Gibbon, Cozad & Western - "The 100th Meridian Line"

[C855B]

Oh... fun fact about the apartments: the building is about 90 years old, built as one of those classic storefronts downstairs/apartments upstairs. I've been told that at one time there was a hobby shop in one of the two retail spots. Robyn put her foot down on that idea. 

Anyway, the downstairs was converted into a single big apartment. As soon as their lease is up it gets restored back into retail space, and there's city funding to help it happen. I'd like to see a coffee shop in one side... I'm a sucker for quiet, hole-in-the-wall coffee shops where I can sip a cuppa, nibble on a scone, and read the paper or surf on the WiFi. We have none here and sure as heck could use something like that. I have no desire to run one (getting up at 5 a.m.? Not me!), but maybe I can coax someone to run it for me.

[Specter3]

Mike you are definitely moving many, many, things forward in crazy positive ways. Bringing a little retail back will be nice. What does across the street look like? How do your ideas mesh with that stuff? The amazing layout building thread gets even better with large scale urban revitalization . Congrats on the positive news!

[Santa Fe Guy]

Well done Mike. The peace and quiet will be well worth the expense and I am sure your city appreciates the efforts you and your wife are putting into this project.
I had the opportunity to visit Rochelle and the train watching area in 2005. The small shop at the entrance to the area sure made the place feel good and I am sure yours will too.
Maybe an elevated area like that would be useful in your location.
Rod from down under.

[C855B]

If you want no riff raff, then so much for the apartments becoming a B&B for visiting guest TRW layout labor. I'm sure some of us would work for room and board.

Not a bad idea, really! I'm visualizing reserving the whole B&B for visiting operators for a mega ops session. One step at a time, though, as there's a bunch of renovation between what's there today and any place I'd offer to friends. Not quite as bad as the layout building where we had to gut it, but pretty close to it. At least this time around there's an income stream to offset improvement expenses. I figure two, three years in hired-help work to whip it into shape, with some of that working around tenants' comings and goings.

... What does across the street look like? How do your ideas mesh with that stuff? ...

Directly across the street is a CPA office very nicely renovated out of an old Ford dealership. The former service department is a warehouse for a local engineering company. Here's the Google street view from last October: https://goo.gl/maps/rVpni. Spin it around and you'll recognize the layout building. The white apartment building to the south is what we're talking about. It's dowdy but functional; it is historically significant because much of downtown (to the north) was rebuilt in the '40s and '50s, and lost quite a bit of the early 1900's flavor. A little bit of period gingerbread (corbels, crown and dentil moldings) and cloth awnings over the retail and it'll be very attractive. It's those façade details that the city will co-fund.

There is enough older architecture that it won't be completely out of place. Probably the biggest issue architecturally is its isolation. Things were a lot more crowded there during better days, the empty lots we now own weren't empty in the day.

[Blazeman]

Might consider getting an agreement with the county for freezing tax assessment. Since you alone are upgrading the street and chasing out the low-lifes, up go property values and taxes for all the properties along the street. Maybe all are willing to pay that price, but it doesn't seem fair to penalize your efforts and financial outlays.

Reads like the town is working with you. But the counties set the values.

[sirenwerks]

I'm a sucker for quiet, hole-in-the-wall coffee shops where I can sip a cuppa, nibble on a scone, and read the paper or surf on the WiFi. We have none here and sure as heck could use something like that. I have no desire to run one (getting up at 5 a.m.? Not me!), but maybe I can coax someone to run it for me.

Unfortunately, that sort of environment does not support such a business.  Food requires table turnover or to-go customers, which requires a drive-through or parking.  Unless you happen to find a business that also roasts coffee (which requires a retail space to itself)  and is good at marketing to other local retailers to create volume sales to stay afloat.  Don't get me wrong, I love the same type of place, they just don't stay open very long with readers hanging around half the day, who only buy a cup or two the whole time.

[C855B]

Might consider getting an agreement with the county for freezing tax assessment. Since you alone are upgrading the street and chasing out the low-lifes, up go property values and taxes for all the properties along the street. Maybe all are willing to pay that price, but it doesn't seem fair to penalize your efforts and financial outlays.

Reads like the town is working with you. But the counties set the values.

Everything is in a TIF ("Railroad Corridor TIF") district with a 30-year rate and reassessment abatement. We will have to pay increased valuation for certain permit-required improvements, but repairs, aesthetics and other non-mechanical, non-structural renovations will be clear of increases.

Unfortunately, that sort of environment does not support such a business.  Food requires table turnover or to-go customers, which requires a drive-through or parking.  Unless you happen to find a business that also roasts coffee (which requires a retail space to itself)  and is good at marketing to other local retailers to create volume sales to stay afloat.  Don't get me wrong, I love the same type of place, they just don't stay open very long with readers hanging around half the day, who only buy a cup or two the whole time.

