New plant, other structures are springing up

The arrival of spring has brought a resurgence of construction projects in the McCook area, with work costing several million dollars already in progress, and projects costing many millions more on the horizon.

The most dramatic announcement came Tuesday, when the Board of Directors of SW Energy LLC, announced the new company would be building an ethanol plant three miles west of McCook on land purchased from the Shepherd family.

During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, directors announced the cost of the ethanol project could reach as high as $50 million.

The ethanol idea -- brought to McCook in May of 2002 by Al Voudrie of Elk River, Minn. -- came together last month when a team of ethanol investors from Minnesota joined three McCook entrepreneurs on the board of the new company, called SW Energy LLC.

With the team in place, the board is going full speed ahead with development of a pilot plant, costing up to $2 million, and the start of financing for the bigger plant to follow. The combination of ethanol experience from Minnesota and strong local support turned the tide. Joining Voudrie on the board are Ron Friehe, Van Korell and John Kugler from McCook, and three Minnesotans: Steve Lipetzky, from Springfield; Dean Buesing from Granite Falls; and Doug Finstrom from Kirkhoven.

With their investments of money, time and expertise, these men are making a difference in the McCook community. And, the encouraging thing is, they're not alone.

Other significant investments are being made throughout the town. Across the street southeast of the Post Office, Dr. Steven R. Hinze of North Platte is building an impressive building to provide clinic space for his dental surgery practice. The office, built in a structural style reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright, will also accommodate the chiropractic office of Dr. Todd Hinze and the podiatric surgery practice of another son, who is now completing his residency in Philadelphia.

Then, there are a series of housing developments, with Thom Widawski and Darrel Potthoff putting in streets, sewer and water for the Villas at Heritage Hills, and Pietro "Joe" Giorgione, Matt Gaunt and the Davises -- Bill Jr. and Bill Sr. -- developing separate duplex projects. Gaunt's project is on Brassie Drive at Heritage Hills, Giorgione's duplex is at East Sixth and C and the Davises' duplexes are south of the Elks Club building facing East I Street.

Add those projects to the rebuilding of East B Street -- which carries highway traffic through town -- and it makes for a busy construction season in McCook.

The projects are great for the town. As we watch them develop, we need to remember that the projects wouldn't have happened without, first, an idea, and then the investment capital necessary to carry them to completion.