Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-15
EXPLAINS WHY
ATHLETIC CLUB
SITE SELECTED
Growth Of Douglas Street
Largely Responsible, Says
G. A. Rohrbough; Many
Buildings Nearby.

In discussing the site chosen for
the Athletic club, G.. A. Rohrbough.
president of the Home Builders,
gives several reasons why it was
placed at Eighteenth and Douglas
streets. He explains that number
of sites were offered. and that all
were given full consideration. and
that the one selected was chosen
principally because of the rapid de-
velopment of Douglas street west
aof Seventeenth. Mr.. Rohrbough
ssaid:
"A committee OF prominent men,
after careful consideration. selected
the present site of the Omaha Ath-
letic club building. Advocates of
other sites were given full hearing.
The final choice of site at Eigh-
tecnth and Douglas was made after
careful review OF the whole situa-
ton. The persistent development
OF Douglas street, above Seven
teenth, in recent years, of course,
had some bearing on the decision.
The Athletic club building is one
of a group of large structures stand
] ing within a stones throw of it.
whose aggregated cost was over
S7.000,000 In no other part of the
city has there been such extensive
Improvements within a comparative
ly small area.
Standing at the new million dollar
court house." continued Mr. Rohr-
bough, "and walking north we pass
.ihe city hall on the right and oppo-
site it is the site of proposed new
building of the Conservative. Next
IS the Immense Saunders kennedy
building, and then the beautiful
Fontenelle hotel A few PAGES to
the north is the Morris apartments.
Made Careful Survey.
Il make this statement in order
that the public may see that we
have made a careful survey of this
locality which marks the north
western limits of the business dis
trict.
standing upon the roof of the
Athletic club, the eye scans col
lection of monumental structures
in architectural beauty unequaled by
any other group i'll the city. The
new Masonic temple block above
the club house, and the telephone
building of themselves would mark
the locality as one of enduring
realty values. Further up the street
the Omaha club house and the Scot
fish Rite Masonic temple are beat
tiful structures and the precursors
of further developments in that To-
cality.
"The neighborhood of the Omaha
] Athletic club house is full of historic
interest. Coming to Omaha in 1884,
memory takes me back to the physi-
cal aspects of Douglas street above
Sixteenth. At that time Omaha's |
boomers claimed a population of
$4,000, but think perhaps that was
pverstated. There was a florists
glass rooted dollhouse where the
old Brandeis store is; and where
the new store building is located
was row OF second rate apartment
houses
On the block above, now occupied
by the Brandeis theater building
were the residences of the late
Henry Pundt, prominent merchant,
and to the west of his home was
that Of the late Edward Rosewater
of the Bee. A few PAGES to the
west where now stands the Saund-
ers-Kennedy building was vacant
lot. On the block above Eighteenth
street, stood the residence of the
late P. H. Sharp, a we'll known
merchant of 80 years ago. That
block is now occupied by the old
telephone building.
Across the way, the lots now
covered by the Masonic building
and the Fontenelle hotel, were oc-
eupied by dwelling houses. Over
At Eighteenth and Dodge the Morris
apartments occupies the site of the
old homestead of the late Samuel
Burns another pioneer; and the
new building across the street is
located on the old Mccormick res
idence lot.