Award of Merit, Renovation/Restoration: Catalyst Omaha

An adaptive reuse project at the historic Omaha Steel Works site, established in 1906, has transformed the deteriorating structures into a major center for medical innovation and entrepreneurship. The project team integrated two existing empty buildings into a single, three-story, 170,000 square meter facility. The revitalized space integrates preserved historic architectural elements, such as original exposed brick, steel columns and industrial accents, into a modern design.

Catalyst Omaha was designed for interdisciplinary use, with flexible workspaces, retail spaces, state-of-the-art services and community-focused spaces. There are plans to incorporate a restaurant and brewery, a cafe and a research support centre.

Given the site’s history, unknowns were inevitable. To overcome the unknowns, soft subgradations and the absence of as-built drawings, the team turned to Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) technology, including building scans, along with detailed manual measurements to navigate existing building conditions.

Once the demolition exposed the skeleton of the building, crews installed temporary braces and wiring throughout the structure to provide stability. The team removed and rebuilt several walls and uncovered an additional 8 inches of existing soil. Careful monitoring of vibrations during soil compaction protected the remaining structure, including the original brick, from damage, and the old steel columns were carefully reinforced.