Sprucing up Superior’s downtown

SUPERIOR, Neb. (KOLN) - The community of Superior continues to be excited about improvements that have been made to storefronts and sidewalks downtown.

As we’ve discovered on Pure Nebraska, downtown is the core of any smaller town. In Superior, work is always underway to keep things updated and moving forward.

“We had a revitalization program a few years ago, in which all of the sidewalks were redone, and made ADA compliant,” local development director Mary Scroggins said. “The sewer drainage system was improved. And, we also did matching grants for storefronts. The whole process started in 2016. In 2017, that’s when the work began, and finished up in late 2019 and early 2020.”

Some of the buildings that have undergone improvements house businesses like Simply Chic or Superior Physical Therapy.

“Everybody did something,” Scroggins said.

In many cases, building exteriors were improved.

“They did new awnings, they did new windows, whole new basic fronts, and sometimes new doorways,” Scroggins said.

The infrastructure changes that have taken place are important to the overall aesthetics of town.

“The storm sewers were a little clogged, and sometimes they’d get too much moisture or ice,” Scroggins said. “We had to open those and allow more drainage, and also it made for ADA compliant sidewalks, that was part of the Community Development Block Grant that comes from the USDA.”

All of this is a team effort that’s helping make Superior an inviting place to live and do business.

“What it means to the community is that we see health, we see the community thriving, we see it keeping up, we see it wanting to be fresh and clean and pretty,” Scroggins said. “That signifies welcoming, and pride in the community. That’s what makes a community grow.”

With the downtown improvements, Superior has much to be proud of.

“The business community is very strong downtown, and it’s our core,” Scroggins said. “People identify with the health of the downtown, and therefore, it’s important to keep it vibrant.”

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