HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN MINNESOTA:

THE PLACES AND PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT WORK I -<or

Interior of auditorium of Hearding School Aurora, Minnesotaphoto by Mesabi Daily News

President's Notesby Roger Brooks

Little Victories

Working with elected officials and others, preservationists have racked up afew victories recently. The Preservation Alliance urged Minneapolis MayorSharon Sayles Belton to veto the city council action that would have derailedthe renovation of the Milwaukee Road depot. The mayor then urged theAlliance to work with council members to explain why it is worth fighting forthis long sought-after project. That gave the prospective developers and thelabor unions enough time to arrive at a compromise that may allow the projectto go forward.

In Stillwater, the historic lift bridge got a reprieve when Richard Braun, theformer state transportation commissioner who was charged with responsibilityto come up with a new plan to span the St. Croix, presented a range of options,all of which left the old bridge in place. The Alliance had lobbied for thatoutcome. Although the National Park Service may continue to insist that thenumber of "intrusions" into the river valley be kept to a minimum and thatbuilding a new bridge would mean the old one had to come down, there arestill plenty of good arguments to keep and restore the old bridge, too. TheAlliance will continue to work toward that outcome.

These are little victories, not big ones. But they should be celebratednonetheless. The Alliance will continue to help local preservation groupsthroughout Minnesota to protect and restore important historic resources.We'll keep you, our supporters, apprised of our progress.

Afton Historical

Society Press

P.O. Box 100

Afton, MN 55001

612-522-4620 office

612-521-0757 fax

The Mlnnesota

PreservatlOn.lstPublished bimonthly by the

Preservation Alliance of Minnesota

275 Market Stteet, Suite 54

Minneapolis. MN 55405-1621

Telephone (612) 341-8140

•BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Roger Brooks, President (St. Paul)

Martha H. Frey, Vice-President (Minneapolis)

Mark Peterson, Secretary (Winona)Robert Frame III, Treasurer (St. Paul)

Merrill Busch (Monticello)

Robert Claybaugh, AlA (Taylors Falls)Tim Colliton (Eden Prairie)

Peter Erickson (Minneapolis)Mark Farnan (Sr. Paul)

Sylvia Frank (St. Paul)Gary Hornseth (St. Paul)Orlena Iversen (Edina)

Clifton Johns (Minneapolis)

Mary Ann McCoy (Minneapolis)

William Morgan (St. Cloud)

Richard Murphy (Sc Paul)

Peter Rand, FAIA (Minneapolis)Gary Stenson (Roseville)

Vuginia Swean (Wayzata)

Ex Officio:

Brim Bloomberg (St. Louis Park)

Rabat R()SC(X (Minneapolis)

National TrLUt for

Historic Preservation AdvisorsJudy Phelps

Charlene Raise

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

George w. Edwards, Executive DirectorMarvel Anderson, Administrative Assistant

EDITORIAL STAFFRobert Roscoe, Editor

John Manning, Assistant Editor

Kristofer Layon, Layout Editor

Ann Miller, Layout Editor

Andy Baugnet, Photo EditorKristen Hornseth, Graphic Design

Amy Lucas, Advertising

WritersRolf Anderson

Roger BrooksJune Burd

Martha FreyKirstin Gustafson

Jody Keppers

Amy LucasJennifer McMaster

Ann Miller

Terra RathaiRod Richter

Charlene Roise

Robert RoscoeLaura Weber

Heather Worthington

The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota is a private,

non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting

and defending Minnesota's historic resources.

PAM is a SOICe)3 organization.

Views expressed in The Minnesota Preservationist

do not necessarily reflect the position ofPAM or its Board of Directors.

Preservation Alliance Web Site:

http://www.mnpreservation.org/

Alliance Fall Festival to Feature

3

Bob Yapp

Bob's appearance at the FallFestival is underwritten by a gener­ous grant from Andersen Windowsof Bayport, Minnesota. Bring yourquestions for Bob and plan on afriendly, informative and entertain­ing time!

homes, many of themaward winning. He usuallyhas two or three completerestoration projects under­way at any time. Hisefforts in neighborhoodrevitalization of historicareas in the Midwest arerenowned.

Bob has also authoredand co-authored numerous

wood working and homeimprovement articles innational magazines. Bob,his wife, Pat, their twochildren and two big dogslive just off the MississippiRiver in Rock Island,Illinois. Their home is an

1878 Queen Anne that Patrestored on her own.

With an eye towardpreservation, Bob will bringtips and insights for the do­it-yourselfer and also providenecessary advice and guidance tothose who prefer to hire a contrac­tor. Other topics may include costestimates and pay back projections,demystification of contractors'jargon, hints on preventing futureproblems and sources for additionalinformation.

Come join us at the PreservationAlliance's Fall Festival featuring anentertaining presentation by BobYapp; the Host, Creator, Writer andCo-Executive Producer of About .Your

House with Bob yapp! Bob's televi­sion program is partially underwrit­ten by the National Trust forHistoric Preservation. The date is

Saturday, November 14, 5 - 9:00pm at. St. Anthony Main Centre,Minneapolis. Watch for yourinvitation in the mail.

