‘Preserve a slice of Omaha history’: Effort to save Fred Astaire’s birthplace continues

By Alexandra Stone

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Photos from throughout the years capture the home where famous entertainer Fred Astaire spent his childhood.

But as KETV Newswatch 7 reported last month, the house on south 10th Street has fallen into disrepair.

A complaint led city officials to open a case on the property, and city officials said they hadn’t been able to reach the listed owner. Without any action, the house was at risk of ending up on the demolition list.

Joe Gehrki is a longtime realtor and governmental affairs chair for the Omaha Board of Realtors.

“Saw the story on KETV,” Gehrki said.

Soon after he watched the piece about the troubles facing Fred Astaire’s birthplace, he got a phone call.

“The caller identified himself as a family member of Fred Astaire, a direct family member and a real estate broker on the west coast,” Gehrki said.

So began his effort to help save the home on South 10th Street.

Gehrki said the relative he spoke with isn’t looking to purchase the house, because another family member actually owns the intellectual rights to Fred Astaire’s name.

“Their great hope is very simple. They just want to see it preserved as a single family residence,” Gehrki said.

KETV Newswatch 7’s investigation revealed the last legal owners, Frank and Daisy Becic, are deceased.

In the decades since their passing, no relatives have claimed the home, leaving it without a living owner.

Gehrki said there doesn’t appear to be a will.

“Everybody wants to preserve a slice of Omaha history. But nobody really knows the clear path to doing that,” he said.

Becic’s daughter-in-law moved out of the home in recent years after her husband’s passing, leaving it vacant.

The Becic’s daughter Mary is also in the Omaha area.

Gehrki said he’s been in touch with Mary, and someone will need to take ownership.

“So the daughter and the daughter-in-law, in my estimation, if they went through probate, they would be the rightful owners. Neither one of them want to keep it,” Gehrki said, “My belief is the best outcome for this house is they put it on the open market.”

According to Gehrki, there’s another twist in all this.

“So a purchaser contacted the daughter-in-law, I think because she’s the one that has been paying the taxes. He made her an offer. He has a written purchase agreement, but it’s invalid because she is not in ownership,” Gehrki said.

Omaha’s City Planning Department is also committed to saving the home, giving the Becic family additional time after the last inspection to sort out ownership.

Chief Housing Inspector Scott Lane said when staff went out in late November both the front and back entrances were secured, so they gave an extension to sort out ownership issues. Lane said inspectors will return in January and likely can give one more 90 day extension after that.

While the process is complex, Gehrki is confident the right combination of steps will lead to another act for this home.

“We want to see this house preserved. The family that subsequently owns it, the Astaire family, the historical society, everybody wants to preserve this slice of Omaha history. So I think we’re gonna, one way or the other, we’re going to get it done,” Gehrki said.

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