Harvester Artists Lofts

CLIENT: Artspace
LOCATION: Omaha, NE
ARCHITECT: Alley Poyner Macchietto

Lund-Ross served as the Construction Manager at Risk for the historic renovation of a large warehouse in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The 80,225-square-foot structure was built on the edge of downtown Council Bluffs in 1894 to house the International Harvester Company, a farm machinery manufacturer.

The developer purchased the Harvester Building in 2007 and used low-income housing credits to create affordable live/work space for artists. Artspace chose Lund-Ross to lead the large-scale historic renovation. The project scope included the demolition of all five floors, the installation of new infrastructure systems, and the construction of 36 live/work units. Studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments were built. Every unit houses 200 additional square feet to be used a working artist’s studio. Lund-Ross preserved and restored historic architectural elements throughout the building like brick wall markings, original windows, and wood beams.

Lund-Ross built 5,370 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor for art galleries, offices, and studios. Tenant amenities including a new enclosed parking lot, an outdoor playground area, and a large community garden were also finished.

Tenants began occupancy on schedule in July of 2010.