By SCOTT AUST//Greater Garden City
Longtime local orthodontist Tim Hanigan feels a strong desire to give back to the Garden City community that has treated him and his family so well over the years.
One way Hanigan has chosen to pursue giving back is by venturing into development, seeking to be a part of the ongoing local growth.
Hanigan credited the strong growth in Garden City/Finney County to a proactive, collaborative spirit — one other places may only give lip service to or ask, “why not.”
“In Finney County, they get shit done,” he said.
On Thursday, Hanigan was joined by more than three dozen people to officially break ground on the first of what may become many projects: Western Kansas Corridor.
Located northeast of the U.S. Highway 83 intersection with the bypass, Western Kansas Corridor includes a mile of Highway 83 and Highway 50 frontage on more than 140 acres of land prime for industrial and commercial development, which could include businesses such as warehouses, distribution centers, convenience store, restaurants, or hotel.
Hanigan, the owner of Hawkeye Development LLC, the developer of the WKC project, thanked Crossland Construction for their partnership in the project, and believing in Hanigan’s desire to include local subcontractors.
Hanigan also pointed out and thanked Dirks Earthmoving, Klotz Sand and Asphalt, and Nowak Construction for their work on the project, local government staff and elected officials, and Lona DuVall and her team at Finney County Economic Development.
“I would not be doing this project if not for the economic development corporation. I would not be reinvesting my money in this community if it weren’t for Lona DuVall and her team. That’s God’s honest truth,” he said. “I did not know what it would take to get this done. There were so many times I heard them say, ‘We got you.’”
Elected and economic development officials celebrated continued community growth during remarks at Thursday’s groundbreaking.
Finney County Commissioner Bob Kreutzer said one of the “fantastic things” about Hanigan is that “one of our own” came to town and used his skill and enthusiasm to build a great business then decided to do more to invest in the community.
“We do love each and every investor who comes to our community, but it’s just something special,” he said.
Other speakers included Garden City Mayor Shannon Dick and Phil Escareno, Chairman of the Finney County Economic Development Corp. Board of Directors.
For more information about WKC contact Hanigan at timhanigan@hawkeyedevelopment.net; or Lona DuVall at (620) 620-2244, or lona@ficoedc.com.