Bob Yapp is the new "houseguy" on the block and he has amessage for America: Preservationdoesn't cost, it pays!" And, Bobshould know - he has been a

renovation contractor, house inspec­tor, historic property developer andhe's seen preservation projects allover the country.

From the very beginning, Bobhas dedicated his professional life tohousing and woodworking. In themid-1970's he spent several years asan apprentice furniture and cabinet­maker. Soon afterward he boughthis first house -- a craftsman bunga­low -- to renovate.

Since that time, Bob has beeninvolved in the restoration orrenovation of over 130 historic

Historic House Restoration ExpertMark your calendar for November 14

Preservation Alliance Membership Incentive and Book PromotionThe Preservation Alliance of Minnesota and the Afton Historical Society Press have come together this fall to

. create a special opportunity for our new and renewing members and those friends of the Alliance. For a limited time thisfall, individual members and family or household members can build their personal libraries and renew their member­ships at a special $65 rate and receive a free copy of the MINNESOTA ARCHITECT The Life and Work of Clarence H.Johnson by Paul Clifford Larson. Larson won a 1997 Minnesota book award for his book about this remarkable man andhis contributions to the state's built environment. The Afton Historical Society Press publishes a number of awardwinning books on Minnesota subjects, and the Alliance is pleased to partner with them to offer our members a valuableincentive and increase their awareness of Minnesota topics.

Members renewing their membership at the $100 level and above will automatically receive an autographed copyof the book. Contact the Preservation Alliance office at 612 / 341-8140 for more details.

4

]ohnson-Hearding Schools

May Find Re-use as Arts CenterIf all goeswell, twoabandonedanddemo­lition­threatenedschool

buildingsin Aurora may become a regionalarts center. In late August, theMesabi Heritage Society, Auroracity officials and members of theAurora School Board selected a

development proposal from fivesubmissions to give a probationarygo-ahead, with a follow-up reviewin late September. The arts center,proposed by two Minnesotaresidents Cary Watson and Lu AnnMulder, was selected because of

compatibility with nearby schools,the recognized need for regionalarts development, and what MesabiHeritage Society member RobinVora calls " the high energy" of theWatson-Mulder team.

Vora credits the May-June 1998issue of 'Preservation,' a publicationof the National Trust for HistoricPreservation. It advertised the build­

ings in their "Bargain Basement"section which drew over 30 inquiriesthat developed into five proposals.Some months earlier, the Aurora

School Board granted a year's delay indemolition for the Mesabi HeritageSociety to provide a workable re-usefor the two buildings. Two years agothe Preservation Alliance placed theJohnson and Hearding Schools on theAlliance's list of Top Ten EndangeredHistoric Properties of 1996.

The arts center would contain

artists' live-in studios, communityeducation classrooms, workshops, andpossibly a restaurant, foundry andbookstore. Key to this proposal willbe extensive fundraising. Vora saysthe City of Aurora may providecoordination and assist with

fundraising.

photo courtery of the Minnesota Historical Society

Early in the second decade ofthe 20th century, the Iron RangeCity of Aurora built two grandschool buildings that formed thebeginnings of an educationalcampus. The architecture of theHearding High School, built in1911, included an auditorium

featuring leaded windows and lacygothic arches supporting a gracefulvaulted ceiling and a copper roof.Elsewhere in the building, mosaictile floors and an ornate carved stone

entrance make Hearding one of thefinest school spaces in the state. TheJohnson Grade School, built a yearearlier, is somewhat restrained in

design but functions as an integralcomponent in the school campus.Both school buildings were de­signed by the Duluth architecturalfirm Puck and Holstead.

The historical significance forthe Johnson and Hearding was theirrole in educating and assimilatingthousands of miners' children who

were growing up as second-genera­tion immigrants in ethnic diverseneighborhoods. Aurora adults of theearly 20th century also benefitedfrom naturalization orientation and

night school classes. Architecturally,these buildings represent a highdegree of design and construction,reflecting the commitment IronRange communities placed in usingtax funding derived from mining.

Each two-story buildingcontains approximately 25,000square feet. The re-use studyperformed for both buildingsindicated housing as an appropriateuse, but Vora noted the redevelop-

Johnson-Hearding continued on page 5

]ohnson-Hearding continued from page 4

ment costs would result in rental rates higher than inlocal apartments. Commercial use is hampered by anADA requirement for elevators required to make thestructures handicapped accessible. The estimated$80,000 to $100,000 elevator cost pushes total develop­ment costs beyond economic feasibility for the typical re­use, according to Vora, who added, "1 didn't think ADAis intended to destroy historic buildings."

Aurora, with a population of1 ,966, is located 15miles east of Virginia or 80 miles north of Duluth, andits several long-productive iron ore mines have provided asteady local economy. Superior National Forest is closeby, and Giants' Ridge, six miles away, has introducedtourism to the area. A local electronic factory located in aformer school building provides a small but potentiallyexpandable high-tech base.

