Ongoing Expansion Threatens Chimneys for Urban Swifts

Property Acquisition Continues on Northeast Creighton University Campus

James Ed. Ducey

Acquisition of additional properties for the ongoing expansion of Creighton University will mean the further ruination of chimneys useful for breeding and migratory swifts.

The northeast portion of the campus and adjacent properties in North Downtown have a number of buildings with chimneys in the older buildings. A number of these on several city blocks - 16 individual parcels - are being acquired by Creighton University from Modern Equipment Company. The property will be used, possibly according to the campus master plan showing athletic fields southwest of 17th and Cuming Street. Student residences are shown on other portions of the purchased parcels.

An additional consideration is the ongoing discussion for a north downtown ballpark near 16th and Cuming Streets. This will mean removal of all buildings present on that tract. Other developments have altered the area, with new constructions of buildings - without chimneys - for the trendy NoDo.

Several chimneys used by swifts will eventually be removed from the area of the announced Creighton acquisitions. The parcel on the north side of the 2000 block of Cuming Street is being suggested for economic development as retail, service or residential use.

Chimneys and swift use in the northeast Creighton University campus area in northern Omaha. According to a university official, area A will be refabricated into housing and parking. Area B will be a ball field. Note the buildings recently demolished for the soccer complex now southwest of 17th and Webster streets.

During autumn surveys to record migratory birds, special scrutiny was given to these city blocks and to evaluate the status and features of its chimneys. The first few visits to this area were in the autumn of 2003 (Ducey 2003). Autumn 2005 research surveys were various intervals from 6-13 September.

Information on the buildings with chimneys includes street address, with parcel ownership and building date (usually) from the Douglas County Assessor's website. Other notes are based on the surveys or information from Creighton University.

Chimney List

There are many chimneys for the buildings of the area. The structures date to 1883, 1886, from the 1890s to 1920s and to 1949 and 1951. Smaller chimneys get used by breeding swifts, while larger sizes are roosts for local and migratory flocks. Those chimneys noted to be suitable for swifts are generally 2x2.5 bricks or larger, based on an evaluation of more than 90 chimneys in Lincoln during seasonal breeding.

Creighton University, established in 1878 - recent expansion extensively west of 17th and south of Cuming streets, and to a limited extent on 16th Street

- 611 North 16th Street; 2.5x2.5 bricks; since 1900

- 713 North 16th Street; formerly Parker Heating & Cooling, Inc., bought in 2000; 2.5 bricks square; since 1880

- 1702 Webster Street; Project One building: tallist 6x6 bricks square; since 1916

- 702-08 North 18th Street: 3 chimneys, with two of them vented, one which was still used as a roost for more than 50 swifts on 16 Sep 2003; since 1922

- 723 North 18th Street: Facilities Management building; 2.5 bricks and 6x6 bricks square; since 1916

- 815 North 19th Street; 5x5 bricks; since 1919

- 1913 Cuming Street; 2.5x2.5 bricks constricted and 4 bricks square, larger one a companion roost to 1819 Cuming building, though with a lesser number of birds; since 1919

- 723 North 20th Street; former Worley Body Shop, demolition planned for autumn 2005 according to a facilities official; 2x2 bricks, 2x2 bricks constricted and 2 x 2.5 bricks; since 1942

- 2002 Burt Street; Pittman building; 3.5x5 bricks; since 1949

- 2019 Cuming Street; 2x2 bricks; since 1900

- 2101 Cuming Street; 4.5x4.5 bricks; since 1926

12 chimneys possibly suitable, with some of these already removed with the demolition of the building since the survey was conducted.

Modern Equipment Co. Inc. - now Creighton University

- 816 Florence Boulevard; former service garage; 2x2 bricks; since 1949

- 1809 Cuming Street; 4x4 constricted; since 1918

- 2010 Cuming Street or 902 North 20th Street; 3x3 bricks with a second capped one of similar size; since 1925

- 2011 Cuming Street; 2.5x2.5 bricks; since 1898

O'Keefe Elevator Company Inc.

- 1624 Webster Street; originally M.F. Shafer & Co.; 7.5x8 bricks, used as a roost by a large number of autumn swifts, with at least 400 on 4 Sept 2003 and a video-count of 625 on 12 Sep 2005, that showed when some swifts were going into the chimney, others are leaving, probably not able to get a roost spot and then left to fly around before another reentry; 1917 date on building. Purchased by Creighton University. The building is currently undergoing renovation.

