HOLDREGE – Final plans have been drafted for the Midtown Sculpture Garden in downtown Holdrege, and committee members are anxiously awaiting demolition and construction as fundraising continues.
The Midtown Sculpture Garden will be constructed at 710 4th Ave. (the former Man’s Shop) and will involve demolishing the current building and replacing it with an outdoor open gathering space.
Committee member Sherry McClymont said they are hoping that demolition could occur as early as this summer with construction through the fall. If that happens, the garden could be completed by the spring of 2024.
The project is expected to cost $800,000, and more than half of the funds needed have already been raised through private grants and donations.
“We are hoping as people see what’s happening, they will want to participate with us financially,” McClymont said.
The project has received a $100,000 grant from the William and Margaret Richards Endowment Fund and a $150,000 grant from the Roy W. and Mary L. Pearson Charitable Fund, both held at the Phelps County County Community Foundation. Other grants received include funds to pay for asbestos abatement and a $7,500 grant from the Phelps County Visitors Committee improvement fund. Other grants are being pursued.
Sampson Construction is overseeing the project, which will involve an intricate process of tearing the building down without harming the structure next to it.
“If we could have picked a more difficult building to take down, I don’t know what it would be,” McClymont said.
The building that is being demolished is attached to the building on the west. It has been vacant for years and is structurally unstable. The building’s basement sits on a layer of air, which will need to be filled before the garden is built so that it is stable.
Once construction begins, the process can be watched from a webcam that will be installed on the First State Bank Holdrege building. The Sculpture Garden has a Facebook page, and the webcam will be linked to YouTube so it can be attached to any website. Please watch for more info.
The garden will feature juniper and shade trees, benches, bronze sculptures and a mural of the wide-open skies of Nebraska. The floor will be constructed of brick pavers to match the look of downtown Holdrege, and string lights above will add to the ambiance. Iron beams on the front of the current building will be saved and placed on the north entrance to the garden.
The Midtown Sculpture Garden will be a space that invites residents and visitors to mingle and enjoy art and downtown Holdrege. The committee envisions people enjoying live music in the space on beautiful summer or fall evenings.
Once the project is complete, the City of Holdrege has agreed to take ownership of the space which is why trees will be the only living part of the landscape.
Midtown Sculpture Garden Committee members are McClymont, Vickie Klein, Dr. Stuart Embury, Ted Titus, Dale Herrington and Jessica Kraus.
Anyone interested in donating to the project is encouraged to do so through the Phelps County Community Foundation.