The Mesabi Heritage Society has been working tofind a development solution for these buildings. The Cityof Aurora financed a re-use study conducted two yearsago. Assistance from the Iron Range Rehabilitation Boardhas not materialized. The buildings' owner, the AuroraSchool Board, has only two members interested insupporting re-use. The school board insists any re-use ofthe buildings be compatible with nearby schools, whichput the arts center high on their preference list. Otherproposals among the five submissions were affordablehousing, a critical need in the Aurora area. Vora saysseveral industrial companies planning plant expansionshave built their facilities elsewhere where more housing isavailable.

Vora, a life-long resident of Aurora, says the MesabiHeritage Society is working to overcome indolence andform a coalition with other local organizations. He muses,"The design and materials in these buildings are irre­placeable. When I look up the street they dominate the"scene.

He also notes the tight-knit aspect of these commu­nities is being supplemented by retirees moving into thearea, bed and breakfast inns,. hotels and growing tourism.With these changes he observes, an arts center may be anappropriate contribution to Aurora's economic develop­ment.

- Robert Roscoe

5

6

River elevation: Cass Gilbert's 1908 illustration of the University mall with axis leading to Mississippi Riverall illustrations courtesy of the University of Minnesota archives

The University of Minnesota Historic Preservation Plan:

Can the U Become a Steward of Its Past?By Frank Edgerton Martin

Starting with modest begin­nings at the end of the Civil War,the state of Minnesota managed tobuild up one of the nation's largestand most urbane universities in less

than a lifetime. In so doing, Univer­sity leaders helped to build a richmosaic of campus architecture andlandscapes from many periods.

Today, it is this discordant, rich,and sometimes jarring diversity ofinherited open spaces and buildingstyles that makes the Twin Citiescampuses so memorable. These"layers of time" include the roman­tic, curving site plans of H.WS.Cleveland's design for the Knoll, theoriginal campus front yard onUniversity Avenue, the East RiverRoad designed by Warren Manningto offer the campus's first connec­tion to the River and, most dramati­cally, the Beaux Arts axiality of CassGilbert's 1908 vision for the

Northrop Mall-perhapsMinnesota's greatest outdoor room.

Designing for the Campus as a WholeThe sheer audacity of Cass

Gilbert's legacy seems even morestriking today when campus plan­ners have their hands full simply

trying to meet ADA and asbestosrequirements. Just as architects arenow often beholden to the strictures

of outside construction managers,campus planners at large universitiesgenerally report to facilities adminis­trators whose bottom line is meetingcode and minimizing liability withinprojected budgets. Such cost-benefitcriteria do not recognize a tangible"return" for seemingly vague notionsof "character" or "preservation value"of the campus.

The University's challenge todayis to move from a "project oriented"design culture that builds monu­ments to an "urban campus" designculture that also seeks to build a citycampus distinct in character, visuallyconnected to the Mississippi, andrespectful of ecology and streetlife.One critical layer of this comprehen­sive approach is the ability toevaluate buildings and landscapesfrom every period of the U of M'shistory.

The University of MinnesotaPreservation Plan

Completed in 1997, TheUniversity of Minnesota PreservationPlan is one of the most thoroughhistoric preservation studies evercarried out for a state University

system. The 250-page plan is theUniversity's first comprehensiveeffort to assess the historic resources

and recommend strategies for theirconservation. With over 1,000buildings and 32,000 acres of landacross the state, the Universitysystem's historic sites range from theCloquet Forest Research Center tothe Mineral Resources Research

Center on the Minneapolis Campus.Developed by Landscape

Research and Hokanson/LunningAssociates, the U of M PreservationPlan reflects state-of-the-art thinkingin historic preservation wherebylandscapes are placed on an equalpar with architecture, and alldesigned places are considered not assolitary works of art but as part oflarger social contexts. Reading adraft of the plan, one is struck byhow closely the history of the statein bound up with the physicalevolution of the University cam­puses.

Building on the historic con­texts, such as lumbering and min­ing, that shaped the University andthe state, the new Preservation Planis structuted to create understand­

able criteria of historic significance

U ofM continued on nextpage

U ofM continued from page 6

and clear priorities for action. Thereport's four main sections are:

Chapter 1: The Historic Contexts• Education In Minnesota: The

Territorial Period through EarlyStatehood

• Pioneer Foundations of the

University (1851-1884)• Presidential Initiative and

Professional School Development(1884-1945)

• The Influence of Agricultureon the University of Minnesota(1862-1945)

• The Impact of Lumbering onUniversity Education in Minnesota(1899-1945)

• Landscape Architecture andCampus Design (1872-1945)

• Campus Architecture (1851­1945)Chapter 2: The Evaluation Report

The Evaluation Process andSummaries

Chapter 3: The Management PlanRecognitionIdentificationConservation

New Design GuidelinesPromotion

Chapter 4: Preservation Case StudiesCase studies for 12 historic

buildings and 8 prominent land­scapes on the Twin Cities campusthat present a cross section ofpreservation issues.

