Nash Block facts for kids
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Nash Block
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The Greenhouse, seen here in 2010, is located at the edge of the Gene Leahy Mall.
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| Location | Downtown Omaha, Nebraska |
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| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | Thomas R. Kimball |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001072 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | 1985 |
The Nash Block is a historic building in Omaha, Nebraska. It is also known by its past name, the McKesson-Robbins Warehouse. Today, people often call it The Greenhouse. You can find it at 902-912 Farnam Street in Downtown Omaha.
This building was designed by a famous architect named Thomas R. Kimball. It was built in 1907. The Nash Block is important because it is the last building left from an old area called Jobbers Canyon. This district used to be full of warehouses. The Nash Block was named an Omaha Landmark in 1978. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it's a very special and protected building.
History of the Nash Block
The Nash Block originally had two identical warehouse buildings. They were built in 1905 for a wealthy woman named Catherine B. Nash. Thomas R. Kimball designed these buildings to be very modern for their time. They were among the first factory-warehouses in Omaha with special safety features.
These safety features included:
- Brick walls around stairs and elevators to stop fires.
- Fireproof doors that could hold back flames.
- An automatic sprinkler system to put out fires quickly.
The first businesses that used these buildings relied on Omaha's railroads. The buildings were built close to the train tracks, which made it easy to move goods.
One of the first and most important companies there was the M. E. Smith Company. They were a very large dry goods business in Omaha around the year 1900. Later, the McKesson-Robbins Drug Company used the building for many years. That's why some people still call it the McKesson-Robbins Warehouse.
In 1989, the northern part of the Nash Block was taken down. This was done to make space for the Gene Leahy Mall, a popular park in Omaha. The remaining building was then updated and turned into apartments. These apartments are now known as "The Greenhouse."
