Construction continues fast pace locally

Despite the economic uncertainty gripping the nation, the state and this area, construction activity remains at a brisk pace in McCook.

The Gazette's editor, Bruce Crosby, provided photographic proof of the building surge in Tuesday's Gazette, showing four major projects that are arising in the community.

The emerging buildings range from the spacious warehouse and distribution center for Valmont in southeast McCook, to the major expansion of McCook Clinic in the northeast part of town, and the Western Tire warehouse and the new Mirastar fuel station in the southwest segment of the community.

Already this year, permits have been issued for $6.5 million in construction projects for McCook, and additional building is in the works.

At Tuesday's meeting of the Red Willow County Commission, the board members gave approval to JL Construction's bid of $575,000 for the Kiplinger Equestrian Arena. That will push the building total above $7 million; and with several home and business projects in the talking stage, total construction spending in McCook could approach $8 million by year's end.

The construction activity illustrates the accuracy of what President George W. Bush had to say Tuesday during an economic forum at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. "We have heard from Americans who are concerned, but not discouraged," the President said. ""We see problems, but we're confident in the long-term health of this economy." In similar fashion, that's what business leaders and homeowners are saying on the local level. Yes, there are problems, particularly the drought conditions and the loss of assets through the stock market slide.

But, for the long-term, decision-makers on the local and national levels are upbeat about the future.

During the past decade, more than $50 million in construction projects have been completed in McCook. Despite the economic challenges of 2002, it's encouraging to see that building is continuing at a multi-million dollar level.