Big plans for Old Fed under new name: Grand Manse
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By MATT OLBERDING/Lincoln Journal Star
The Old Federal Building in Lincoln has a new owner, new name and new plans for the second time this decade.
Monte Froehlich, who owns real estate firm U.S. Property, bought the building last year and has renamed it the Grand Manse.
Froehlich plans to keep most of the 42 upper-floor apartments developed by the building’s previous owner, NuStyle Development, but he has new plans for the first floor of the building.
Earlier this week, he moved the commercial real estate portion of his business into the 104-year-old building at 10th and P streets.
That is among the first of what Froehlich hopes will be several commercial tenants occupying what used to be live-work spaces on the first floor.
Another commercial tenant that recently moved in is Mural Mural Graphics, which will function as an artist-in-residence for the building, said Sales Director Deborah Loch.
Mural Mural’s studio occupies what used to be the fitness center for the building’s apartment tenants. The fitness center has been moved.
Froehlich’s office and Mural Mural join the Blue Orchid restaurant, which has been open in the building since late 2005.
Another potential commercial tenant is a second restaurant.
Froehlich said he plans to gut the southeast corner of the building and hopes to attract a restaurant to the space. He said he’s talked with some potential tenants but does not have a deal in place.
In addition to the added commercial space, Froehlich plans to expand corporate lodging and event space in the building.
Several furnished corporate apartments are available and more are being developed.
Froehlich said he envisions everyone from “celebrities to corporate folks” staying there.
Also expected is the development of about 6,000 square feet of vacant space near the Blue Orchid into additional event space, with tentative plans to call it the Jasmine Room.
“We’re looking for something that’s unlike any other ballroom in Lincoln,” Loch said.
She said she has already booked future events based on what the room is supposed to look like when done.
In addition to creating the Jasmine Room, Froehlich is planning updates to the Grand Room, the former courtroom that is the building’s main event hall.
Mural Mural is painting a large mural on one wall and other murals are planned as well, there and throughout the building, Loch said.
Work to the Grand Room is scheduled to be done before the end of March. Froehlich and Loch hope the other renovations are complete by late August or early September — in time for Husker football season.
“I think it’s going to be a phenomenal place,” Froehlich said.
He’s so impressed with it, in fact, that he plans to move in.
He, his wife and two of his children plan to move to the fourth-floor, converting apartment space into a condo with a rooftop garden.
Eventually Froehlich said he hopes to turn the entire fourth floor into condos with rooftop gardens.
One of the attractions of the fourth floor, he said, is that the north side is at eye level with Memorial Stadium’s large HuskerVision screen.
Reach Matt Olberding at 473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com.
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