Hollister plans top $1 billion

The city has issued 118 new business permits as of the end of August, up about 50 percent from the same time in 2004. New construction values as of Aug. 31 total $7 million, more than triple the $2.1 million on the books through August 2004. U.S. Highway 65 is being widened through the town from two lanes to four to move the nearly 29,000 cars that use the stretch of road daily.

And more new construction is on the way.

On Sept. 15, the city of Hollister and the Hollister Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a press conference to announce future development plans in Hollister and southwest Taney County. But Hollister officials are holding on to their developer sources.

Vonnie Mathiesen, Hollister assistant city administrator, declined to comment on which developers would be speaking at the event or what plans they’ll be discussing.

Billion-dollar baby

At least one group on the schedule is Argonaut Midwest Holdings LLC, a division of The Argonaut Group LLC, of Key West, Fla. The company has plans to build two developments, valued at $1 billion, south of Hollister.

City officials are encouraged by the rapid growth of neighboring Branson, where Mathiesen said developments also will benefit her town.

Branson city officials anticipate $125 million in new development in 2005, which would be a new record. Part of that figure is another Argonaut Midwest project – a 400-condominium complex called The Cliffs at Indian Point.

“We know that anything that happens for the city of Branson is good for Hollister,” Mathiesen said. “We’re not constructing theaters – we don’t want to be a competitor – but we do want to provide all of the goods and services that will be needed as Branson grows.”

Residential development plans have helped spark an increase in commercial activity.

Branson wireless Internet provider Aero-Surf expanded its coverage into Hollister and surrounding areas earlier this year, partly to tap that new market.

“There’s a lot of people living there, and I don’t think cable (Internet) has the physical capability of serving all those people,” said Aero-Surf General Manager Tom Gass. “There’s a lot of nice developments that have gone up. We looked at it and said if we can situate ourselves there and open our coverage, why not give the service to the people of Hollister?”

Hollister’s population in the 2000 Census, the most recent available, was 3,867. According to the city, there are 56,500 potential shoppers within a 15-mile radius.

Residential growth is reflected in new retail and services, such as a new Harter House grocery, Cody’s Convenience Store, and a new Hollister fire station for the Western Taney County Fire Protection District.

The pro-growth attitude of businesspeople such as Gass, as well as Hollister city officials, is part of what encouraged Argonaut to think big with their plans, according to Maddox.

“(City Administrator) Rick Ziegenfuss, the (board of aldermen) and the mayor, their attitude is one that’s not prevalent in many communities today,” Maddox said. “They want the development, but on the other side of the coin they want it done right and done well. In other areas of the country, you have a very significant no-growth policy. Here, the attitude is, let’s have growth, but let’s do it right.”