Weekend sights–26th and Harney. Sadly there was a fire in one of buildings of the adjoining commercial series at 2580, 2576, and 2572 Harney Street on April 8th, 2024. The roof collapsed, and the mysterious fire was/is under investigation. Eight days after that fire, Tuesday the 16th, Cox Contracting Co. demolition crew called 911 after discovering a body during demolition. “The death was ruled as a result of fire, as the coroner’s office said there were no outward signs of trauma to the body.” Omaha Police Department is still working to determine the identity of the body. It should be noted that this series of buildings were vacant and had been up for sale for years. A report stated “evidence of homeless in and around the building.” I know from experience that the alley behind these buildings, as well around these blocks, is a heavy walking and resting area for wanderers. It is suspected that the person was squatting inside, however it is unknown if that person accidentally set fire to the building or if another person/group deliberately committed arson.

This is a very brief piece that I wrote up for my website’s Facebook page. I include it here as this fire and subsequent razing is a developing investigation and may become important to track in the near future as the Omaha Streetcar and launching of the new downtown progresses.

April 16, 2024. Omaha Police investigating after a body was found in a burned building near 26th and Harney streets. Tricia Domayer reported that she works in nearby buildings and that people had been breaking into the building that burned down. “We have it on camera and now so does OPD/OFD.” Image from Roger Hamer / WOWT.

My Omaha Obsession friend, Janna Mattingly, captured these images on April 18, 2024.

2580, 2576, and 2572 Harney were torn down. These parcels are owned by Harney 26 LLC. 2564 Harney, on the far east, was not razed to date and is owned by 2564 Harney LLC.

I have always loved this little strip of strange buildings. Thank goodness 2564 Harney, on the eastern end still stands. I know I’m not the only one assessing the magnetic draw over the years as there has long extended waves of weirdo popup art galleries and music venues in these hidden rooms. The basements and variety of rooms were heavy with clues to the past. This strip was a great example of artists and musicians making anything work in what is available–handing down the keys, year to year, reinventing the rooms. The once inexpensive rents, the feel of history, the functional space and the natural patina clinched the deal.

2564 Harney made it through the fire. It had been a thrift store, I believe, when I was younger. It has also been an artspace and artists living space. It shows that it is for sale but now I wonder if it will also be torn down. This building is owned by 2564 HARNEY LLC.

2572 Harney on the left and 2564 Harney on the right. The Colombo Candy & Tobacco Wholesale Co.at 2572 Harney reported a fire in April of 1997. They were able to save the building but the chief reported “this was fifth fire set in or near a trash bin in the downtown area in recent weeks.”

When Andy Colley moved his studio to the old Colombo Candy and Tobacco Wholesale Company at 2572 Harney, he had operated out of a Benson shop for a decade prior. The Harney door read Colley Furniture Studio and from 2011-2020 he ran his woodshop. Sadly it was his old address where this recent fire occurred. It is with pride that he remembers “what we had going on for a decade there.”

2572 Harney is currently owned by the Harney 26 LLC.

Site of 2584 Harney Street became an empty field. Camera faces north. Farnam Street buildings seen one block over. After the roof collapsed in 2013, 2584 Harney was razed. There is the peeling mural.

Great photo of the block, minus 2584 Harney by Janna Mattingly. 7/24/17.

Back in the Fall of 2013 the 17,000-square-foot brick structure at 2584 Harney Street (right on the northeast corner of 26th and Harney) was demolished after the roof collapsed.         1-800-GOT-JUNK had been renting the space. The owner never rebuilt the corner–a sign of impending doom, as we know in the My Omaha Obsession offices. Richard Harrison and A Midsummer’s Mural team designed and painted up their 2015 mural on site. The moped gang were also making merriment in the open field and had the keys to one of the shops. There was life again!

2580 Harney had been an arts market and a gallery. A place for underground shows and I think art house movies in the 1980s, if I’m not mistaken. 2572 also housed underground shows in 2010’s I want to say. 2580 Harney is owned by the Harney 26 LLC.

Oh the Sweetwood Tavern at 2576 Harney, I very nearly missed altogether and have obsessed about since childhood, had weaved its way into some of my investigations. A troubled past, frought with violence, the bar sign always called to me. Coincidentally the Sweetwood Tavern had a fire in their basement back in 1940 when someone was burning rubbish there. The tavern has been long gone and all that was left was the signage frame.

A Look Back

2584 Harney, right on the northeast corner of 26th and Harney was the Brandes-Campbell Motor Co and next-door neighbor was the McCoy Auto Hospital in 1931. Always a car related business when I was young. Motor Parts Corporation and another garage to the east. This block was related, I am sure, to the Farnam Street Automobile row, one hop over. Very cool corner and a big loss back in 2013. An even bigger loss now. Bostwick, Louis (1868-1943) and Frohardt, Homer (1885-1972). The Durham Museum. 1931-07-13.

Camera faces western angle. Great capturing of these structures in their prime. Street scene at the corner of Harney and 26th avenue. Tenements at the top of the hill. There’s that explanation I needed. The Sweetwood Garage would become the future home of the Sweetwood Tavern. So Cool! Bostwick, Louis (1868-1943) and Frohardt, Homer (1885-1972). The Durham Museum. 1931.

Omahan James Webster remembered these tenements to the west in the early 1950s. He also recalled a Goodrich Dairy store on the southeast corner across from them.  “My folks would occasionally take us there for malts in the 1950s. By then those old townhouses were in pretty sad shape. The Clarkson Hospital was just south of the Goodrich on the same side of the street.”

An exterior view of the Maewood Apartments, located at 25th Avenue and Harney Street. Bostwick, Louis (1868-1943) and Frohardt, Homer (1885-1972). The Durham Museuum. May 1935.

The Sweetwood Tavern at 2576 Harney began life as the Sweetwood Garage from the 1920s to 1933. The Sweetwood Bar, as it was called early on, was off with a bang in 1940 when Viola Carlisle was charged with Sunday alcohol sales. In 1957 poor 58 year old Mildred Nash died at 1:30am of injuries sustained when she fell to the basement of the Sweetwood Bar. Ms. Nash apparently mistook the basement door for a restroom. She was found at the bottom of the basement stairs. Goodguy Midtown bar, Elbow Room players were “constantly badgered” with name-calling by rowdy Sweetwood Bar fans in a Women’s fastpitch tourney game in 1974.

Shhhhh Art Scene

Jadyn Von Wizard Medrano expressed, “We used to throw events and parties in that building, I have some footage from them on my YouTube. My brother even filmed a music video there. We started throwing events there in 2011-2019 and from 2018-2019 the basement served as a DIY music venue as well. There was a venue up top for a while from 2015-17 if memory serves.” He also shared this good PROJECT WAREHOUSE video that captured the times pretty well. Thank you!

Janna Mattingly generously shared the following images of the block how it looked back in July of 2017. Thank you!

She captured this image in October of 2017. Janna was exactly sure but thought it looked like Tyler Emery’s artwork.

Photo from 2020.

Back alley from May of 2023.

May of 2023.

For the Love of 2406 Farnam Street

The Secret of the Muse Theater