Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Plans for Old Town Hall move forward - 6/6/20142 � E
Photos by MARLIN LEVISON • mlevison@startribune.com
Loaves program at Christ Church in Apple Valley.
dren,
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41-y steps in with free lunches
district's summer vacation.
:t a hug, Amanda Larttl L; a' LU czaugnter Haylee
of groceries.
Plans for
Old Town
Hallmove
forward
Repairs, restoration and
relocation appear to be in-store
for the 100 -year-old building.
By SUSAN FEYDER
susan.feyder@startribune.com
Officials in Eagan are charting the
future of the city's century -old Town
Hall, heavily damaged last fall in an
arson fire.
The final plan hasn't been decided
yet. But officials expect to restore the
structure and move it to a more cen-
tral location on the city's municipal
campus.
`A big part of our conversation has
been how do you want to tell your
story — what elements of Eagan are
important to recount about the past,
present and future?" said Steve Oliver,
a project manager with an architec-
ture firm that prepared options for
reclaiming the building.
The building served as Eagan's
official meeting space until 1965. It
has functioned as a museum, with
displays and artifacts from the city's
history. It was a popular destination
for school and scout groups as well
as newcomers wanting to learn about
the community.
The building withstood this year's
brutal winter shrink-wrapped in plas-
tic while the city considered options
for preserving it.
Choices included looking at ways a
renovated town hall might add space
for the Eagan Historical Society for
additional display, hosting groups
and events as well as offices, Oliver
told the City Council at a recent work
session. i
After reviewing the options —
costs ranged from $586,000 to $2.3
million — the council has decided
against trying to fix the building on
its current site across the street from
the city campus or moving it into the
vacant fire administration building.
See EAGAN on N2 ►
Star Tribune file
Eagan's historic century -old town
hall was damaged in a suspicious
fire in September.
-gister now for the city's
ight out, event Aug. 5
Eagan residents are invited to
sister their neighborhoods for this
ar's National Night Out.
The event is from 5:30 to 9:30 P.M.
zg. 5. To register, go to http://www-
.eagan.mn.us/index.php/police/
itional-night-out.
Eagan has participated in the
lent since 1998, with more than 170
eighborhoods taking Part
ear-
ypical neighborhood celebrations
iclude block parties, cookouts, ice
ream socials and games geared for
amilies.
The purpose is to increase aware-
iess of crime and strengthen neigh-
iorhood spirit and police -commu-
nity partnerships. In Eagan, the event
is sponsored by the police and fire
departments and the Eagan Citizens
Crime Prevention Association.
MENDOTA HEIGHTS
Police offer $500 reward
to help catch vandal
Mendota Heights police are offer-
ing a $500 reward to anyone with
information leading to the arrest of
a suspect for vandalizing homes and
damaging vehicles between June 26
and July 1 in the area of Twin Circle
and Hunter Lane.
Call the city's 24-hour Tip Line at
651-255-1170 or the police at 651-452-
1366 with information regarding this
or other criminal activity in the city.
APPLE VALLEY
Jobs available for at -risk
youths improving a park
Apple Valley and the nonprofit
Tree Trust organization will provide
summer employment for 10 -at risk
youths.
They will work with supervision
to build a stairway into the side of a
hill along the city's disc golf course at
Alimagnet Park.
The goal is to eliminate the ero-
sion caused by the dirt trail between
golf holes.
STAFF REPORTS
JOEL KOYAMA - Star Tribune file
Most of theP hotos, memorabilia and artifacts from the old Eagan Town Hall were salvaged and will be preserved for another generation.
move
forward
or Old OPlans
EAC" from Nl
The council chose not to pursue
either the most or least expensive
options — taking the building apart,
or salvaging only portions.
Council members agreed that in
addition to the objects within the
town hall, the building itself is a valu-
able artifact. They said residents had
voiced a strong preference for keep-
ing the building intact.
The council last week approved
extending a contract with Oliver's
firm, Mohagen Hansen Architec-
tural Group, to work on additional
cost estimates and design work for
restoring and relocating the build-
ing. The architects will develop two
designs — one with and another
without a basement.
A previous estimate for restoring
the building and making it a free-
standing structure near city hall
came to $1.5 million.
The project will be funded in
part by about $86,000 in insurance
from the League of Minnesota Cit-
ies after a $25,000 deductible. The
source of other funds has not been
determined, but officials said that
the town hall's 100th anniversary
this year creates opportunities for
fundraising.
The council's discussion of the
town hall's future included a broader
look at some of the city's other space
needs.
"We are somewhat space chal-
lenged," Mayor Mike Maguire said of
city hall. Maguire and other council
members said that if the renovated
town hall isn't housed in the vacant
fire administration building, its
space could be used for some city
functions.
Built in 1998, the fire administra-
tion building hasn't drawn much
interest from buyers since the city
put it up for sale, said Council Mem-
ber Paul Bakken.
An analysis prepared for the city
by commercialbroker CassidyTurley
pointed out challenges in marketing
the building to business users, such
as its lack of a traditional office layout
and its location in a residential area.
"My gut feeling is that [a sale] isn't
going to happen," Bakken said. "It's
possible there's more utility to tax-
payers if it's reused in some way for
city services:'
The fire administration building
has been used to store many of the
items that were saved and cleaned
up after the town hall fire, which
remains under investigation.
Susan Feyder•952-746-3282