Phil Conrad and Dave Hawkins review plans for downtown Garrett. (Dean A. Orewiler photo)

Partners bring progress to downtown Garrett

By SHIRLEY GIFFORD

GARRETT - Dave Hawkins partners with Phil Conrad in several city-related enterprises aimed at improving Garrett and preparing it for the future. The two have made untangling the red tape a little easier for both individuals and businesses - a boon for the City of Garrett.

A Huntertown native, Hawkins has been heavily involved in housing. He served on the Garrett Chamber board from 1984-1989, then from 1994 to the present. He also is active in the Garrett High School building trades program, currently involved in a project to develop six or eight homes near Garrett High School.

Conrad said he got off the Chamber board 24 years ago after serving several years. He also was a township trustee from 1970-1990.

"I've been for economic development in this town since I've been here," said Conrad, who originally hails from Noble County. "I try not to be a naysayer," he added with a smile.

Conrad has served as president of the Redevelopment Commission, an arm of the city government put together in late 1987, for five years. He said he became interested in the work of the commission after it tackled its first project - the once-blighted city block where Conrad & Hawkins' office now sits.

Several of the block's decade-old brick structures on the west side of Randolph Street - the city's main drag - had begun crumbling. A string of buildings on six lots was demolished in September 1988.

Then Conrad, Hawkins and several other area businessmen - Ron Dicke, Bill Zeider, Bud Treesh, Lloyd Hawkins, Henning Sorensen, Doug Johnson and Phil Troyer - joined forces to create Garrett Commercial Development Inc. The group bought the lot, then set about planning the greatest needs to revitalize the downtown. The plan was to build a 7,250-square-foot, one-story building.

The two recalled talking each other into - then out of - involvement in the project.

"It was kind of funny almost," Hawkins quipped.

The building now houses a hairdresser, an attorney, a chiropractor, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, an optometrist, and the Conrad & Hawkins accounting firm. The offices share an attractive, stylish facade.

The adjacent doctors' offices, now occupied by Drs. David and Laurel Marques, continue the design of the first new building.

"(DeKalb Memorial Hospital officials) looked at this site and they looked at other sites," Conrad said. "We contributed three vacant lots to the hospital, then the hospital built the building where the doctors are.

"It was something we needed in this town. I'm as proud of this as the project here.

"Garrett was originally platted out on swampy, mucky soil - not conducive to building. But here we are, nonetheless," Conrad continued. "One-story buildings are up-to-the-minute. They're more energy-efficient."

Hawkins said the city always has struggled with property owners unwilling or unable to maintain their downtown businesses.

"That causes the tax base to suffer," he commented.

He cited one exception - the renovation of the former Garrett State Bank building. The new owners, Jared and Dawn Olson, have restored the building very closely to its original condition, he said with admiration.

"There are things we still need to do downtown," Hawkins said. "I'd like to see a little more development on South Randolph Street, where we already have some fast foods and shopping." He added that retail stores, not specialty shopping, would be his preference.

"We need a pharmacy. We're without one now," he said. "Residents are presently forced to go to Auburn to purchase prescriptions. That's a need the whole community agrees with." He said the city would be happy to work with either independents or chain operators to bring in a pharmacy.

Conrad said the red tape wrapped around the former Garrett foundry has put a choke-hold on progressing toward its redevelopment. The decaying building at 600 E. Quincy Street has become one of Garrett's most glaring and frustrating problems.

"It's a polluted facility," Conrad commented.

Members of the commission and the common council have been wresting with the dilemma since February of 1996, Hawkins said.

But there is hope, not only for clean-up of the property, but for redevelopment that could be beneficial for both the city and participants in a plan to make the property viable.

Both men are hoping for an agreement with officials of the National Automotive and Truck Museum (NATMUS) in Auburn, who have expressed an interest in storing NATMUS automobiles there.

"I want to see Garrett become a destination - I might as well say it - along with Auburn," Conrad said. He mentioned the festivals both cities share an interest in, including Garrett's famous Creek Chub Festival, which holds its ever-growing fishing lure swap meets at hotels in Auburn, since Garrett's facilities aren't currently adequate.

"That foundry building would be perfect,"Conrad said.

"NATMUS is interested in storing cars there. It could be used for a reception building, and there's plenty of room for the Creek Chub Festival.

"It's also a straight shot from the Dean V. Kruse Museum," he mused, his mental wheels obviously turning. "There's no road, but I can see one happening. He's going to need an outlet for that.

"I believe that Garrett and Auburn are sister cities," he concluded. "We're not rivals. The more we cooperate with each other, the better it is for both of us."