Commercial & Workplace, Historic Preservation

Rail & Commerce Building

The Burlington Mail Terminal, downtown Omaha’s once thriving central mail supply, had languished vacant for over 40 years—quietly deteriorating between the city’s growing 10th Street corridor and the railyard which it used to serve. Inspired by its location’s legacy as a place where Omaha’s commercial spirit began and thrived, the 4-story building’s renovation has provided a home for several Omaha-based companies, including Warren Distribution, as well as an incubator space for over 90 start-ups.

Renovation of the 76,000 sf building included the retention of original features such as mail chutes, end-grain wood block flooring, terrazzo flooring, and maple flooring, the lobby vault door, and hidden observation galleries. Old rails are incorporated into the lower level’s concrete floors, and the large factory windows have been restored, allowing for ample natural light.

The new Commerce Village, a co-working community space, provides a unique environment of flexible work spaces, ranging from virtual offices, to single desks, to office suites fitted for a whole team.

The nearly 100 year-old building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Photography by Paul Crosby & Tom Kessler

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