7 Burlington Station wins award of excellence from AIA Central States

LEO A DALY’s renovation of Burlington Station was honored with an award of excellence in interior architecture – merit from the American Association of Architects – Central States. The project transformed the dilapidated, historic train station to a cutting-edge broadcast studio for Omaha’s ABC affiliate KETV-7.

After 40 years of vacancy, Omaha’s historic Burlington train station has been lovingly repurposed from near-condemned to a state-of-the-art broadcast studio for ABC affiliate KETV-7.

Throughout its 120-year history, Burlington Station contributed to Omaha’s development from a remote cattle town to one of the most livable cities in American. Through periods of prominence, renovation, and neglect, the building has collected layers of history which document the story of Omaha and its people. Today, as a local news outlet, those stories are told in a new way, as KETV brings the world into our living rooms.

LEO A DALY’s design for the interior architecture preserves this layered history, while adapting the building to a new use. From its period of vacancy, most of the building’s historic 1930 interior finishes were lost, revealing vestiges of its original Greek Revival design. The new design preserves and showcases these vestiges, along with what remains of the building’s historic materials and patina. Stone, brick, steel, and decorative plaster finishes are repointed, patched, and protected. New elements exhibit an architecture of restraint consisting of simple materials and forms which create a calming background for the chaos of the news. A soothing color palette of white, gray, and buff is invigorated with punches of russet and blue, but the boldest colors come from the stories–both breaking news and historic materials.

The award jury noted: “Here is an incredible combination of restoration/reuse and Owner commitment. We applaud the design team’s effort in telling the building’s story through design. There is a nice balance between what is touched and what is untouched. This building is a reminder of the vulnerable value they could bring to an evolving urban landscape.”