Omaha Exploration

Omaha has more affordable housing on the way. It’s coming by the way of the one-time Union State Bank designed by prominent Omaha architect John Latenser. The seven-story building opened as a bank in 1927 with offices and street level shops. It has a distinctive lobby with a vaulted ceiling that led customers through a doorway that resembled a Roman temple. 

The bank failed to survive the Great Depression and closed for good in 1934. Located at 1904 Farnam Street, Service Life Insurance Company bought the building in 1939 and used it as their offices for decades. Due to its proximity to the courthouse and city-county building, it has been the home to law offices in recent years. It’s perhaps more well known as the longtime home to Manhattan Deli which has since moved to 1802 Farnam Street.

The target of graffiti, vandalism and break-ins more recently, the Art Deco building’s architectural features have survived numerous remodels. Work to convert the historic building into a modern six story apartment complex started in June 2024. It included gutting the former offices which required the use of hundreds of dumpsters.

The project also calls for preserving historic features including the lobby, former bank space and the upper floor common hallways including the marble wall paneling, mosaic tile floors and clerestory windows. I thought it was interesting that during the renovation, a large space was discovered beneath the building next to the street. This reminded me of the large space beneath 16th and Farnam that collapsed causing the garbage truck to partially fall in.

When completed The Carrara apartment complex will have 54 units in addition to 6,000 sq ft of ground level commercial and retail space. The 30 studio apartments will range from $650-$800 per month while the 24 one-bedroom units will rent from $800-$1,000. They will only be available to people who make 40-60% of the area’s median income. 

The building sits along the future streetcar line and some of its units will offer views of the Woodmen Tower, First National Bank Tower and St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church. The developer of the project, Neeraj Agarwal, said to the Omaha World-Herald that “Post-COVID, everybody realized you’re going to have vacant, under-utilized office buildings, and it’s best to convert them to affordable housing, which is in really desperate need.” He went on to say that the project was so expensive that it is only feasible due to the historic and low-income tax credits. The apartments are expected to open in Spring 2025.

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