.png)
.png)
From Ballroom to Lofts: A 1916 Colby Building Gets a New Chapter
- Kristina Hemel
- 3 minutes ago
- 4 min read
If you’ve driven through downtown Colby lately, you’ve probably noticed something big happening at the northeast corner of 4th Street and Franklin Avenue.
New windows, exterior work, construction crews and even a lineup of possible paint colors have been catching the attention of people passing by. Behind all that activity is a major renovation by Luckert Lofts, owned by Kaley and Aaron Luckert, that is bringing new life to a building that has been part of downtown Colby for more than a century.
Built in 1916, the building has long housed commercial businesses on the main floor and a mix of businesses and rentals upstairs, is now being transformed into a mix of apartments, short-term rentals and office space.
The Luckerts purchased the property in 2022 and have spent the past few years working through plans, grant applications and everything else that comes with taking on a building of this size and age.
Now, those plans are becoming a reality.
“It’s a big project,” Kaley Luckert said. “It’s a big space.”
That might be an understatement.
When completed, the upstairs is planned to include eight apartments, two short-term rental units and two offices. One office will be used by the Luckerts, while the other is planned as a co-working space that could be rented by someone who works remotely but occasionally needs a professional place to work or meet with others.
The apartments will include one-bedroom and two-bedroom options along with a flexible three-bedroom layout. And don’t expect a cookie-cutter approach.
“Every single one of the apartments is a different layout, different size,” Luckert said.
Even the kitchens will have their own personalities, with different cabinet colors and design choices throughout the project.
A Project in Phases
With a building this large, the renovation is being tackled in phases.
Some of the biggest behind-the-scenes work is already well underway, including plumbing and electrical work. New windows have also made a noticeable difference from the outside. Stucco work and a new awning are among the exterior improvements expected to continue taking shape.
The first phase of the upstairs is targeted for completion around October 1. That phase includes the Luckerts’ office, the two short-term rentals and the corner apartment.
The next phase will include four more apartments extending along the Highway 24 side of the building, with hopes of completing those around January. The remaining portion is targeted for completion by late spring or early summer 2027.
In other words, there will be plenty more to watch as the transformation continues over the next year.
Downtown Colby Gets to Help Pick a Color
One part of the renovation has already turned into a bit of a community project.
If you’ve passed the building, you may have noticed several paint samples on the exterior. Instead of trying to make such a big decision alone, Kaley decided to ask the community what they thought.
Picking a color from a tiny paint swatch is one thing. Picking a color that will cover a building taking up a significant portion of a downtown block is something entirely different.
“I was like, I can’t be the only one that messes up if it’s wrong,” she joked.
So if you’ve found yourself slowing down a little to check out the colors, you’re not alone.
More Than 100 Years of Stories
While the Luckerts are focused on the building’s future, they’re also fascinated by its past.
The 1916 construction date was once displayed on the building and will be put back at the top as part of the renovation.
And the upstairs has some stories to tell.
At one time, the north side included a ballroom. A ticket counter window from those days still exists and is being preserved as part of Kaley’s future office.
The Luckerts have also heard from people who once lived upstairs or remember businesses that occupied the building over the years.
“We’d love hearing stories about the building, the history of it,” Luckert said. “What businesses were in there, what people lived upstairs. If the walls could talk.”
That history is one reason the Luckerts are inviting the public upstairs during the Sunflower Festival.
The building will be open for tours from 9 a.m. to noon, giving visitors a chance to see the project while it is still very much a construction zone. Visitors will be able to get a feel for the layouts, see what is being created and talk with the Luckerts about their plans. They also hope to have renderings available showing what some of the finished spaces could look like.
For Kaley, taking on a project like this isn’t completely new. Before coming to Colby, she owned a flower shop in Quinter for nearly 10 years and also took on house-flipping projects.
Still, buying a 1916 downtown building and turning its enormous second floor into housing, rentals and workspaces is on a different scale.
And Aaron had a pretty good idea what he was getting into. The couple closed on the building just two days before they got married.
“He knew what he was signing up for,” Kaley joked.
From a historic ballroom and century-old architecture to new apartments, modern workspaces and short-term rentals, the building at 4th and Franklin is getting ready for its next chapter.
And for everyone who has been driving by wondering, “What are they doing in there?”
Now you know -- and there’s a lot more still to come.
Hear NWKS Radio's Kristina interview with Kaley Luckert here.
Comments