Burlington Station Renovation, Omaha, NE

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The upper level parking that is being torn out, was an after thought many years later after completion of the station. With that gone it will be as it was when first built.
 
The upper level parking that is being torn out, was an after thought many years later after completion of the station. With that gone it will be as it was when first built.

Not exactly. When it was first built, there was a ramp from 10th Street down to the front of the building. Also, the building looked completely different back then. It had all the columns and a pitched roof.
 
Yes, that is correct. The original building did not look like it does now, it was remodeled when UP built the present station to the north. When originally built, the upper parking was not there but now with it gone, the layout has taken a step back to being a little more like it was originally.

The pillars that were on the original structure were put on flat cars during the remodeling and hauled down to Lincoln where they stand to this very day. I have a picture of President Taft giving some kind of speech on the south side of the building. I have at least 20 pics of the Burlington station dating back to about 1907-1940's. Mostly they are used and unused picture post cards, some being over 100 years old.

It is rather a shame to have removed the concourse decking on the north side. To me it's famous from the days when it used to connect with the UP station.

Nobody should expect any kind of historical accuracy with what the TV station is doing to the building. It is the least of their concerns but I'm sure they'll pat themselves on the back, for somehow doing Omaha a great service by occupying the structure.

If I won the lottery, I would have restored the building in it's current "second generation" appearance with historical purity being the only priority but make it fully functional for modern use (technologically speaking) then donate it to AmTrack or some variation that would allow it to return it to it's intended purpose but that is nothing more than just a fun thought.

The reality is the lessor of two evils. It either continues to exist in a less than respectful, mutated form or you lose it all to the wrecking ball.
 




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