Institutional Memory and "HistoricSignificance"

Moving beyond traditionalNational Register of Historic Placescriteria of significance wherebybuildings are often valued forarchitectural reasons or their associa­

tion with a famous person or event,the Preservation Plan offers newconsideration of institutional criteria

such as how a building or landscaperelates to the history of the Minne­sota and the unique history andculture of the University itself

The evaluation process rankedeach building or site along a 1 (low)to 5 (high) scale on the followingcriteria:

National Register Criteria• Architectural/landscape design• Association with architects/

builders/ landscape architects

• Association with notable personsor events

University of Minnesota Criteria• Exterior condition

• Building code status• Reuse/master plan compatibility• Early campus• University life and culture• Prominent location or siting

While the first three criteriaencompass traditional NationalRegister standards, the remainingcriteria relate directly to the needsof the University. "Exterior condi­tion" and "Building code status"gauge the costs necessary to main­tain the building in coming yearsand the costs for code compliance.

"Reuse/master plan compatibil­ity" ranks the building's flexibilityfor new uses, its receptiveness tosystem updates, and its compatibil­ity with the Twin Cities CampusMaster Plan described in this issue.

The criteria "Early campus" and"University life and culture" recog­nize the "associational value" of

places that are important to the

U of M continued on page 8

7

Campus Beautiful conceptual plan by Cms Gilbert, 1910

eass Gilberts rendering of Washington Avenue, U of M streetscape, looking west

institutional memory of the Univer­sity, but are not necessarily architec­turally significant. If such criteriahad been in place fifteen years ago,the aging hulk of Memorial Sta­dium might well have been viewedin a different light.

Today, associational criteria helpus to appreciate such 19th centuryUniversity gems as the MusicEducation Building (1888) - along-forgotten building that posessignificant reuse challenges yet tellsa fascinating story of student life.Built as the Students' ChristianAssociation, the Music EducationBuilding is a classic example of asmall, altered structure that plays avery important role in the institu­tional memory of the University.

The Plan notes that this nearly­forgotten Richardsonian Ro­manesque building, sited at cornerof the Knoll, is one of only eightnineteenth-century buildingsremaining on campus and the firstto be built with private funds. Atthe center of an impassioned debateabout the role of religion in Minne­sota public institutions, "TheSrudem Christian Association

Building (later the YMCA) wasdeemed necessary to promote moralbehavior on campus." Today, thissmall structure serves a reminder of

the separation of church and state atpublic universities. Yet, its privatefunding was also a forerunner forpartnership between private groupsand the larger institution.

Although broken up into manysmall spaces by numerous alter­ations and additions, the MusicEducation Building is still "solid asa rock" according to SteveWymkoop, a seasoned carpenter atthe University assigned to maintain­ing the historic district buildingsaround the Knoll.

Until recently, Music Educa­tion, along with several other 19thcentury buildings, was candidatesfor demolition because of their ageand perceived maintenance costs.When examined purely on a cost/benefit level, many of theUniversity's historic buildings, afteryears of neglect, can seem to offer apoor return on the dollar. Last year,President Yudof, realizing therelative rarity of these buildings,ordered a re-study of the numberswith an eye to reuse.

The new preservation thinkingat the U is reflected in the largelysuccessful $249 million capitalrequest to the state legislature, apackage that places strong emphasison restoring Northrop Mall build-

ings for new initiatives in digitaltechnology, cellular biology, andmultimedia. With the remarkable

scope of new projects now funded,preservation standards for renova­tion and the integration of newconstruction are needed almost

immediately.

The Challenge of Daily ApplicationDespite its strong historic

research and evaluation criteria, thePreservation Plan's greatest imple­mentation challenge is the thou­sands of day-to-day decisions madeabout campus maintenance. TheUniversity's Construction Standardsfor both buildings and landscapesshould be expanded to includespecifications for renovations,maintenance, repair and replace­ment materials and methods. As an

increasingly large number ofrenovation projects are outsourcedto outside contractors, the coregroup of University staff who caredeeply about the campus willinevitably atrophy.

These fine-grained standards fortreatment and maintenance of

historic sites assume a staff comple­ment of crafts people at the U who

U of M continued on next page

9

Morrell &Nichols' plan depicting axial growth of the campus southwest from the Knoll

.... -...-_ - ..•..------~

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

tion Plan is a roadmap for daily andlong-term decision-making to createthis greater whole. It is not a reportto be shelved, but a living set ofprinciples and methods for evaluat­ing significance of properties aschanges are proposed, for integrat­ing new with old, for tending whatthe University has and buildingwisely. With its institutional focusand pragmatic concern for costeffective reuse, the Plan is also amodel for universities across the

country.Great streets and campuses are

usually not master planned andbuilt at once, but evolve over time.They need to be overseen withpolicies for staffing, exterior designstandards, and caring maintenance.The University of Minnesota ismuch more than a collection of

capital projects. Stewarding thecampus means understanding thaturban universities are built byindividuals, but their overallcharacter is ultimately preserved bycommunities who have a clear

understanding of history andcampus quality-and the planningtools to protect them.

STUDY fOR CO·ORDINA TI ON OfPROPOSED PLANS -fOR ARRANGLMENI' or CAMPUS

A Campus is More than Buildings

know and value the standards and

know how to apply them. Valuingtraditional crafts as part of themaintenance process also meansallocating sufficient space for glass,metal and wood shops. In addition,the U of M, like all campuses,should find space for storing historicmaterials so that appropriatematches can be made when historic

buildings are repaired or updated.

