The Union for Contemporary Art broke ground on The Shirley Tyree Theater in the summer of 2022. The theater honors Shirley Tyree who was born in Louisiana and moved to Omaha with her family as a child. Tyree was one of the first Black Managers at Northwestern Bell Phone Company and one of the initial members of the Nebraska Black Managers Association.
When The Union for Contemporary Art began the search for a larger facility in which to house their expanding program needs, they settled on a nearby historic building in a prominent North Omaha location that was once a lively commercial and entertainment locale. The new space occupies the historic F.G. Carey Block next door to The Union. The building, which is more than 110 years old, was named by the National Park Service as one of 28 historically significant buildings contributing to the North 24th and Lake Streets Historic District.
Renovation of the historic brick structure will provide expanded opportunities for The Union’s Performing Arts program and breathe new life into a building that has served the North Omaha community for generations. Included in the renovation are a 90-seat theater, accessible lobby and ticketing area, set-design workshop, and an open-format rehearsal/gathering space.
Coreslab Structures (Omaha) Inc. produced more than 7,800 square feet of insulated precast concrete wall panels, some of which were clad with an Endicott Ruby Red Smooth thin brick and others that utilized a red, oiled form finish. The “oiled” finish was incorporated to produce a halo or arched look. Extra form oil was placed in the production table before the concrete pour. The concrete was then strategically splashed into the middle of the bed to push the oil outward – producing the preferred look. |