Vantage Pointe (18th & Leavenworth)

[U R my Helix]

So what is the story with this building? Vantage Pointe at 1818 Leavenworth? Looks long vacant but not in bad shape. Wouldn't it make an easy conversion into apartments or transitional housing?

[daveoma]

The views from this building would be great but the prison is right across the street. I can't imagine any business would want to locate there...perhaps an exception would be a start-up.

[justnick]

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.2523746 ... 56!6m1!1e1

1. What was this building? When did it go empty?

2. is something happening here? that glass front doorway you can still see on google earth is off and so are all the for sale/lease signs.

seeing this and the Mid City building on 25th rehabbed would be great coups for the neighborhood.

[Toto]

The owner is Bernard J. Mobeco. If you google him, you will see Bernard and the city meet in the courtroom more than most people.

[nebraska]

Originally built in 1936

1940s-late 70s? Used to house the Gland-O-Lac Company, as a firm which is engaged in the production of poultry and canine medicines. here

In the 80s, the name "RIEKES CRISA CORPORATION, 1818 LEAVENWORTH STREET" comes up. Alco Standard and United Laboratories might have had office there too.

Owned by Bernard Morello as Mobeco Industries Inc (first two letters of his last and first name). Maybe the same Morello who owns about 200 properties in Omaha, but he now lives in Texas. He has a bad habit of not maintaining his properties. here Looks like he just buys properties cheap and holds on to them, often letting them go into disrepair, often involved in lawsuits involving fines and eminent domain.

The number of electric meters on the outside leads me to think it used to be apartments, especially with a name like "Vantage Pointe", but I couldn't find anything on Google that says so.

[iamjacobm]

No permits submitted as of today.

[U R my Helix]

I notice today that this building now has a for-sale sign up. I think it could be a great location for affordable housing for those working downtown.

[Brad]

People picking up litter around the building last weekend.

[ita]

It's being offered as an office building with possible flex-use. No price listed, but it's an interesting property. There is a building just south of there on 18th that shares a similar style. It's too bad the prison has inhibited development in the surrounding area. It really makes this a dead zone. Are there any good examples in other cities where there is solid development/land use around a downtown prison?

[ita]

I went down a rabbit hole looking into who owns the big empty parcel just north of the CHI Health clinic on 24th and Cuming, discovered its a same guy who owns this property and found this listing: http://looplink.natl.cbre.us/ll/1543057 ... nworth-St/. It's been several months that he has tried to sell it at $2.9 million. The listing is taken down on other commercial real estate sites. Maybe when he passes away, his estate will divest all the properties this fellow owns in Omaha.

[iamjacobm]

Sounds like this finally sold this week. No word on the number or who bought it yet.

[BD PC Omaha]

You are kidding me. That thing has been for sale for decades. That agent must be over the moon. Mahogany Steak Dinner!

[bldgengineer2015]

Looks like a demolition permit for this building has been issued.

[nebport5]

...and they're tearing it down.

[jjsomaha]

[Samuel]

The project developed on this lot is going to have some of the best views in the city!

[Brad]

The project developed on this lot is going to have some of the best views in the city!

Looking at these photos, it was a brick building with larger windows and then somewhere down the line it was "modernized" by covering the brick and shrinking the windows?

[skinzfan23]

How old is the original building?

[nebport5]

How old is the original building?

Built in 1936.

[ita]

It was bought by an entity managed by John Heine of Oaks Investment. The property is listed on their site; sold for $2M. I think John will end up selling it, just getting it ready for a developer. Would be cool to have something with 7+ stories, but I know the location is not the best next to the corrections center.

[skinzfan23]

Built in 1936.

Thanks.

It looked pretty ugly in it's most recent state.

I agree, location is tough on this one. The view, however, will be amazing.

[Mapguy]

I know that developers dont really have a sense of humor but theres so many unique names a new apt complex could have.

Prison view apts
Jailhouse lofts (J lofts)
Penitentiary Penthouses
Correctional Condos
Re-entry Rowhouses

The possibilities are endless

[Diogenes]

I think about solving for the view of the correctional facility every time I drive past- maybe just have north/south + west facing fenestration? A half tennis court with 2 story rebound wall on the east side of the site? Angled floorplans terminating in walled balconies?

I think the more provocative solution would be to have a more humane criminal justice system and by extension more beautiful correctional facilities but that is more of a philosophical problem than architectural!

[BIGO88]

The building on 19th and leavenworth that has been a barber shop the last few years has a new sign saying "De Casa Cafe" Coming soon.

[bldgengineer2015]

Based on GIS, the City owns this property now. Interesting.

[MadJack]

That IS interesting. Earlier this year, I talked with someone who had been involved in the sale of that property. I asked them what might be going there and they just said "something that would benefit the community." My immediate thought at the time was the police/fire HQ but we now know that's not the case.

[ita]

That IS interesting. Earlier this year, I talked with someone who had been involved in the sale of that property. I asked them what might be going there and they just said "something that would benefit the community." My immediate thought at the time was the police/fire HQ but we now know that's not the case.

Could be a combine downtown police/fire station? I like that use for this property.

[Louie]

That IS interesting. Earlier this year, I talked with someone who had been involved in the sale of that property. I asked them what might be going there and they just said "something that would benefit the community." My immediate thought at the time was the police/fire HQ but we now know that's not the case.

Could be a combine downtown police/fire station? I like that use for this property.

And free up those much more prime lots, that would be excellent.

[nebport5]

That IS interesting. Earlier this year, I talked with someone who had been involved in the sale of that property. I asked them what might be going there and they just said "something that would benefit the community." My immediate thought at the time was the police/fire HQ but we now know that's not the case.

Could be a combine downtown police/fire station? I like that use for this property.

And free up those much more prime lots, that would be excellent.

How about a new home for the bus station instead and the police/fire station can take its place. The lots look to be about the same if you include the parking lot south of the bus station.

The Vantage location may not be ideal for police/fire response sandwiched between a busy one way(Leavenworth) and a brick street(18th) and the awkward St. Mary's/Jackson triangle. Of course, 18th could be paved, but the other obstacles would likely delay response times vs the current locations.