U ofM continued from page 8

In the April, 1998 issue ofPreservation Magazine, the U of Mand President Yudof's commitment

to preservation were profiled for anational audience. Having recentlyserved as Provost at the University ofTexas in Austin, Yudof is quotedsaying that "I have been a critic ofsome of the modern architecture

that we've put up on college cam­puses with no sense of it fits in withwhat was there. A campus is notjust atomized buildings; it's howthey all work together."

The University's new Preserva-

Houses of Minnesota U/riters

The Maud Hart Lovelace HouseBr Laura ~ber

~-\rdem fans of the Betsy-Tacy~;l<i.-ellSbooks-and there are

T"""::::r:y-knowthe enchanting tales- "- Jalie Victorian girlhood written

e 1940s and 1950s by Maud?.-ZL Lovelace (1892-1980) are

on Lovelace's own early life in,-Of-me-century Mankato. That

-ny a nondescript, vinyl-sidedin Mankato's Lincoln Park

rhood is being restored by~e Bet:sy-TacySociety, one of the

_.linnesota-based societies

• "cated to keeping the Lovelaceiia:ae glowing. (The other is Maud32rr Lovelace Society, based in~llnneapolis.)

332 Center Street was the··.dhood home of Lovelace's

lifelongfriend,Frances"Bick"

Kenny,uponwhomthecharacter

"Tacy" isbased. Many of the characters ofthe 10 Betsy Tacy books are simi­larly based on Lovelace's real familyand friends. They move through thestreets, parks, and buildings of theauthor's Mankato childhood, manyof which still exist. Lovelace (the

"Betsy" of the series) grew up acrossthe street at 333 Center Street,known in the books as Hill Street.The houses are located near theLincoln Park Historic District.

They are not listed on the NationalRegister of Historic Places.

When the 1881 "Tacy" housewent into foreclosure in 1995, the

Betsy Tacy Society was determinedto purchase the house. The Lovelacefans initially lost out to anotherbidder, but when the first bidder's

financing didn't go through, asecond bid by the society wassuccessful. The group purchased thehouse for $39,000 in July 1995.Though the house is not yet opento the public, it can be seen byappointment. The hope is to makethe house an interpretive centerwith a live-in caretaker.

Lona Falczonski is the presi­dent of the 1,000-member Betsy­Tacy Society, many of whom makepilgrimages to Mankato. Shedescribed the house as "a HUD

house in bad shape" when theBetsy Tacy Society took possession.Prior to foreclosure the tenants had

been college students, who had"dropped whatever allover." Volun­teers have painted all surfaces andtaken up the carpet, revealing themaple floor underneath. The nextgoal is to restore the two porchesand get the vinyl siding off,Falczonski said.

:;...'$ Hmzse~ at 332 Center Street, Mankato; photo taken in the 1940s. The Betsy - Ttu:y Society has

-...:.......:J rhdlU16e and is in the process of restoring it while currently using it for literary and cultural events.

Photo courtesy of the Betsy- Tacy Society

Betsy- racy continued on page 16

11

Preservation 101What is the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office (MN SHPO)?

Minnesota's State Historic

Preservation Office (SHPO) oper­ates within the Minnesota Historical

Society (MHS), and its focus is thepreservation of historic resources.

The State Historic PreservationOffices were created in 1966 with

the passage of the National HistoricPreservation Act (NHPA); there is aSHPO in each of the 50 states andthe U.S. Territories. Recent amend­ments to the NHP A allow for

American Indian tribes to participatein the SHPO network as TribalHistoric Preservation Offices. Each

SHPO is mandated by this law tocarry out certain functions related tothe identification, evaluation,

registration, and protection ofhistoric properties. Historic proper­ties include buildings, structures(such as bridges), archaeologicalresources, and objects (such asmonuments).

One of the most widely knownand recognized programs carried outby SHPOs is the nomination ofproperties in their respective juris­dictions to the National Register ofHistoric Places (please see "TheNational Register: Dispelling theMyths," July/August 1998, TheMinnesota Preservationist). The

SHPOs have engaged in extensivesurvey efforts to identifY thoseproperties that have the potential tobe eligible for listing in the NationalRegister, and, by the same token,they have identified many propertiesthat do not meet the criteria for

listing. The SHPOs are involved inthe protection of historic resourcesthrough their participation in theSection 106 Review process, whichrequires federal agencies to workwith the SHPOs in assessing thepotential effects of their projects(and those of their applicants) onhistoric properties, and to mitigate

those effects deemed to be adverse.

Another way the SHPOs encourageprotection of historic properties isthrough participation in the Reha­bilitation Tax Credit program,which offers financial incentives to

private owners in return for invest­ing in their income-producinghistoric buildings.

The SHPOs receive federal

funding from the National ParkService (NPS), which has been

designated as the federal agency thatadministers the National Register ofHistoric Places program. A portionof this funding is passed on to thecommunities in each state and

territory that participate in theCertified Local Government (CLG)program. With this funding, CLGscan conduct surveys of local historicresources, complete nominations oflocal historic properties to theNational Register, and producematerials to educate the publicabout local historic resources, toname a few activities.

