Construction resumes on Red Cloud’s new hotel

Representing various organizations within Red Cloud, Nebraska, and the architecture firm, at the Hotel Garber ceremonial groundbreaking on Friday, Oct. 7 were, from left, Jennifer Honebrink of Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture; Bob Thacker, president, Willa Cather Foundation; Justin Armstrong, Heritage Tourism Advisory Committee[ Jay Yost,Heritage Tourism Advisory Committee; Jarrod McCartney, Heritage Tourism development director; Ashley Olson, executive eirector, Willa Cather Foundation; Dennis Hansen, Red Cloud Community Fund; Todd Mahin, Red Cloud Hotel Committee; Liz Rasser, Heritage Tourism Advisory Committee; Todd Brown, Mayor, City of Red Cloud. (Courtesy of Willa Cather Foundation Collections & Archives at the National Willa Cather Center)

LINCOLN — A recent groundbreaking ceremony celebrated the renewal of construction on the Potter Block building in downtown Red Cloud, Nebraska.

The Potter Block building will undergo rehabilitation and be transformed into a 22,500-square-foot facility, which will become Hotel Garber.

Renovations began in early 2018 with excavating and underpinning the basement so the hotel could support the return of a new third floor that burned down in 1961.

Rendering of a two-bed guest room. (Courtesy of Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture)

Hotel Garber will be a 26-room boutique hotel, featuring an event and meeting space, a spacious lounge, catering facilities and a small library.

The National Willa Cather Center’s Campaign for the Future is spearheading the project in partnership with Red Cloud’s Heritage Tourism Development Office.

The organizations have secured $6 million for the project through donations, grants, investments and historic tax credits, which places them at 87% of their total fundraising goal.

The public can make tax-deductible charitable gifts to the Willa Cather Foundation or the Red Cloud Community Fund. Contributions can be mailed to the Willa Cather Foundation at 413 N. Webster St., Red Cloud, NE, 68970, or online here. Pledges to the project are payable over five years.