Benson House, recessed front porch, photomontage
Corby House, front elevation, photomontage
OurStory is a housing system based on dense infill developments in established neighborhoods with single-family houses. While affordable housing needs in urban communities benefit from multi-family complexes, or smaller “missing middle” housing types and the high density these types bring to a city, there are many communities where the single-family house and its variants are still relevant, or necessary. To achieve a “gentle” increase in density in a well-established historic neighborhood, FACT followed the City of Omaha’s PUR (Planned Unit Redevelopment) procedure to subside a vacant 4,770 square foot corner lot into two new properties of 3,000 s.f. and 1,770 s.f. While Corby House was already established and fit the larger property, the of Benson House design followed the limits of the very small 1,770 s.f. Lot to become the second house in the emerging catalog.
The PUR process involved a series of milestones, all were successful: preliminary site plan review by the Planning Department, neighborhood notification, Planning Board review and ultimately, unanimous approval by the Omaha City Council. A public exhibition in a Benson neighborhood gallery was part of our effort to communicate our goals and seek community input.
Corby House
802 s.f.
2 bedroom
1 bath
Open kitchen
2802 N 58 St Omaha NE 68104
3,000 s.f. Lot
The first Corby House is SOLD.
Corby House interior
Corby living space and kitchen
Bathroom (the same in both houses) and Corby main bedroom
Benson House
618 s.f.
1 bedroom
1 bath
Open kitchen
2806 N 58 St Omaha NE 68104
1,770 s.f. lot
The first Benson House is currently FOR SALE.
Benson kitchen with loft above
Benson bedroom with Murphy Bed and convertible desk/bench
OurStory is published "above the fold" on groundbreaking day (note the Omaha Mobile Stage behind Paulina). See "Recognition" below for a link to the article
Working at Nebraska Innovation Studio
Fabricating "Storage Wall" components for Corby House
Prefabricated Storage Wall cabinet details
Formwork & utilities ready for the frost protected shallow foundations, October 2025
Placing concrete for the exposed slab floors, October 2025
Fabricating SIPs for Corby & Benson Houses
Site aerial, November 2025
Please take a few minutes to complete this anonymous survey to give your feedback on the OurStory house designs and our upcoming development project in the Benson neighborhood.
For more information on this project, visit www.livable.org
For questions, contact jessica@livable.org
FACT 30 Fall 2024 team, photograph by Craig Chandler, UNL
Recognition
Consider This, broadcast on Nebraska Public Media (PBS tv), August 16, 2025
Omaha Home, “Much ADU About Alternative Housing” (featuring imagery of OurStory) by Sara Locke, July/August 2025
Omaha World Herald,“Small house construction beginning in Benson is a first for UNL student designers and Omaha”, by Marjie Ducie, June 2, 2025
Nebraska Public Media, “UNL Architecture students break ground on new approach to affordable housing needs”, by Macy Byars, June 2, 2025
WOWT TV Omaha, “Benson housing project creates new option for older adults and first-time homebuyers”, by Maria Cade, June 2, 2025
WOWT TV Omaha, “University of Nebraska-Lincoln project aims to expand affordable housing”, January 8, 2025
Omaha World Herald, “Compact houses may rise in Omaha as UNL architecture students plan for affordable housing” by Dan Crisler, January 2, 2025
The Pinnacle Gazette, “Cities Implement Creative Solutions For Affordable Housing” by Evrim Ağacı, December 17, 2024
Nebraska Examiner, “Atypical Nebraska housing project aims at ‘housing crisis and silver tsunami’”, by Cindy Gonzalez, December 16, 2024
Consider This, broadcast on Nebraska Public Media (PBS tv), September 21, 2024
Project Team
students (Fall 2024 & Spring 2025):
Sreemedha Chintamadaka, Machelle Cooper, Malik Darwish, Oz Eckhorn, Nico Forte, Paulina Garcia, Luke Heidenreich, Riley Jarosz, Alex Martino, Michael Rieder, Gavin Stelling, Trent Weatherwax, Carl Williams
Spring 2025:
Isaac Alvarado, Devyn Beekman, Kael Jakub
OurStory Architectural Interns (2025-2026):
Oz Eckhorn, Carl Williams