Enough of the generalities!Now we will move on to the

specifics (some of them, at any rate)of the Minnesota SHPO. Each state

and territory has determined whereits SHPO will 'set up shop', and inMinnesota, the SHPO is housedwithin the Minnesota Historical

Society; the MN SHPO is locatedin the Society's Historic Preserva­tion, Field Services and Grants

Department. Minnesota lawdesignates the director of theSociety as the State Historic Preser­vation Officer.;

The MN SHPO continues to

sponsor the survey of historicproperties in the state. In 1997, aportion of its federal funding wasutilized to employ independentcontractors in both survey effortsand the completion of National

Register nominations. The SHPOalso used state funds through theLegislative Commission on Minne­sota Resources to complete anintensive survey of underwatercultural resources.;;

As stated earlier, the National

Register program is extremelypopular throughout the country,and Minnesota is no exception.More than 1,450 properties inMinnesota are listed on the Na­

tional Register. Included amongthe listings in 1997 were archaeo­logical sites, bridges, individualbuildings, and a commercialdistrict. ;;;

In addition to the CLG grantsthat are available (see above), theMN SHPO administers two other

grants programs: County and LocalPreservation Projects Grants andState Grants-in-Aid. Initiallyauthorized by the State Legislaturein 1994, the County and LocalPreservation Projects Grants Pro­gram relies on the use of state fundsfor capital projects that are spon­sored primarily by county and localjurisdictions. There are ten separateeligible categories under the StateGrants-in-Aid Program; the primaryrecipients of these funds are non­profit organizations.;v Some statesdo not have state-supported grantprograms for historic preservation,so we are very fortunate to havethese programs in Minnesota.

Of course, the MN SHPO

carries out the other programsmandated by the NHPA, includingboth the Section 106 Review

process and the Rehabilitation TaxCredit program. In 1997, over3500 federal activities were reviewed

and commented upon. Nineteentax credit projects were completed

Preservation 101 continued onpage 14

I!!I"'"

12

Interview With SOS Director Gary SchiffThe Save Our Shubert committee fulftlls its name description

The mid-August MinneapolisCity Council vote to move theembattled and bedraggled ShubertTheater off its Block E site to a

location alongside the HennepinCenter for the Arts is a successful

outcome to a year-long battlecarried out by citizens of both of theTwin Cities who wrote letters and

called public officials to plea for theShubert's preservation.

Three factors have been critical

to influencing the council decision:the daring decision by ArtspaceProjects, a developer of arts-relatedreal estate who saw the opportunityto adjoin the Shubert with theirHennepin Center for the Artsbuilding, the strong coverage andsupport by the Starb- Tribune, andthe Save Out Shubert committee,

(SOS) an ad hoc group of mostlyyoung people previously uninitiatedin the vagaries of historic preserva­tion.

Minnesota Preservationist editor

Robert Roscoe interviewed GarySchiff, director of SOS, to ask how

the group did their job. Schiff, age26, was born in Niagara Falls, NewYork, works at the University ofMinnesota Center of ContinuingEducation and is studying for amaster's degree in urban planning atthe Humphrey Institute of PublicAffairs.

MP: "By the way, how do you feelpersonally about the Shubertvictory?"

GS: "Very good. We averted theworst case scenario of demolition. If

SOS hadn't joined with Artspace'scampaign in the final weeks, therewould have been seven council votes

to demolish the Shubert."

MP: "What interested you inworking to save the Shubert?"

GS: "The cross section of issues;

historic preservation being only one;the others involve urban planning,and policy decisions that wouldreplace a beautiful old theater withanother mall and a parking ramp,and the overall aspect of the impor­tance of arts to our culture."

MP: "How did SOS start?"

Gary Schiff

GS: "When the threat to the

Shubert became apparent, I calledBritta Bloomberg at the StateHistoric Preservation Office(SHPO). She and DennisGimmestad at the SHPO officediscussed with me the need for a

specific group to take action thatmight be critical for saving theShubert."

MP: "How many members did

SOS have in total, how many werethe most active, and what sustainedthe committee?"

GS: "At various meetings we held,the maximum attendance was about

30 people, of which about six formeda core group who working manyhours each week. We held fundraisers

to buy postage stamps, envelopes andmailing supplies. In the final weekssome of us worked 20 hours a week

in lobbying; we had a phone bankthat kept four lines busy for severalhours some evenings. "

MP: "Most of the SOS members

are outside of the established preser­vation community, aren't they?"

GS: "Right, mostly first timershere."

MP: "Why a new group?"

GS: "SHPO was in the position toremind people of the facts importantto the issues and where various

responsibilities lie; but they couldnot lobby or file a lawsuit. TheAlliance was busy in reorganizationprocedures; the Minneapolis HPChad several individuals who contrib­

uted, but as an organization, theydid not have the resources to sustainan intensive and concentrated effort."

MP: "The Alliance and HPC did

continually talk up the Shubertissue with their supporters. HPCstaff supplied much coordinationneeded in the public maneuvering.But I agree that the sustained andconcentrated effort that preservationorganizations made for the StateTheater issue didn't happen here.What actions did SOS do that made

Shubert continued next page

Shubert continuedfrom page 12

the difference?"

