Hotel Garber Construction Expands and Advances
Recent months have brought continued progress and important additions to the Hotel Garber development project. To fulfill a goal of the Red Cloud Creative District, the entire lower level of the Potter-Wright building will now be rehabilitated to house a Creative Hub. The project team has also grown with the addition of John Schwichtenberg as General Manager.
The Creative Hub in the lower level of Hotel Garber will include a full kitchen, public corridors, and two large multipurpose rooms that will create space for art workshops, residencies, and other special events. The goal for the Creative Hub is to foster artistic and cultural creativity and advance economic vitality as part of Red Cloud Creative District's vision to foster a vibrant destination where residents and visitors alike can experience the arts. A spacious dining and lounge area on the first floor will provide a space for unique culinary experiences to complement events such as gallery exhibits or programs at the nearby Red Cloud Opera House.
"The Creative Hub will take the Hotel Garber’s cultural and economic impact on the community to the next level,” said Heritage Tourism Development Director Jarrod McCartney.
While the Hub will serve as headquarters for the Creative District’s activities and provide area residents with opportunities to engage with the arts, McCartney also described its potential to attract smaller and mid-size conferences through modernized meeting spaces and food service. The Hub will be part of a downtown campus of event spaces including the Central Community College Education Hub, the National Willa Cather Center, and the Community Center. “We want the added foot traffic from these events to help other downtown businesses,” he said.
In addition to these enhancements to the construction plans, John Schwichtenberg joined the team on July 1 as General Manager. A native of Rising City, Nebraska, Schwichtenberg brings more than two decades of hospitality experience. He served as General Manager of Tanglewood Resort and Conference Center in Pottsboro, Texas, prior to returning to Nebraska. Schwichtenberg currently commutes from Lincoln, but looks forward to making Red Cloud home.
“The hotel is coming more to life each passing day, and with each passing day, it is also becoming more evident how special the Hotel Garber will be now and for generations to come,” said Schwichtenberg.
After promoting the destination with booth space at recent events, he referred to the excitement about the project as “genuine and palpable” and noted that he quickly realized there is not only great demand to visit by Willa Cather enthusiasts, but by all the hospitality segments. “With Heritage Tourism trips becoming more popular, the need for quality close-to-home vacations growing, and the gratification of supporting rural communities, we are on the cusp of something significant,” said Schwichtenberg.
As Schwichtenberg makes plans to prepare for the opening, it has been a busy spring and summer at the construction site. The rebuilt third floor that was lost to fire in 1962 is now overlayed with brick, and additional ornamentation has been added to the exterior facade to recreate the building’s original features. Drywall work is now complete, as are rough-ins for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Construction on the hotel is expected to be complete in the coming months, and construction of the Creative Hub will begin soon thereafter. The facility is expected to open in the first quarter of 2025.
The primary goal of the Potter Block rehabilitation project originated with the basic need to meet a demand for quality lodging for visitors who come to Red Cloud for Willa Cather tours, programs, and other community events. A new hotel in Red Cloud has been a priority for the Willa Cather Foundation and other community leaders for many years. The addition of the Creative Hub fulfills a longer-term vision to curate fine dining experiences, introduce hands-on arts classes and workshops for residents and visitors alike, and make Red Cloud a destination for leisure, business, and group travel. The Willa Cather Foundation, in partnership with the Red Cloud Community Fund and City of Red Cloud, have worked collaboratively for more than seven years to make the ambitious vision a reality.
While the addition of the Creative Hub necessitated additional fundraising, the project has raised 95% of its goal through a combination of charitable gifts, investments, grants, and historic tax credits. We are now within $250,000 of the funds needed to ensure construction completion. All gifts of $1,000 or more will be recognized on a donor wall, and pledges to the project are payable over five years.
“We are beyond grateful to more than 100 donors who bought into our vision and recognized the importance of this project to the National Willa Cather Center and the community of Red Cloud,” said Executive Director Ashley Olson.
She noted that the downtown revitalization project was also made possible with support from the State of Nebraska - Department of Economic Development, Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Community Foundation, and Nebraska State Historical Society.
