Hastings Rejuvenates Downtown, Supports Expansion of Homegrown Business through Community Development Block Grant Program

The downtown district serves as the heart of a community, and Hastings’ city center is beating strong thanks to investments made through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Over the past ten years, Hastings has been awarded $1.45 million of CDBG funds for Downtown Revitalization (DTR). Use of these grants has produced 11 façade/building renovation projects, 13 new businesses, 26 new owner-occupied or rental loft apartments, and 2 parking lot renovations—with one last project to be completed.

“CDBG-DTR funds have been instrumental to the success of Hastings during my two terms as mayor,” said Hastings Mayor Corey Stutte. “As we work toward growing our community, we look forward to leveraging these important funds in the future.”

The CDBG program, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) administers CDBG program funds in the state to help communities enhance economic well-being, local vitality, and quality of life.

Over the past decade, Hastings has leveraged CDBG funds to attract $13 million of private investment into downtown Hastings. These efforts have brought old structures back to life, rejuvenating the city’s core.

As one example, CDBG funds supported the expansion of homegrown business Pacha Soap, which opened a facility in Hastings’ downtown in December 2022. Pacha Soap is the brainchild of Hastings College alum Andrew Vrbas. While an undergraduate, he traveled to Peru to volunteer at a school. The experience opened his eyes to everyday sanitation and hygiene needs that often are taken for granted in the United States. Upon return to Hastings, he pursued a vision to make handcrafted soaps using organic, sustainable ingredients ethically sourced from developing countries. After launching Pacha Soap in 2013, Andrew and his wife (and company co-founder), Abi, loaded up their Honda with products. They traveled to farmers markets to sell their soap and tell the story of how they’re creating opportunities for environmentally responsible farmers and suppliers in the developing world. Since then, the business has grown from a small-scale soap shop into a thriving manufacturer of natural bath products.

With Pacha Soap’s growth came the need for more production capacity. CDBG assistance helped the company purchase new equipment and move into the site of a former bakery and warehouse on South Elm Avenue. As of its 2023 Annual Report, Pacha Soap had 70 employees in Hastings, with another 17 remote workers. In addition to providing quality jobs, the company is a great asset to Hastings through community betterment partnerships.

Noah’s Ark Processors, LLC (doing business as WR Reserve) is another Hastings business that is benefiting from CDBG support. In February 2024, DED awarded $1 million to the City of Hastings through the CDBG program. The city is using the funds to assist WR Reserve with expansion of its beef processing plant. The company is one of three kosher beef distributors in the United States. Since 2016, it has been the only U.S. exporter authorized to export kosher beef products to Israel. Through its expansion, WR Reserve will double its daily processing capacity, positioning the company to better serve customers in both domestic and international markets.

Hastings’ CDBG-supported success is attracting notice. In May, Pure Nebraska spotlighted its downtown development. The feature showcased the growth of small businesses and creation of upper-level residential units in the city’s core.

Hastings is one of many cities across Nebraska making great use of CDBG resources. Communities interested in applying for CDBG funding can learn more at: https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/cdbg and https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/success/. An annual resource, the Nebraska CDBG Program supports projects across most of the state. Some cities in Nebraska are the administrators of CDBG in their communities—this includes Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, and Grand Island.