GS: "Por nine months we kept theShubert in the public eye: We werethe source for information to the

media. Our lobbying raised thestakes for the Minneapolis CityCouncil. We did a lot of one-on-onewith council members. We knew

early that the votes of certaincouncil members would be critical,so we communicated with them

several times a week over a longperiod of time. There were a lot ofgrass roots activism some of uspreviously developed that came inuse here."

"SOS did a petition drive, thenphonebanked the petition signers toattended precinct caucuses whereresolutions were introduced to savethe Shubert. SOS members became

precinct delegates, and councilmembers know well how importantit is for them to listen to precinctdelegates. What made us different~Most advocacy groups proselytizebut find it difficult to phone bank.Our hardest task to find people tocommit to phone banking, yet itwas out most effective tool. With

many people calling city leaders, theShubert issue finalized into a publicdecision rather than a chamberedone.

MP: "Early in the game, didn'tSOS advocate keeping the Shuberton its Block E site?"

GS: "When Council President

Jackie Cherryhomes announced shesupported moving the theater afterArtspace proposed it, SOS raised thequestion whether this was the bestsolution. Eventually keeping it onBlock E became politically impos­sible, because very few councilmembers would consider this. But

we got the debate going.

MP: "When I attended many SOSmeetings, I sensed the majority of

SOS members are gay. What factorhas this for the Shubert?"

GS: "Por gay people, the theater isoften the church in a cultural sense.The Shubert coalition has been an

interesting mix: gays, conservativesnot in the Ronald Reagan mold butcultural conservatives, and arts

people."

MP: "In the manner of how

standard issue preservationists work,what has to be changed?

GS: "That's difficult to answer;

political connections tend toneutralize organizations. What SOSrealized is the potential for wide­spread support in the generalpopulation for historic preservation,as shown by participation in theprecinct caucuses. The preservationmovement has to break out and find

these people. There has to be moreof a focus forming a strong lobby­ing force."

"Minneapolis City Council mem­bers Lisa Goodman and Lisa

McDonald are willing to go to thewall for preservation on certainissues. They have different back­grounds and different constituen­cies, and they occasionally differ onvarious government issues; however,they see eye to eye on preservation.This can be enlarged on the councillevel. And this indicates neighbor­hoods can do likewise; with theirdiversity they can embrace historicpreservation. This shows thebreadth of support preservation canenjoy."

MP: "What other factors do yousee that can enhance historic

preservation?"

GS: "Cities have to change howland is valued for historic buildings.Real estate value should be deter­

mined by what the buildings areworth in themselves, not based on

their max-out build-out potential."

13

PRESERVATION PLAUDITS

Heartfelt thanks and

appreciation are due to the

fOllowing people:

Kelly Linquist and Artspace

fOr their effOrts to save the Shubert

Theater and reinstate it to active

use (See separate article fOr

recognition of Gary Schiff and

50S in the same venture.)

Bonnie McDonald and

Leah Traen, the Alliance's tireless

summer interns,for ajob welldone.

Paul Herzing and P&H

Graphic Communications and

14

The Shubert Theater Decision­

How the VOtesifere MadeImperiled historic theaters have a history of dramatic political maneuver­

ing, and the Shubert Theater in Minneapolis played to that script. A nine-votemajority the Minneapolis City Council was required to override Mayor SharonSayles Belton's veto of the council's previous seven votes calling for moving theShubert. Artspace Projects marshaled their supporters and organized a con­vincing array of financial information and architectural plans that indicatedproject feasibility. Undoubtedly, Council members Lisa McDonald, LisaGoodman and Dor~ Mead formed a core group within the Minneapolis CityCouncil that pressed the issue with their colleagues. Important to the nine­vote decision were the many calls and letters council members received fromTwin Cities citizens in what has been the biggest Minneapolis preservationbattle this year.

Also highly important was the advocacy campaign waged in and aroundCity Hall by the Save Our Shubert Committee (SOS). (See accompanyinginterview of SOS director Gary Schiff). What were SOS's key actions thatmade the difference?

Artspace Projects President Kelley Lindquist lavished much praise on SOSfor the incredible amount of time the group devoted. Lindquist called the SOSrole "pivotal" in the final decision, and outlined several critical components oftheir success.

G" The extensive mailout of SOS material and the phone bank work.Lindquist said a week before the council vote, he asked Schiff how much fundsSOS had to do the mailing and the phonework. ""We have spent everything;we have nothing." was Schiff's reply. Soon after, volunteers brought in suppliesand Artspace offered its offices and phones. "They were there night afternight," Lindquist commented, then added, "That reminds me - Gary still hasmy office key."

~:? Dan Sullivan, former theater critic for the Los Angeles Times and theMinneapolis Star- Tribune, is an SOS member who Lindquist called "thespiritual leader" of SOS . Sullivan's authoritative and august presence inspiredeveryone he talked to, and his knowledge of theater in general and past perfor­mances at the Shubert itself, and working with media help form sympatheticnews articles by local press, especially the Star Tribune.

G" Tenth Ward Council member Lisa McDonald, who cast the crucialvote, had previously announced her heart which wanted to see the theatersaved could not balance with what her head told her about some of the

important technical details of the decision to move the building. This was verydifficult for McDonald, who has been consistently a strong and enlightenedpromoter of historic preservation. SOS worked very hard with her, keeping innearly constant contact with her the day before the council vote. SOS directorGary Schiff had thought after his last phone call to McDonald at 10:30 p.m.,her vote still was not there, but the next morning shortly before the councildeliberations, she set out a signal she was prepared to vote for the move.