Not being glib here, but that's big-city-think. We're an isolated community of 18,000. And who said it has to make a profit, or can't lose a little? The full venture (apartments and retail space) is fine with us with a break-even cash flow. This would be the only shop of its kind in the immediate area, with one other mom'n'pop 15 miles away in the next city with ambiance issues. The closest Starbucks or Panera is 60 miles away; the most competition will come from fast food and convenience stores. The business plan is 40-50 customers a day, just enough to pay for the barista, utilities and supplies. Don't need a custom roaster, this market can't support that, just a good wholesale brand. I have two specific shops I'm modeling it after - one in San Mateo, CA, the other in a rural suburb of St. Louis - and both have been around for over a decade.

Biggest challenge I see is donuts. After all, we're one block away from the PD.   Seriously... I would have to find somebody with a certified kitchen to execute the baked goods since one thing not worth the investment in this space would be a full kitchen.

[C855B]

Oh, my... the fun continues. It weathered last night's storms, but gave up the ghost this morning. Guys at the car parts store across the street saw it fall:



City is all on board with the teardown, just need to get the title transfer finished before the bulldozers do the deed.

[davefoxx]

Oh, my... the fun continues. It weathered last night's storms, but gave up the ghost this morning. Guys at the car parts store across the street saw it fall:



City is all on board with the teardown, just need to get the title transfer finished before the bulldozers do the deed.

Actually, your 2"x4" brace worked!  That wall is still standing.   

DFF

[C855B]

Funny, isn't it? I'm glad I did it because if that wall had fallen with the rest of it, it would have twisted the box even more and taken the back walls down, too. It would have been a real mess then, likely falling into the city shed to the left. Guys across the street were lecturing me about taking my life into my hands putting that brace up.

Yesterday was a scramble getting the utilities to remove their drops. Since I don't legally own it yet (Friday @ 2:45), I couldn't call as the owner, but I could call them as "the concerned owner of the neighboring property" that the house was about to collapse on its own and they still had a live drop, and gas service. Two hours later it was done. I had the cable company cut their drop, too, mostly out of fear it would yank on the trunk and take my line out. City asked the utility to "retire" the gas service (cut and seal the underground pipe at the street), but they seem to be in less of a hurry for that.

Hopefully the roll-off dumpster should be on the site in a couple of days. We don't know how much we're dealing with since it has a basement, but I'll let the city folks deal with that. The guys over at the city works (across the alley!) are almost giddy at the prospect of getting this place over and done with.

Meanwhile, I have some grid ceiling to do. Everyone's retirement should be this relaxing and sedate.

[Specter3]

Mike

Ahh looks like your plans will fit right in. Hmmmm, donuts.... All that is is fried dough. If you are only making a couple hundred a small deep fryer is all you need. Not quite a full kitchen. But donuts lead to danish which leads to scones which leads to "why don't you have any biscuits?". Slippery slope. You could go boutique and have a local baking enthusiast do up a limited number of items daily that show up at open and when they are gone they are gone. Lots of possibilities and I am enjoying reading about them. Thanks for letting us in!

Ryan

[GaryHinshaw]

Good grief - the fun does indeed continue!  Best of luck!

The closest Starbucks or Panera is 60 miles away.... I have two specific shops I'm modeling it after - one in San Mateo, CA, the other in a rural suburb of St. Louis.

Oh to be in the midwest again.  (I spent 3 years in Oberlin OH back in the day and remember the lifestyle fondly, though we were only 30 min from Cleveland, so not really comparable.)  In our current neighbourhood, the closest Starbucks is 60 yards away (I exaggerate slightly, more like 600 yards, but the nearest indie shop is <60 yards).   I'm surprised there is a peer cafe that could make a go of it with 40-50 customers a day in San Mateo though. 

[C855B]

Oh... no... the coffee shop in San Mateo had double that, at least. It was next to the post office annex, so there was always a steady stream of customers, even during the off-peak hour (10-11) I was usually there. The area was definitely yup-market, and supported lots of little indie shops like it. I've scaled my expectations down for the local area.

[tappertrainman]

yup-market

HA!

[Baronjutter]

I hate to ask such a personal question but are you extravagantly rich or is property next to you just ridiculously cheap?
If I was guessing values I'd say that abandoned house lot would be worth about 200-300k and the tiny apartment a similar amount.

Is the big red barn-like building to the north surrounded by grass where your layout is?  How far do you live from the layout?
It' seems so fun to be able to gobble up a whole block and make serious plans about fixing the area up.