- 815 North 18th Street; compares favorably to 4x4 bricks; since 1886

Automatic Printing Company

- 1713 Cuming Street; 2x3 bricks capped; since 1916

- 1721 Cuming Street; 3x4.5 bricks and 5 bricks square capped with a vent

1 possibly suitable; 2 potential

1515 Cuming Street LLC

- 1504 Burt Street; former public warehouse now with broken windows and weeds growing along the roofline of what appears to be an unused building; cf. 2x2 bricks square constricted

- 1507-19 Cuming Street; 2x2 bricks in northeast corner, and 4.5x4.5 bricks; since 1913

1 chimney of roost size, and two possibly too small for breeding swifts

Others

- 1502 California; private owner; 2x2 bricks; since 1900

- 601-603 North 16th; was M. Tatle, hotel and now rooms, with the Happy Bar on the ground floor; 1910 date on building

- 610 North 16th Street; Sol's Jewelry and Loan Co., Inc.; 2x2 bricks, five 2x2.5 bricks and 2.5 bricks square; since 1880 making this the oldest multi-chimney building in Nebraska likely used by swifts

- 717-723 North 16th street; private owner; two 2.5 bricks, one constricted; since 1930

- 802 North 16th Street; Walker's Inc.; two 2x2.5 bricks; since 1922

- 1608 Webster Street; Moreco Plating Inc.; 2x2 bricks; since 1920

- 1607 Cuming Street; Cuming Building, now Aero Rooms, 1607 LLC; 2x2.5 bricks; since 1913

- 1702 Cuming Street; J.F. Bloom & Co. building, now Bank of Bennington; cf. 4x4 bricks; used as an autumn roost; since 1906

- 1715 Izard Street; Holy Family Church; 3.5x3.5 bricks; 1883 date on building cornerstone

- 1809 Burt Street; Precision Tool Inc.; cf. 2.5x2.5 bricks; since 1951

- 1801 Cuming Street; Grace Tabernacle Church; 2x2 bricks

Two of the threatened chimneys at 1819 Cuming Street, on the Creighton University Campus.

- 1819 Cuming Street; private landowner; 2x2 and 3.5x3.5 and 5x5 bricks; the big chimney is a companion roost to 1913 Cuming building with about 175 birds roosting on 12 Sep 2005; since 1890

- 801 North 20th Streets; Lutherans of Nebraska, Inc.; cf. 2x2 bricks, possibly too small to use as breeding habitat; since 1906

- 2020 Cuming Street; Omaha Machine and Supply Co.; 2x2 bricks and 4 bricks square; since 1922

- 2109 Cuming Street; Weston's Tavern; 2.5x2.5 bricks constricted; since 1925

14 chimneys

There are more than 30 chimneys of interest as swift habitat in North Downtown (see figure). The structures are scattered about the area at a variety of buildings of different age and condition. Since the 1880s when the first buildings were erected, there have been many decades, and likely more than a century of annual use of distinct chimneys by breeding and roosting swifts.

The oldest buildings noted in the area are dated to 1880, 1883 and 1886. If the chimneys at these locales are used by swifts, it would make them the oldest known structures used by swifts in Omaha.

Buildings owned by Creighton University account for most of the total. This number would have been greater in the recent past, but with ongoing expansion, buildings and their chimneys are being demolished. The oldest known building in the area - from 1880 - is university property with chimney apparently large enough, and probably suitable for breeding swifts.

New construction will remove additional properties in the long term, about 10-12 years according to an official in the university facilities department.

Expansion that University officials had previously said would occur in several years, has moved ahead. Further expansion can occur as new parcels are being acquired.

Regarding 723 North 18th Street, redevelopment would occur in several years. There were no current plans for the building at 1913 Cuming Street - dating to 1890. The place is in poor condition, including the east wall next to the roost chimney that is splitting away from the remainder of the structure. There were no plans for the University properties along 16th street, and these may be sold, according to the facilities official comments three years ago.

Elsewhere on campus, Creighton medical Center expansion meant a bunch of buildings were also removed to make way for a parking lot north of California Street and west of 30th Street. One house remains, with a small sized-chimney.

Other buildings also have a tenuous future. A second building from 1880 sits empty, and has a smaller sized chimney that may be suited for nesting swifts. At 816 Florence Boulevard, a very small, unused building sits empty on a prime corner lot within the projected campus area. Other places appear they are not used and await a new property future, one without regard to any importance of the chimney to resident birdlife.

While university and city officials promote development of the area for students and pedestrians, and feature outdoor events, there is a reduction in a key aspect of the community. There is no regard to the chimney dwelling birds which each day during the summer season eat a myriad of insect pests, improving the scene for people.

Nearly two-thirds - the majority - of the chimneys noted will be gone in the long-term, causing a dramatic decline in suitable places for swifts.

This urban setting has a continuing decline in habitat structures, with no mitigation for losses caused by demolition of buildings. Efforts are needed to provide replacement nesting towers and to conserve present chimneys where feasible to ensure representative sites featured at older buildings are maintained.

The trend for swifts, because of changes underway, indicates that these bugeaters habitat will severely decline in an area where they are now regularly so common in autumn. Habitat loss will cause a decline in their community status during the breeding season. Chimney Swifts migrating southward along the Missouri Valley will have fewer options for finding a safe haven for the night.

This north Omaha portion of the city is integral with the mix of the chimney swift's occurrence in other parts of this city, which is such an interesting place to study swift habits.

References

March 2003. Autumn roosting habitat for Chimney Swifts in eastern Omaha. Nebraska Bird Review 71(3): 1-8. Published in August 2005.

September 23, 2005. Article regarding chimney swifts on Creighton Campus. Creightonian. Omaha.