 and also plan on upgrading the place. if i didnt leave work early yesterday i could have toured the place with the new owners and taken pics.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

I don't get it.

Do they plan to LIVE in it, or will it stay in the charge of CU?

[UNOstudent]

they bought it from creighton and will live there.

[Historic Omaha]

I would hardly call the future owners "older"

I toured the house with them in June.  The interior is essentially the same as when the building was listed on the National Register in the late 1970s; however, almost all of the historic Storz furnishings were sold at auction by Creighton (awhile back...).

The owners are planning to use the building as their private residence while transitioning a few of the bedrooms for use by out-of-town guests.  In addition, they are planning on converting the carriage house's upper level into an apartment.

That's pretty much all I can say at this point.

This is a very good thing for midtown.  I tend to think of Joslyn Castle and the Storz Mansion as 'davenport-dodge-farnam" street "bookends"

[UNOstudent]

well, older than me...its all relative

[j4nu]

I would hardly call the future owners "older"

I toured the house with them in June.  The interior is essentially the same as when the building was listed on the National Register in the late 1970s; however, almost all of the historic Storz furnishings were sold at auction by Creighton (awhile back...).

The owners are planning to use the building as their private residence while transitioning a few of the bedrooms for use by out-of-town guests.  In addition, they are planning on converting the carriage house's upper level into an apartment.

That's pretty much all I can say at this point.

This is a very good thing for midtown.  I tend to think of Joslyn Castle and the Storz Mansion as 'davenport-dodge-farnam" street "bookends"

I am thrilled to hear this house will be returned to private hands and be owner occupied.  It is one of the cities real gems and in combination with the mutual development can lead to a great urban neighborhood.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Absolutely!

[Brad]

Saw on Facebook that they want to turn this in to a halfway house???

With all the great things working in the Balckstone District, you think there would be much better options...

[GetUrban]

They should tear it down to make way for some future development which may happen some day.

[GRANDPASMUCKER]

They should tear it down to make way for some future development which may happen some day.

Exactly! How dare somebody have such a good and practical idea as to use that beautiful house for a home for down and out women hoping to get their acts together!

[GetUrban]

Exactly! New is ALWAYS better.Tear it down now before it's too late.

[Coyote]

The proposal is likely to be controversial. It faces opposition from neighbors concerned about the concentration of group homes and the loss of single-family residences in the neighborhood. Potential legal hurdles loom with city zoning codes.

[bigredmed]

As there is already a half way house on the street, I can't sympathize that this will take away from single family homes, especially when it was an event center and not a single family home.

I apologize for the snark in what follows, but there should be a lot more group homes and halfway houses in that part of town, Dundee, and Underwood. A lot more. Scattered site housing with real gang bangers would also be great.

That part of town consistently votes liberal, but then insulates itself against the cost of their big glorious social agendas whilst dumping the costs on others. There are parts of old Millard that have three or more group home/halfway houses on a single street. Add in the various scattered site houses, and you are talking streets with 20 homes and 5-6 that are no longer "single family homes". What about the property values of the retired Western Electric workers who still live in the neighborhood?

Excuse me if I don't cry for people who own mansions and who want more of these kind of things, but only if they are in some other part of town.

[Ebburkrevus]

Yay for a half-way house. It is humongous and could do a lot of good for a lot of people.

[Ebburkrevus]

As there is already a half way house on the street, I can't sympathize that this will take away from single family homes, especially when it was an event center and not a single family home.

I apologize for the snark in what follows, but there should be a lot more group homes and halfway houses in that part of town, Dundee, and Underwood.  A lot more.  Scattered site housing with real gang bangers would also be great.

That part of town consistently votes liberal, but then insulates itself against the cost of their big glorious social agendas whilst dumping the costs on others.   There are parts of old Millard that have three or more group home/halfway houses on a single street.  Add in the various scattered site houses, and you are talking streets with 20 homes and 5-6 that are no longer "single family homes".   What about the property values of the retired Western Electric workers who still live in the neighborhood?  

Excuse me if I don't cry for people who own mansions and who want more of these kind of things, but only if they are in some other part of town.

You sir, are spot on with your analysis.

[RNcyanide]

As there is already a half way house on the street, I can't sympathize that this will take away from single family homes, especially when it was an event center and not a single family home.

I apologize for the snark in what follows, but there should be a lot more group homes and halfway houses in that part of town, Dundee, and Underwood.  A lot more.  Scattered site housing with real gang bangers would also be great.

That part of town consistently votes liberal, but then insulates itself against the cost of their big glorious social agendas whilst dumping the costs on others.   There are parts of old Millard that have three or more group home/halfway houses on a single street.  Add in the various scattered site houses, and you are talking streets with 20 homes and 5-6 that are no longer "single family homes".   What about the property values of the retired Western Electric workers who still live in the neighborhood?  

Excuse me if I don't cry for people who own mansions and who want more of these kind of things, but only if they are in some other part of town.

[Professor Woland]

Wait, someone owns that mansion, Creighton sold it in 2007. So, if I might ask, who wants to turn it into a halfway house? Considering the painstaking work the owner has done to fix the place up and the fact that he's always said he's very happy to live there, I'd be shocked if there was anything to this.

[bigredmed]

Wait, someone owns that mansion, Creighton sold it in 2007. So, if I might ask, who wants to turn it into a halfway house?   Considering the painstaking work the owner has done to fix the place up and the fact that he's always said he's very happy to live there, I'd be shocked if there was anything to this.

Different place. The place being sold and converted is the Renaissance Manor. An event center.

[Omababe]

They should tear it down to make way for some future development which may happen some day.

Don't say that too loud! Clarinda, round 2.

[GetUrban]

They should tear it down to make way for some future development which may happen some day.

Don't say that too loud! Clarinda, round 2.

That was my point! I posted that the day after the Omaha City Council confirmed the death sentence for Clarinda/Page.

[bigredmed]

Nope, the Renaissance Manor is perfect for a transitional group home. Walking distance to the Red Cross, lots of midtown restaurants, UNMC, Kiewit, WOWT, Woodman, and Mutual. Lots of job prospects for women just getting back into the work force. On a bus route. Should be a perfect location.

Especially since it's surrounded by "progressives" who care so much about the downtrodden. I am sure that they will feel honored to have these people walking the streets near their homes.

[Coyote]

Santa Monica's special use permit for the Rennaisance Mansion (Storz Mansion - 401 S. 39th St) was granted by the city council (6-1) despite opposition claims to the City of Omaha's half mile spacing ordinance of group (transitional) living spaces, (there are 16 group homes within their half mile radius), using precedence of New Hope Fellowship Inc. vs City of Omaha which ruled that recovering alcoholics and substance abuse cases are considered dIsabled under Fair Housing Act, and receive special legal reasonable accommodation on a case by case basis.