Entire Building

Creighton University Heider College of Business at Mike and Josie Harper Center

College/University

Adaptive Reuse

2024 Outstanding Project

This post was originally published on this site.

The Heider College of Business on Creighton University’s campus in Omaha, Nebraska has a unique story spanning decades. The building’s shell was completed in 2008 but the interior lacked specific purpose until a donation ignited a project which filled a campus need while upgrading the university’s ability to recruit new students.

The project’s goals included giving space back to the students, mirroring the corporate world, curating an experience for prospective students, and creating an incubator space for start-up based curriculum.

Our initial task was to reorganize the program around today’s student and methods of learning. With stunning four-story atriums and a two-story lobby, opportunities to reshape and highlight were optimal. We were able to add space for eight additional classrooms while elevating the aesthetic. The building also includes admissions and enrollment, a career center, bookstore, Starbucks, and the only student-managed Apple store in the world. The location of the bookstore at the entrance was intentional as this building is now the University’s “front door.”

The final product is high-end and timeless. It is a nod to the traditional, representing the University’s values as a whole, while rich colors, contemporary interpretations, and branded elements elevate the aesthetic, keeping the campus current.

Architect

Holland Basham Architects

119 South 49th Ave.
Omaha, NE 68132
hollandbasham.com
Curt Witzenburg, AIA, Principal
402-551-0800

Design Team

  • Holland Basham Architects, Architect
  • MCL Construction, Construction Manager
  • Project Advocates, Owner’s Rep
  • Morrissey Engineering, MEP Engineering

Owner/Client

Creighton University
Omaha, NE
Tony Hendrickson, Dean

Key Stats

  • Population Served: Post-Secondary
  • Capacity of Students/Occupants: 5,000
  • Size of Site: 3 acres
  • Gross Area of Bldg./Space: 245,000 gsf
  • Space per Student: 50 sq. ft.
  • Cost per Student: $2,542
  • Square Foot Cost: $90
  • Project Cost: $22,000,000
  • Occupation Date: 8/1/2021

Award Issue

Fall 2024
— Outstanding Project

Photography

©William Hess Photography