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Durham Museum Receives Funding to begin a $2.7 Million Restoration Project

07/25/17

The Durham Museum is proud to announce that it has received the funding to begin a $2.7 million project to completely restore the exterior of its home, Union Station. Funding for the project came from private sources within the community. Built in 1931, the building served as a train station for forty years and has since served as a museum for nearly forty-three years. In spite of periodic repairs to the exterior facade, severe weathering has led to persistent water intrusion, making complete restoration necessary. In December 2016, the U.S. Department of the Interior recognized the building’s significance by formally designating Union Station a National Historic Landmark, a process that the museum staff, Board of Directors, and representatives of the National Park Service worked towards for more than a decade. The elevation of Union Station to National Historic Landmark status has heightened the need for vigilance in protecting the building.

“Omaha Union Station is The Durham Museum’s greatest artifact, and it is the obligation and privilege of our team to preserve this building as a vital piece of our community’s history and a source of pride for our city,” said Christi Janssen, Executive Director, “we are extremely grateful to these foundations for making such a significant investment in the future of our grand building.”

Work is set to begin this month, and be completed by November of 2018. The restoration work will be performed by McGill Restoration. McGill Restoration has been operating in the Omaha community for over 30 years, specializing in restoration and repairs to structures. They will complete the work while maintaining the historical integrity of the building. Kiewit Building Group will serve as the general contractor and will oversee the restoration work performed by McGill Restoration. Peter Kiewit Sons’ was the original contractor for Union Station and has overseen much of the capital projects undertaken at the building during its time as a museum.