Omaha National Bank Building

Omaha National Bank Building, originally uploaded by bridgepix.

The Omaha National Bank Building was built in 1888-89 at 1650 Farnam Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in the Italian Renaissance style, the building was saved from demolition by a rehabilitation in 1978. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, the building was originally known as the New York Life Insurance Building; it was renamed in 1906.

History - Originally occupied by the New York Life Insurance Company, the building was purchased by the Kountze Brothers's Omaha National Bank in 1909. A six floor brick building, it was located on the Bromley Block. Constructed in 1888-89, the building was designed in the Renaissance Revival style by the New York City architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White. The firm designed an identical office tower for the New York Life Insurance Company in Kansas City, Missouri, and was Omaha's first ten-story structure.

Omaha National Bank - Started in 1856, Omaha National Bank's original location was at 212 South 13th Street. In 1906 they purchased the building from the New York Life Insurance Company and renovated it completely.

Omaha pioneer Ezra Millard was the first president of Omaha National Bank. Future Omaha mayor and Nebraska Senator Joseph H. Millard was president of the Omaha National Bank in after Millard's departure in 1871.

Present - Omaha National Bank merged with another bank and moved out of the building in 1972. After being vacated it was slated for demolition. However, the building was rehabilitated in 1978 and converted to office space. Today, called the Omaha Building, it is home to the law firm of Kutak Rock.

(Wikipedia)