Barker Building (15th and Farnam)

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 9:48 pm

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=46&u_sid=1439047

Citing the 1600 Farnam going 'affordable' condo... the Seattle developer has decided to make the Barker building apartments... which also qualifies the project for more tax breaks.

I for one... welcome a few more apartments in the downtown area along with the wave of condos.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 9:51 pm

jhuston wrote:I for one... welcome a few more apartments in the downtown area along with the wave of condos.

Seconded!

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:02 pm

I couldn't agree more!!! Not all of us can afford 250K plus condos downtown. Apartments or condo, it is a great use of an interesting building!

OmahaDevelopmentMan · Fri Jun 17, 2005 11:22 pm

Good, we need apartments not just all condos.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 11:33 pm

The more the merrier..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

Post by **Brad** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:34 pm

Can anyone guess what the monthly rent be on the appartments?

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Fri May 26, 2006 8:36 pm

Has anyone heard anything on this project?? Announced a loooong time ago as condos, then changed a year ago to apartments, nothing has yet happened. I can see the Lerner Building not being started until there is a viable retail client, or if they were waiting for saome absorption of the current condo projects on the market, but if a building is to be apartments? Doesn't make much sense.

ItsAllAboutMe · Post by **ItsAllAboutMe** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:43 am

On the developers web site they have updated the information to state the project would not start until the spring of 2007. Thats too bad, I think they will never get it going.

Also, the same developer has removed any information regarding the Lerner building from their website. I think we can move this project in to the dumpster

scraper · Post by **scraper** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 3:32 pm

I do know the Barker building has tax liens filed against it for non-payment of property taxes (to the tune of $17,000). Perhaps funding is an issue?

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 4:34 pm

Well that's not good. They're going to have to pay that off before they can take out loan.

Has there been any public notice of a tax sale of the building? They're still in the project and still have the equitable right of redemption which means they can pay off the lien before it's sold. I hope they take care of it soon, I really want this one to happen.

j4nu · Post by **j4nu** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 6:10 pm

Thought this was as good as spot as any, I need some some help looking for an apartment downtown. We need a place by mid July to August 1st that allows pets and has offstreet or better yet indoor parking. The Skinner building, Green House, and Cornerstone seem to fit the needs but I was hoping from some feedback from the group.
Thanks

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 8:18 pm

B4 I head out for the nite, I'll reply to this. There is a place called Apartment Finders on 108th and Center. I can't remember the number though. Some may be able to help out more than I can now if you don't want to pay the finding fee. Well gotta go, good luck.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 9:20 pm

The Skinner and The Greenhouse are non-pet, unless it is a cat.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 9:26 pm

Sad news on both the Lerner Building on 16th, and the Barker at 15th and Farnum. It would be nice if a reputable firm came aonog and bought one or both and actually did something with them. It is sad to see both projects die.

Minneapolis Boy · Post by **Minneapolis Boy** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 4:34 pm

Didn't a company from Seattle purchase the Barker Building? At the time of purchase there was much fanfare about this company "knowing how to do urban redevelopment." [not an exact quote] Since then, nothing. It is very sad. I hope something positive happens in the next year or two.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 5:52 pm

It was a company that had the words "affordable housing" in it's name I think. I wish I could remember it so I could check their website and see what's up.

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 6:06 pm

Heritage Affordable Housing:

http://www.heritageaffordablehousing.com/

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 6:32 pm

Thanks Adam! It says the Barker is to start renovation in the Spring of 2007.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:48 pm

It is an LIHTC project and they probably did not get awarded tax credits. It is a competitive program and difficult to get funds - espaecially the first try. It is typical for developers to try to attain tax credits for a couple of years due to the expense, time and expertise involved in the process. This project will probably be trying again during the next round of tax credit applications.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 7:49 pm

See this thread for an OWH article with an update on the project.

http://www.eomaha.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4743

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:59 pm

There may be something to that Spring 07 after all. Today walking home I saw 3 well dressed men outside of the Barker building talking and looking at it and then they walked inside. :D Something is in the works here which is great, that building could be another real gem.

http://www.heritageaffordablehousing.com/barker.html

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:22 pm

Well, guess I'll have to add fuel to this fire, Josh. A week ago Monday, I was waiting for a bus at 15th and Farnum, and several guys came out of the building! It took me bu surprise, because it was the first time I had ever seen activity of any kind there.

