HICKMAN -- A strip mall is no big deal in a big city, but when one goes up in a town of fewer than 2,000 people it's a sure sign of economic progress.
Woodland Court is being built north of Hickman on the west side of 68th Street.
Waverly veterinarian Raven Klone has already leased one of the three bays in the mall being developed on about 1 ½ acres by Bill Collins.
Collins, also a veterinarian, owns a strip mall in Lincoln near 74th Street and Pioneers Boulevard and said he chose to put up the Hickman mall because he has ties to the area.
"We have many friends in the Hickman area. I like the community. We felt that we wanted to be a participant in seeing growth in a very good community," he said.
Depending on the weather, work on the first phase could be finished in March, said Collins, who plans to put in more bays as needed.
People are also reading…
City Administrator Silas Clarke cites the strip mall as one example of Hickman's continued growth as a bedroom community of Lincoln. While some small towns shy away and even dislike the term, Clarke sees it as a positive.
"Hickman prides itself on being a bedroom community, and it allows us to focus on creating a family atmosphere," he said.
Hickman sits about 7 miles from Lincoln's southeastern edge, Clarke said, making it an easy commute. Parents of young families also like the city's parks and youth sports programs and trail system.
"I think Hickman's worked hard to be an alternate community for families that are working in Lincoln," he said.
Some families also choose to live in Hickman so their kids can attend the Norris School District. The district has grown to 2,178 students, 700 of whom have a Hickman zip code.
Norris Superintendent John Skretta acknowledged the school district has played a role in Hickman's growth but he gives the community and its leaders the lion's share of the credit.
"What's most impressive, I think, is that Hickman continues to have a very forward-thinking vision. Their city governance has a forward-thinking vision that helps to promote growth. They're very growth-oriented," Skretta said.
A $3.4 million community center is in the works downtown, and city officials have moved their offices across the street to a remodeled building. Demolition of the old city hall and excavation work will begin this spring.
Last year, Hickman voters approved a 1.5 percent city sales tax to help pay for a 16,000-square-foot community center that will include a gymnasium for sports and community events, a reading center, kitchen area and city offices.
Construction of a quiet zone is set to begin in late spring or early summer, meaning trains passing through town will be able to roll through without blasting their horns. The Railroad Transportation Safety District will contribute to the $1.4 million project.
Plans are also in the works to extend the city's existing recreational trail for about a half-mile. Construction could begin in 2016, Clarke said. The project was made possible by an $800,000 grant from the federal Recreational Trails Program.
With growth comes housing issues. Clarke said that he receives calls weekly from families looking for rental property or homes to buy, but the supply is low. Furthermore, Hickman has only 21 buildable, single-family residential lots within its city limits.
If there is any future housing growth, it will probably occur north of Hickman near the Arbor Lodge subdivision. Clarke said a preliminary plat for a subdivision with 130 homes has been filed with the city by Roland Meyer of Palmyra.
The city is considering a second water tower to meet its anticipated future growth, Clarke said. The city plans to ask the state to help pay for the project, which carries a $2.5 million price tag. Construction could begin in three or four years.
"During the summer months, we use three water towers a day -- or 900,000 gallons per day," Clarke said. "It's a lot of water."
Some residents have complained about the city's high water and sewer bills, which reflect the construction of a new sewage treatment plant in 2009, followed by a new water treatment plant in 2011.
"Hickman has had a lot of growing pains and the City Council has been proactive in ensuring the infrastructure is there for continued growth," Clarke said.
Clarke said the projects were needed to serve a growing population that reached 1,840 in 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
"There would be a larger detriment to growth if the city was not ready for continued population growth," he said. "Luckily, we believe the utility rates will be able to remain level."
At one time, Hickman had plans to develop a drive-in movie theater as part of a regional recreation and event complex. Clarke said that project was shelved after area residents identified the need for a community center as the top priority.
A swimming pool was second on their list, Clarke said, adding that officials plan to complete the community center first and then tackle funding for a pool. City leaders also would like to attract more service-oriented businesses as Hickman continues to grow.
Skretta believes the proposed South Beltway project, if it is built, will be a "driver of growth" for Hickman and the Norris School District. The 8.7-mile freeway that would run near Saltillo Road from U.S. 77 to where Nebraska 2 and 120th Street meet is set for construction in 2020.
"It will propel growth in an accelerated manner south of the beltway," he said.
