A downtown building could get landmark designation, which would put a wrench in the county's plans for a new justice center.
The Omaha Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission has recommended that the building on the corner of 18th and Howard should receive local landmark status. The building has been a hot button issue after the Douglas County Board of Commissioners voted to move forward with eminent domain proceeding for the building. The county wants to tear down the building to make way for a new juvenile justice center.
The county says they chose that spot for the new justice center due to its proximity to the Douglas County Courthouse, just a block to the north. A new justice center is needed for not only juvenile offenders, but to also address overcrowding in the courthouse.
This week's vote by the preservation commission doesn't mean the building can't be demolished, but it would be a step in the right direction for the building's future. The vote is simply a recommendation that would go in front of the Omaha Planning Board and eventually the City Council.
The building's owner, Bob Perrin, says he hopes the preservation commission's vote will encourage the county to change its mind about using eminent domain to take over the property.