Growing Mills County Looks to Future Development
BRIEN T. BOYCE, Staff Writer
GLENWOOD - Life in Glenwood is more tranquil than in the metro area just 25 short miles to the north - and people like it that way.
"We, in Mills County, have had two or three unfortunate circumstances that have received a good measure of media attention, but I don't see those negative things that have happened shaping our day-to-day outlook on our city," Glenwood Schools Superintendent Stan Sibley said, adding the influx of more people doesn't mean crime will increase either.
Real estate developer Craig Nakamoto also isn't worried about the media attention Mills County has received in recent months. Instead, he's more concerned about getting started on the largest development to date in the county, and the largest one he plans to oversee.
"I like Glenwood and the area, as it has lots of positive aspects," he said. "I'm trying to develop something that complements a lot of those aspects."
Each of Nakamoto's housing units will contain around 1.3 acres of land, and the entire area should be completed in five to seven years' time.
One thing that probably won't happen with the homes to be bought in Nakamoto's development will be a population increase to the Glenwood School District, Real Estate Broker and developer Jim Hughes said.
Families with younger children will tend to frequent the $200,000 to $250,000 homes that Hughes deals with, versus the up to $500,000 that people could spend on a home in Nakamoto's subdivision.
"Our experience is that with higher-dollar homes, you usually get less children," Hughes said. "Usually, this is the family's second or third house purchase, and the children are grown and out of the house by this point."
Denise Crawford, who works as director of the Glenwood Public Library, said the area desperately needs growth. "Glenwood is struggling financially. More things need to come in."
Mills County, as a whole, is seeing growth. According to www.locationone.com, which uses population figures from the United States Census Bureau, the county's growth is as follows:
- 1990: Population - 13,202;
- 2000: Population - 14,547;
- 2004: Population - 15,020;
- 2009: Population (projected) - 15, 161.
"I'm thinking that's low," said Jeannie Van Maasdem of the Glenwood Chamber of Commerce. "Those projected numbers (for 2009), I'm betting that's what we have now."
In addition to Nakamoto's 700 acres, Hughes is currently working on two subdivisions, plus he owns another 200 acres to the north of Nakamoto's land.
The proposed four-lane bridge stretching from Mills County into Bellevue, Neb., could be completed by 2010. The bridge would make access for those who work in Bellevue and at Offutt Air Force base but live in Mills County easier. It would also mark the end of paying a $1 toll at the existing bridge or going from I-29 to Interstate 80, then heading south on Highway 75.
Hughes hopes the new bridge would encourage new business to come to Mills County and Glenwood.
"I think we'll end up with some industry coming in here, and that's what we've been waiting for," he said.
Currently, the biggest employers in Glenwood are the Glenwood Resource Center and the Glenwood School District, which help comprise the educational, health and social services employment, according to city-data.com. That category provides 35.8 percent of the city's employment.
"I think Glenwood and Mills County will remain fairly rural, and the housing developments will still have a rural atmosphere," Nakamoto said. "That's why people are moving here, not to move to another area that will become crowded."
"We're a town of 5,500 people (in Glenwood)," Hughes said. "People moving here want some space."
You won't see what's happening to small communities in southwest and west Omaha happen in Glenwood, Hughes stated.
"We'll keep our countrysides. You're not going to see them covered with houses," he said.
"You've got a lot of people who want to live between Omaha and Lincoln. With us, we get the commuters to downtown Omaha and Offutt. We'll never see that much growth.
"More importantly, Glenwood will never lose its identity. There are too many people here who won't ever let that happen, no matter what kind of changes we see here."
GLENWOOD - Life in Glenwood is more tranquil than in the metro area just 25 short miles to the north - and people like it that way.
"We, in Mills County, have had two or three unfortunate circumstances that have received a good measure of media attention, but I don't see those negative things that have happened shaping our day-to-day outlook on our city," Glenwood Schools Superintendent Stan Sibley said, adding the influx of more people doesn't mean crime will increase either.
Real estate developer Craig Nakamoto also isn't worried about the media attention Mills County has received in recent months. Instead, he's more concerned about getting started on the largest development to date in the county, and the largest one he plans to oversee.
"I like Glenwood and the area, as it has lots of positive aspects," he said. "I'm trying to develop something that complements a lot of those aspects."
Each of Nakamoto's housing units will contain around 1.3 acres of land, and the entire area should be completed in five to seven years' time.
One thing that probably won't happen with the homes to be bought in Nakamoto's development will be a population increase to the Glenwood School District, Real Estate Broker and developer Jim Hughes said.
Families with younger children will tend to frequent the $200,000 to $250,000 homes that Hughes deals with, versus the up to $500,000 that people could spend on a home in Nakamoto's subdivision.
"Our experience is that with higher-dollar homes, you usually get less children," Hughes said. "Usually, this is the family's second or third house purchase, and the children are grown and out of the house by this point."
Denise Crawford, who works as director of the Glenwood Public Library, said the area desperately needs growth. "Glenwood is struggling financially. More things need to come in."
Mills County, as a whole, is seeing growth. According to www.locationone.com, which uses population figures from the United States Census Bureau, the county's growth is as follows:
- 1990: Population - 13,202;
- 2000: Population - 14,547;
- 2004: Population - 15,020;
- 2009: Population (projected) - 15, 161.
"I'm thinking that's low," said Jeannie Van Maasdem of the Glenwood Chamber of Commerce. "Those projected numbers (for 2009), I'm betting that's what we have now."
In addition to Nakamoto's 700 acres, Hughes is currently working on two subdivisions, plus he owns another 200 acres to the north of Nakamoto's land.
The proposed four-lane bridge stretching from Mills County into Bellevue, Neb., could be completed by 2010. The bridge would make access for those who work in Bellevue and at Offutt Air Force base but live in Mills County easier. It would also mark the end of paying a $1 toll at the existing bridge or going from I-29 to Interstate 80, then heading south on Highway 75.
Hughes hopes the new bridge would encourage new business to come to Mills County and Glenwood.
"I think we'll end up with some industry coming in here, and that's what we've been waiting for," he said.
Currently, the biggest employers in Glenwood are the Glenwood Resource Center and the Glenwood School District, which help comprise the educational, health and social services employment, according to city-data.com. That category provides 35.8 percent of the city's employment.
"I think Glenwood and Mills County will remain fairly rural, and the housing developments will still have a rural atmosphere," Nakamoto said. "That's why people are moving here, not to move to another area that will become crowded."
"We're a town of 5,500 people (in Glenwood)," Hughes said. "People moving here want some space."
You won't see what's happening to small communities in southwest and west Omaha happen in Glenwood, Hughes stated.
"We'll keep our countrysides. You're not going to see them covered with houses," he said.
"You've got a lot of people who want to live between Omaha and Lincoln. With us, we get the commuters to downtown Omaha and Offutt. We'll never see that much growth.
"More importantly, Glenwood will never lose its identity. There are too many people here who won't ever let that happen, no matter what kind of changes we see here."
posted by Susan VanSlyke at 1:31 PM
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