Preserving the past, preparing for the future
The duplex apartment building on the south side of 4th Avenue, between 10th Street and 11th Street, was on the move this morning (Monday, November 30). It was on the move south down 10th Street to Mountain Lake Road and then east to its new location at Heritage Village.
The building is notable to Mountain Lake history, as well as my own. The east half of the duplex apartment building was the first home of my parents (Gordie and Ardelle Neufeld), following their wedding on February 26, 1951.
Long before the duplex was a home for my parents – as well as for many others across the years – the building had a featured spot on 10th Street – along the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad tracks – as the first Mountain Lake Depot.
The depot building was used from the 1880s until 1900, when a new depot was built. The old depot was eventually relocated to where it had been until today – across the alley west of Mountain Lake Public Library. After serving as the depot, the structure in its new location housed the Modern Woodmen of America Hall until being remodeled into the duplex apartment building.
The former depot will be tucked to the east behind the Minnesota Telephone Museum at Heritage Village. It will be connected to “Memory Walk Main Street” by cobbled walk.
According to Mountain Lake Mayor and Heritage Village Board President Mike Nelson, who led the re-location effort through his dual roles, “The early thoughts – the tentative idea – is to use this building at Heritage Village to house high school memorabilia. Its interior construction provides for a perfect loop to be made through the building to view displays. It is all part of a plan to reorganize and improve availability to the public of all the historical collections there are at Heritage Village.”
The removal of the duplex from the location was precipitated by a downtown rehab project by the Mountain Lake Economic Development Authority (EDA).
Originally, the Mountain Lake City Council had bid for the demolition of the duplex. States Nelson, “The low bid for demolition was $32,000. I had an interest in moving the building to Heritage Village, and impressed upon the EDA that instead of demolishing the building, to place that cost towards the move. That cost will come in below the demolition cost, making it a win-win. The past is preserved – the building is saved for use at the museum – and the taxpayers save money in relocating it instead of destroying it.”
Looking into the future, Nelson, who was on hand for “moving day,” shares that the area from where the duplex was removed will be used for downtown parking. The west side of that area, south of 4th Avenue along 10th Street, where the former Ross Cleaners, former Joy Shoppe and former private residence are located, will be developed following their demolition.
“The EDA is leading in the development project,” explains Nelson. “Plans are for a two-story building. The lower level will be divided into sections and will be open to business/services tenants. The upper level will feature apartments, reached by an elevator. There is a big need for additional senior housing in the city.”
He notes that the building’s exterior facade will be constructed to blend in with the remainder of the buildings along the block.
The area is a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) District, so, as Nelson stresses, “There now are advantages to the city to build and regenerate the downtown.” TIF is a public financing method that is used as a subsidy for redevelopment, infrastructure, and other community-improvement projects. A tax increment is the difference between the amount of property tax revenue generated before TIF District designation and the amount of property tax revenue generated after TIF designation.
The demolition of the the trio of buildings is slated to begin later this week and be completed by the end of next week.
Nelson notes, “The project does two positive things – saves a historical building – and looks towards the future with downtown development.”
+ For a post related to these changes in downtown Mountain Lake, go to: http://www.cross-countiesconnect.com/2015/11/full-circle-through-time-and-space/
