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May 7, 2009 6:54 pm US/Central
Minn. Adds More Sites To Endangered Historic List
(WCCO)
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The Gothic architecture and brick towers of the Jacob Schmidt Brewery complex have anchored the neighborhood for some 140 years.
Doug Ohman, Pioneer Photography
From a town ball field in Chaska to a big fish statue in the northern resort town of Bena, Minn., the list keeps growing of Minnesota's most endangered historic places.
Thursday, the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota outlined the 10 sites it believes are threatened by lack of preservation plan.
Chaska's town ballpark has been a fixture in that community for nearly 60 years. It remains well used and maintained but there's concern that future highway plans could put an end to the games.
"We're hoping that with public advocacy there will be an opportunity to revisit that decision," said the Alliance's Erin Hanafin Berg.
She was among those on hand at the Midtown Exchange building in Minneapolis where the list was revealed.
The story is different for a well known fixture on St. Paul's west end. The Gothic architecture and brick towers of the Jacob Schmidt Brewery complex have anchored the neighborhood for some 140 years.
The problem is that a redevelopment plan has recently faltered and no new developer is showing much interest in renovating the 15 acre site.
By calling attention to other endangered sites, like the old railroad swing bridge in Inver Grove Heights, the Alliance hopes communities will take notice and push for preservation.
That would be helped if state lawmakers could pass a state preservation tax credit to give property owners and developers some incentive to remodeling and refurbishing historic structures.
The list of the latest endangered sites includes the old creamery in Dassel. There's also the Cook County Jail in Duluth, which is receiving growing community support for preservation.
The Preservation Alliance added a couple of more generic concerns to the list this year. There's growing concern statewide for the decay being seen in urban neighborhoods.
In addition, preservationists said historic wood framed and lead glass windows are disappearing at an alarming rate.
"Because of the diversity of the list we need public awareness, we need public to support these as valuable assets within their communities," Berg commented.
To read more about the Alliance Preservation of Minnesota follow this link to their Web site:
www.mnpreservation.org
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