By Sept. 22, the North Platte police had responded to166 calls for service at North Platte’s Buffalo Bill Manor, better known locally as the “Hi Rise.”
That’s an average of about five calls per week over nearly nine months. It’s also 44 more calls for police assistance at the building than were made in the entire year of 2024.
Life is apparently calmer at the “Lo Rise” – South Oak Manor, where just 19 calls have been received at the police station so far this year.
Buffalo Bill Manor is North Platte’s tallest building in terms of floors. It opened in 1970, constructed by the Oddfellows Housing Corporation.
It has 119 apartments on 11 floors, plus living quarters for the manager. The apartments are one-and two-bedroom. It is a relatively scenic place to live. Each upstairs apartment has an outdoor balcony and those on the south side of the building face the South Platte River. North Platte largest park, Centennial Park, is nearby.
It was likely quite an achievement for the local Oddfellows to arrange for the construction of the Buffalo Bill Manor in North Platte. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows manages a wide range of residential communities across North America, their website says.
From the start, Buffalo Bill Manor was intended for middle-income, elderly tenants. There are no utility charges for residents and access is controlled. There is a community room, a library and off-street parking.
The companion building – South Oak Manor – was constructed about a decade later in 1981, according to news reports. It has 82 one-bedroom apartments on five floors. Unlike its taller companion, it was always intended for low-income elderly residents.
The amount of rent at both units is based on the resident’s income. The costs are subsidized by the federal department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD.)
The impressive buildings reflect the Oddfellows “commitment to charity and mutual aid,” their website says.
In April, the North Platte Oddfellows Corp. sold the Buffalo Bill Manor to an Omaha company called SDI Buffalo Bill LLC, county records show.
Times change
Time has taken a toll on the living conditions in both buildings. Residents say the hallway carpets are not cleaned as often as they once were. Restrictions on pets and smoking have relaxed. Pets are more apt to wet the hallway carpet, which is cleaned less often too.
Bed bugs are an issue and it’s not all that unusual to see cockroaches in the building. And, police calls have increased, most dramatically at Buffalo Bill Manor.
North Platte Deputy Police Chief Kendall Allison said nearly 90% of the calls so far in 2025 come from Buffalo Bill Manor, with only about 10% of the calls coming from South Oak Manor.
Allison said the majority of police calls were for disturbances (31) and suspicious activity (30). Police were called 12 times for citizen assists, and 18 times to check on someone’s welfare. Those are the most significant categories of calls.
So far this year, 19 arrests have been made at the complex. Two were for previous charges. Three people were arrested for domestic assault and another person for third-degree assault. Allison said two arrests were made for trespassing, one for theft, two for violation of a protection order and two people were taken into emergency protective custody.
If the current pace of police calls — five per week — continues, the number of calls could reach 260 by year’s end. That would be an about a 70% increase over 2023 (149 calls) and more over 2024 (140 calls.)
Allison said officers met recently with the management and discussed strategies to make the buildings safer.
Management returned a call from the Bulletin shortly this article first went to press on Sept. 24. She left no information and said she would forward our request for information to upper management.
“Relocating is out of the question,” one of the residents told the Bulletin. They asked to remain anonymous because of fear of reprisal. “There are not a lot of options for housing when you are over 60 years old.”
“This used to be for ages 55 or older. Now younger people live here too. There are a number of drugs going in and out of the building. Sometimes the halls smell like pot and meth,” another resident said.
“We as tenants are trying to get the place cleaned up. We just want someone to listen to us.”
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This is so sad. This should be a safe place to live for elderly or disabled. Clearly Management is failing to do their job.
I know people who live in the south oak manor one. It’s horrible. The elevators are so old and more often than not aren’t working. There were weeks when I went there and I went in the elevator the light grill cover you could see empty shooter bottles in there. The new younger residents they are getting to move in they don’t care about their background or anything.