Anson transforms historic downtown Grand Island building with "collective" vision.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb — One community builder follows the footsteps of another, as Amos Anson speaks in an almost reverent tone about Fred Hedde, the man whose name is on the side of the building Anson now owns.

"He was an entreprenuer by trade, he was a risk taker, really cool, seeing how like minded Fred Hedde was and working on his building and working on what I feel he would be proud of," Anson said.

They are words that many would use to describe Anson, who has found a way to redevelop downtown Grand Island where others couldn't.

"This building would have sat as an eyesore," Anson said.

"it was unused space slowly deteriorating," said Railside Director Cara Lemburg.

With his business partner Tom Pirnie, they've turned an empty building into a centerpiece of Grand Island's Railside.

"Someone could easily say let's bulldoze it and start all over but these guys have really wanted to invest in the historic pieces in downtown," Lemburg said.

The building where the Grand Island Independent once operated now welcomes a new generation to establish their businesses.

Anson said, "For those folks that are on the edge of being an entrepreneur, going out on their own or whatever, this is a prime opportunity."

The Hedde features shops plus what Anson calls The Collective – a co-working space where he already has a salon and real estate agent, and is looking for more small business people.

"Part of the fun, it's super cool to see all of that blossom," he said of his desire to see a variety of small businesses housed under the same room.

If someone wants to rent a desk, it starts as low as $200 a month, and there are larger options too.

As Fred Hedde built Grand Island, Anson gets credit for being among the first to redevelop a downtown that was just surviving into one that's thriving.

"Still a journey ahead, but we have momentum and ability to adapt," Anson said.

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Steve White, “Anson transforms historic downtown Grand Island building with “collective” vision.” NTV News, July 1, 2020, accessed July 6, 2020,
https://nebraska.tv/news/local/anson-transforms-historic-downtown-grand-island-building-with-collective-vision