I thought you might be interested in a couple of articles from our local newspaper, the Branson Daily News. Don't believe everything you hear about slow-downs and a sluggish economy!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Hollister in growth spurt

Walgreens in Hollister will open this month.
BDN photo by Wiley Hendrix

By Wiley Hendrix
BDN Staff Writer
whendrix@bransondailynews.com

Hollister City Administrator Rick Ziegenfuss doesn’t say 2009 “could” be a big year for Hollister. He says 2009 “will” be a big year.

“There is no doubt that this will be a wonderful year of growth for our city,” Ziegenfuss said on Monday. “We have some great businesses that will be opening and we are working toward making sure our existing businesses also flourish.”

New businesses that Ziegenfuss mentioned include the Walgreens, located on Birch Street, and an Arby’s restaurant, near the U.S. 65 interchange.

“Walgreens has its certificate of occupancy,” Ziegenfuss said. “They just need to stock their inventory in and open their doors for business. They will probably open some time in January.”

He added that the Arby’s restaurant has had its preliminary site plan approved.

“Their grading permit has been approved and it’s waiting for them to pick up,” Ziegenfuss said. “They said they would get it after the first of the year and it is after the first of the year.”

He said he thinks the Arby’s will do well, because it is something this area doesn’t have and the Hollister interchange is a high traffic area. Locals are also excited about the idea of an Arby’s nearby.

“Wow, that would be awesome,” said Jeffery Zimmerman, of Hollister. “I’ve only lived here for three months and I have missed not having an Arby’s. That would be cool.”

Larry Summerton, of Omaha, Ark., said he would welcome the addition.

“That would be right on my way home from work,” Summerton said. “I could see a lot of Arby’s dinners in my future.”

While Ziegenfuss said the city should be excited about new businesses, people should also be happy that the city is taking steps to help existing businesses stay busy.

“It never hurts to have new businesses opening,” he said. “We want to welcome them into the city and, at the same time, we want to take care of the businesses that are already here.”

He said city officials are working to increase Hollister’s residential base and help the area’s workforce grow.

“We have several residential areas in the construction and planning stages,” Ziegenfuss said.

According to city officials, potential residential areas include North Birch Street, Valley View on Maple Street, Keeter Heights, the Evergreen Ridge area and Bradford Hills on BB Highway.

“If we have the infrastructure, jobs and affordable housing, then people will come and our businesses will thrive,” Ziegenfuss said. “The longterm future of Hollister is very bright and we have some great partners in the city of Branson and throughout Taney County. We have good reason to be optimistic.”

Thursday, February 19, 2009

New neighbors at Parkway

Winter construction is ongoing in Branson. The ground is cleared and ready for a new addition to the Skaggs Cardiac Rehab Center on Missouri 248.
Wiley Hendrix | Branson Daily News

By Wiley Hendrix
Staff Writer

Three new businesses are on their way to Branson, according to city officials.

Branson City Engineer David Miller confirmed that Pizza Hut, Dollar Tree and Quiznos Subs will be building next to the Wendy’s on Branson Hills Parkway.

“The ground has been cleared and construction should begin in the near future,” Miller said.

“That is very exciting news,” said Branson Mayor Raeanne Presley. “It’s always nice to see businesses wanting to come to this area.”

Some of the other businesses under construction in the area include an addition to Skaggs Community Health Center’s Cardiac Rehab Center on Missouri 248; a new First Community Bank on Missouri 248; an addition to The Oaks Retirement Community on Buccaneer Boulevard; and a new strip mall on Branson Hills Parkway.

City officials said there were no occupancy permits for the strip mall, yet.

For the fourth consecutive year, Branson has eclipsed the $100 million mark worth of new construction. Figures released this week by the city’s planning and development department show a total of $102 million in new construction for 2008.

While down from the $117.9 million in 2007, city officials are pleased with last year’s total in light of the national economy being hobbled by the real estate bust, a faltering financial system and crumbling consumer confidence.

“Construction permits started slowing down about the same time the country began feeling the economic crunch,” Branson Communications Director Jerry Adams said. “We had a very slow last three months of the year.”

Adams said from January through September, the city approved around $97 million in construction permits.

From October through December, the city approved just $5 million in construction.