Whether you’re erecting a new building or need to expand or renovate an existing facility, you need the help of a professional well-versed in the complexities and regulatory issues associated with the planning and design of a wide range of industrial projects. The job requires a designer who can create spatial programs and processes that support functionality and increase productivity, capacity, and efficiency.
To guide you in choosing the right craftsman equipped to handle your building requirements, the list below includes the best industrial architects in Omaha, Nebraska. These firms were selected for their accreditations, certifications, and professional affiliations, and our editorial team also considered their industry awards, client reviews, and press features. Below we provide information about the range of services the firms offer, their specializations, and the length of time they have been in the industry.
Leo A Daly
8600 Indian Hills Drive, Omaha, NE 68114
Leo A Daly crafts spaces that are centered on innovation, curiosity, and social and environmental sensibilities by offering a holistic response to the needs of its occupants. For over 100 years, the company has stayed true to this mission, completing projects not just in the US but also in 91 countries around the world. In order to provide these solutions, the firm is overseen by its Chairman and CEO Leo A. Daly III. He is a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He represents the third generation of leadership in the firm and is multi-decorated internationally. Leading as Managing Principal is Christopher Johnson, whose three decades in the industry include a term as president of AIA Omaha. He holds membership with the AIA and is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional.
Leo A Daly is responsible for the Pella Warehouse and Distribution Center in Omaha. The project features a two-story office space with an open layout, a showroom and reception space for product display and small event gatherings, and a 46,000 square-foot warehouse. The entrance and parking lot for clients is separated from the warehouse traffic from trucks, contractors, and employees. With a larger warehouse footprint, the team was able to add the necessary loading docks and improve the product flow in and out of the warehouse.
Schemmer
1044 North 115th Street, Suite 300, Omaha, NE 68154
Founded in 1959, Schemmer specializes in the design, engineering, and construction of commercial, industrial, and residential projects. Since opening its doors in 1959, the firm has tailored design solutions to fit its client needs. The company is guided by a strategic design approach, spearheaded by president and CEO Steve Kathol, that responds to context and adapts to changing trends. Kathol is a Professional Engineer (PE) and a licensed Structural Engineer (SE) who has been honored with the Charles Durham Achievement Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies. His design and project management experience encompasses managing roadway, bridge, and federal-aid projects. Kathol plays an active role in defining and shaping the values of the firm, which are reflected in its work.
Schemmer’s design proficiency has earned the trust and mutual respect of clients, like Darling Ingredients. The Schemmer team designed ten new buildings for their rendering, grinding, storage, and loadout operations. The firm also developed new support buildings for the company that included a vehicle maintenance facility and a truck/trailer wash. The rendering facilities use load-bearing precast concrete supported on an auger cast pile foundation; the remaining facilities are pre-engineered metal buildings. The structures support all the equipment and functions required by each facility.
Davis Design
1221 N Street, Suite 600, Lincoln, NE 68508
Davis Design has been designing and planning landmark buildings in Lincoln, Columbus, and Omaha for over a century. It all started in 1921 when George Berlinghof and Ellery Davis formed a partnership to deliver some of the best architectural creations in the Midwest. The firm’s dedication to excellence has been continued by the firm’s current principals, Jon Dalton, Wade Stange, and Michael Wachal. Dalton and Wachal are Professional Engineers (PE) and LEED Accredited Professionals; Wachal is a member of the AIA and the American College of Healthcare Architects. The leadership team is joined by top-notch design professionals who have worked in the healthcare, senior living, education, industrial, government, and corporate markets.
Davis Design has established a solid reputation for its industrial and commercial architecture across the state. One great example is the universal cold storage freezer addition and dock in Lincoln. The Davis team handled the architecture, engineering, interior design, and construction administration aspects of the project. The thickness of the insulation was calculated to keep moisture from migrating into the structure and prevent water from leaking in from the roof. In addition to humidity control, ventilation systems were installed to keep air circulating and avoid a vacuum effect happening inside the cold storage. To keep energy costs low, cold storage floor space was optimized through a racking system.
Kenneth Hahn Architects
1343 South 75th Street, Omaha, NE 68124
Backed by 40 years of professional architecture experience, Kenneth Hahn established his architectural practice in 1990 in Omaha. His proficiency in a broad range of disciplines includes landscaping, site planning, architectural design, and interior design. He has led his firm to success both locally and nationally, aided and abetted by fellow principals Gerald Hahn and Stephen Smith. The firm’s team has an average of two decades of experience in architecture and project management. In its 31 years in business, Kenneth Hahn Architects (KHA) has amassed a loyal client base of private brands and businesses, as well as local, state, and federal governments. It is also an award-winning firm, with accolades such as AIA Nebraska Awards, US Air Force Design Awards, and Associated Builders and Contractors Awards.
KHA uses current technologies and sustainable design in combination with a client-oriented collaborative process. This approach has produced long-lasting relationships with clients who have trusted and praised the firm for its exceptional work. An example is KHA’s long-term collaboration with Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM). KHA worked on NFM’s Warehouse and Distribution Center, a 665,000-square-foot building capable of receiving, transferring, delivering, and issuing over $1 million in merchandise per day. The high-bay, narrow aisle racking system requires a super-flat floor to operate order-picking equipment. The project involved the construction of a city street, a new overhead connecting link, and a furniture repair and staging area at an adjacent building.
Stanley J How Architects
14685 California Street, Omaha, NE 68154
Stanley How the III founded his architectural practice in 1959 as a full-service design firm with the goal of providing quality design and unmatched service. In its half a century in the business, the firm has completed thousands of architectural design projects of varying scopes and costs. That valuable experience has given the firm an edge among its peers in the industry. Aside from sustainable architecture and interior design services for new construction and renovation, the firm also offers consulting services for civil, structural, electrical, and mechanical engineering as well as acoustic and landscape design. Over the years, Stanley J How Architects has been part of some of the most recognizable facilities in Omaha, including a building for the Fremont Contract Carriers. The 26,500-square-foot building serves as a state-of-the-art maintenance, driver, and recovery center for a prominent Midwest trucking carrier.
Architectural Design Associates
3410 ‘O’ Street, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68510
Rooted in a detail-oriented and client-focused approach, Architectural Design Associates (ADA) begins every project by gaining a full understanding of the needs and goals of its clients and maintaining open communication with them all the way through completion. The firm listens carefully and acts decisively to craft outcomes that are responsive, responsible, and well-suited to each client’s specific requirements. Under the direction of AIA members David Wiebe and John Hathaway, ADA consistently delivers innovative and sustainable solutions within strict budget and time constraints through a rigorous review of project objectives and quality control.
ADA designed a new facility for the volunteers of the Raymond Rural Fire Department. The 15,800-square-foot structure features 12 overhead doors that allow staff to drive fire trucks and other rescue vehicles through the facility. The building also houses offices, a training room, restrooms, a locker room, a kitchen, storage areas, a file room, and a decontamination/laundry room. A portion of this area was designed as a hardened storm shelter to meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency F4 tornado requirements.
