Serving the Loup Valley for 140 Years
Vibrant Living Tour
Draws Large Crowd
Valley county Economic Development Director, Caleb Pollard, presents opportunities for second story downtown development during the Vibrant Living Tour.
By Kate Wolf
It was a beautiful fall evening, the breeze just crisp enough to require a jacket, when a large group of curious citizens gathered Oct. 21 for the Vibrant Living Tour in downtown Ord. The tour was sponsored by Valley County Economic Development (VCED) and designed to show people the amazing opportunities for second story use above businesses around the square. VCED Executive Director Caleb Pollard and VCED Business Coach Katie Wamsley served as guides for the tour.
“I have wanted to do this downtown walking tour and development visioning for 16 years,” Pollard said. “How do we focus on Economic Development efforts to make Ord the best it can be?”
In 2023, VCED received a People Attraction Grant from the Nebraska Community Foundation to assist with a professional survey of Ord’s second story locations. The survey was completed by Goodlife Architecture from Kearney earlier this year. Patrick Moore, owner and principal architect of Goodlife Architecture, LLC gave a presentation on work that’s been done elsewhere on aging, historic and even abandoned buildings. All were structures that might have ended up torn down or allowed to deteriorate further, leaving unsightly and undesirable gaps in downtown areas, something VCED is passionate about preventing in Ord.
The tour began at Hey Honey Boutique whose spacious upstairs is already being made ready as a show space and sample room for a local hardwood flooring firm. The tour group visited several historic buildings downtown, in addition to Hey Honey Boutique, including the Flynn Building which houses Second Hand Rose, the rental space above Jubliee Catering, the beautiful Airbnb situated above Carl’s Tavern, and ending the tour at the completely stunning second story Brian and Kelly Magiera family home located above American Family Insurance. A reception followed, also sponsored by VCED, and the crowd enjoyed an inspiring message from Caleb Pollard.
“I think the experience was wonderful,” Pollard commented.
“It gave community members an opportunity to see what is possible in our downtown neighborhood, and also show them how much work we have to do to maintain and improve upon the integrity of our downtown buildings. Community input and engagement is essential to ensure our downtown has a future.”
The tour itself was fascinating and the possibilities are endless for further development. Being able to live downtown close to shopping, cultural events, restaurants, entertainment and other activities without the hassle of yardwork and snow removal is extremely tempting. Viewing the second story spaces, appreciating the historical artifacts still present like original tin ceilings, pristine woodwork, painted surfaces, antique solid wood floors just waiting to be polished to a beautiful sheen, and other unique architectural details set more than a few visitors on the tour wondering how they, too, might enjoy a second story downtown lifestyle or business location.
To read the complete story, pick up this week's edition of The Ord Quiz.