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:53 pm

Does this building still have a $17,000 tax lien on it or was that paid off? Something needs to be in that building though. This would be ONE of the last conversion projects in Omaha. Not to many are left.

j4nu · Post by **j4nu** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:59 pm

I am curious about this building and have been for some time. If it does have a formal lobby it makes me even more curious about its history and what it was originally used for.

midtown charlie · Post by **midtown charlie** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:58 pm

I don't really remember a formal lobby but it has been almost 20 years since I was in there. I remember it divided up between different businesses. An Insurance Company took up most of the building. ( a side note that same insurance company was kicked out of the old WOW building because someone wanted to tear it down. Sad huh. Granted they were about the only ones in that building and they only took a couple of floors but to force someone out so you can tear it down seems odd!) Anyway back to the Barker. The ground floor had a magazine shop but I don't remember much else.

I have a pic somewhere of the lights that were on the side of the building (they have since been removed...I hope it was to protect them). I'll see if I can find them and post em.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:02 pm

That's right. It had GORGEOUS light fixtures. And I TOO hope they were removed for safe keeping, to be re-installed after a renovation.

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:17 am

I'll have to look closer at the building while I walk past going to work. I haven't seen anything that points to cleanup yet.

(Off topic) I agree 100% with the above statement.

Post by **Brad** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:15 pm

Have they fixed the broken windows and killed the "rats with wings" yet?

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:59 pm

No. I want to see this get going as much as anybody. But I'm telling ya, I walk past this building twice a day, and there is nothing going on here yet. If there's been window cleaning, then the cleaners need fired.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 7:10 pm

Post by **Brad** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 10:30 pm

That's cool. What did that use to be?

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:35 am

It looks like some sort of library with all that two-tiered shelving.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:33 am

I think that is where D'Shawn stored all his speeding tickets.

Historic Omaha · Post by **Historic Omaha** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:01 pm

It was a shoe store

Post by **Admin** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:05 pm

Historic Omaha wrote:It was a shoe store

Now that makes sense. Thanks Historic Omaha - and welcome to the Forum!

j4nu · Post by **j4nu** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:32 pm

As I was walking around last night I was trying to think about how cool it must have been to shop around downtown when stores like that, Brandeis, Borsheims etc. were downtown. It had to be a great experience to shop down there. Too bad we lost that to the suburban mall.

Historic Omaha · Post by **Historic Omaha** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:43 pm

I too would like to see major retailers return to DTO. However, I have seen and read about the extensive GIS modeling used to choose a location for a store (such as Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, etc.) and its not for lack and people appreciating downtowns...it really has more to do with economics (are there enough people to justify the higher cost of land, rent, parking). I believe that Omaha is getting closer to making such a justification. Downtown revitalization is not just about aesthetics...it is also about businesses making money. I apologize if I am "coming on strong"; I too want the best for Omaha. There is just a method for how this all works and we cannot pretend to be Le Corbusier with an ultimate vision of the what a city should be.

Historic Omaha · Post by **Historic Omaha** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 6:52 pm

True & very exciting!

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:55 pm

Yeah, as far as I'm concerned, Midtown Crossing is the most important project currently happening in Omaha, among many FANTASTIC projects.

Ingersoll1978 · Post by **Ingersoll1978** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 6:04 pm

I just went and looked at Heritage Affordable Housing's website...and none of the projects in Omaha are listed anymore. I know that both the Lerner and Barker Buildings were listed as projects before. Des Moines also had an apartment building proposed as well...and it isn't listed either. Maybe the company experienced financial difficulties...who knows? The building they did do (Mulberry Lofts) here turned out quite good (and was completed earlier this year).

Here is a link to the Mulberry Lofts project page on absolutedsm.com:

http://www.absolutedsm.com/Projects%20a ... n_2005.htm