Former Fairmont Creamery building gets improvements in time for CWS

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – It’s been a week since 6 News exposed a dangerous eyesore, and our investigation got results. The safety improvements come just before thousands of baseball fans visit downtown for the College World Series.

Old Market neighbors exposed a deep danger easily accessed by an unsecured gate last Monday. But this week they found their safety concerns over the former Fairmont Creamery has risen to the top of the owners’ priorities.

“Safety-wise, the improvement is huge, I think,” said neighbor Cynthe Johnson. “You can’t get through this gate — that was swinging open last week.”

The gate is now far more secure. The building door that had been forced open is now closed solid. That sidewalk ravine any transient or curious kid could have fallen into is now covered by a hardwood platform.

“I really believe that speaking up and speaking to the right people caused it to happen,” Johnson said.

From newly-boarded windows to recently-placed city warning placards, the still-deteriorated building shows signs of life-saving improvements.

The property is not only safer but the graffiti that has laced the building is either being removed or covered. Omaha’s Operation Wipeout has been eliminating graffiti that can be accessed on the ground level — either with white paint or power washing.

Business neighbors like Hollywood Candy’s Aaron Wojtkiewicz said the cavity in the sidewalk needs a filling — but a wood cover is a solid start.

“I’m happy to see that there’s been action taken, that the initial report brought more eyes to the problem and nobody got hurt or anything happened,” he said.

The current owner of the building tells 6 On Your Side more security is coming by adding lights shining down to discourage graffiti artists.

“From a safety standpoint it has improved tremendously, but aesthetically it has a long way to go,” Johnson said.

Neighbors said they’re encouraged by safety improvements, but restoring the century-old creamery will add more historic flavor to the Old Market’s south side.

Omaha’s superintendent of inspections says this story prompted the changes — however, violations have been entered into the city database. A representative for current owner Seven Oaks Investments tells 6 On Your Side that a potential buyer is doing his due diligence review of the property, but she is confident the building will be sold this year.