G" SOS had the help of George Sutton, Brad Morison and other theaterconsultants whose expertise contributed to changing the political process.

At one point in the process, Lindquist and others met with the Star

Tribune editorial board, and shortly after the Star Tribune published a strongcommentary by Linda Mack that was well received by the public and bydecision makers. Her article was followed by a prominent editorial spelling outthe contribution the Shubert could make to the Twin Cities.

Preservation 101 continued from page 11

in 1997, representing investmentsof almost seventeen million dollars.

Additional protection for historicresources is provided by state law inthe form of the Minnesota Field

Archaeology Act and the MinnesotaHistoric Sites Act; over 2700 state

reviews were completed by theSHPO in 1997.v

The MN SHPO works in

partnership with many differentorganizations and groups, includinglocal Heritage Preservation Commis­sions, the Preservation Alliance ofMinnesota, and the National Trustfor Historic Preservation. The

partnerships formed at the local,state, and national levels are trulyimportant to achieving the goals ofhistoric preservation. Workingthrough state and federal govern­ment programs, the SHPO is thepublic advocate for the preservationof historic resources within thestate. The MN SHPO is active in

many other program areas such asreuse studies, local preservationprograms, technical assistance,education, and training. Unfortu­nately, there is not enough spacehere to go into the numerous detailsinvolved in these other programs,and this article has hit only thehighlights of a complex and valuableagency. But it is hoped that you,the reader, will know more about

the Minnesota SHPO than you didbefore you opened this newsletter.

- Angie Edwards

i The Minnesota SHPO is physicallylocated at the Minnesota History Center, 345Kellogg Boulevard West, in St. Paul.

ii "1997 Annual Report: MinnesotaHistorical Society Historic Preservation, FieldServices and Grants Department," St. Paul:Minnesota Historical Society, 1997, p. 5(hereafter referred to as "1997 AnnualReport").

iii "1997 Annual Report," p. 7.iv "1997 Annual Report," pp. 16, 17.

v"1997 Annual Report," pp. 7, 8.

Who ravesfor the Hollywood?A historic art moderne theater in northeast Minneapolis looks for a buyer.

15

rl

On a September 1st sunny lateafternoon, a Hollywoodish scenewas happening curbside in front of anortheast Minneapolis theater; avintage red Volkswagen stopped astwo people climbed out just beforethe driver scooted away, then aMitsubishi jeep stopped to land twostylish men in suits on the sidewalk.As other sporty vehicles dropped offtheir passengers, an assorted crowdof neighborhood and artsified folkin front of the Hollywood Theaterfashioned the occasion into a social

and political schmooze event.Council member Paul Ostrow, who

governs the First Ward in which theHollywood is located, seemed toexude a promotional demeanor.

The official purpose of themoment was an open house at theHollywood Theater, sponsored bythe Minneapolis CommunityDevelopment Agency (MCDA), andhosted by the Audubon Neighbor­hood Association as an effort to

allow the interested public to viewthe vacant building and hopefullyattract a development proposal ortwo.

The Hollywood Theater, locatedon the 2800 block of Johnson StreetNE, was designed by noted theaterarchitects Liebenberg and Kaplan in1935. Its owner Charles Rubenstein

gave the architects an unrestrictedbudget during these restrictedeconomic times, giving Liebenbergand Kaplan an opportunity todesign a large new building duringa period when most of their com­missions were renovations of existingtheaters. The venture also gavenortheast moviegoers over fourdecades of service until its subse­

quent owners abruptly closed it in1987.

Once vacant, the Hollywoodnearly became bi-polar when awould-be developer proposed atwo-screen operation. When formerCouncil member Walt Dziedzic

adamantly pushed to have theHollywood demolished due to its"excessive rehab costs" and a per­ceived need for a parking lot,Audubon neighbors countered withpublic hearings and a petition drive.Minneapolis HPC urged the city'sZoning and Planning Committee toadopt a demolition moratorium.MCDA purchased the building andhas looked for a qualified developerever Slllce.

Several years ago, HollywoodTheater Preservation Inc. wasformed to renovate the theater and

offer classic films and other local

cultural events. The group wasstrong in dedication but was unableto formulate a development­financing plan MCDA wouldaccept. Since then, hopes of localpreservationists have played awaiting game, but the SeptemberFirst Open House has been in­tended to activate a successful

development.

The question arises whether thetime is ripe for the Hollywood.Until recent years, the city's culturalpatterns seemed to follow thegeographic peripheries of the once-

The Hollywood continued on page 17

16

Betsy- lacy continuedfrom page 10 Around the State...

BRAINERD, CROW WING

COUNTY

Charles Nelson and David

Nysteun of the State HistoricPreservation Office have advised the

Betsy Tacy Society on restoration."It's a nice, unimposing house,"Nelson said. "It's a typical house ofthe turn-of-the-century, reflectingthe 'Leave it to Beaver'/'DonnaReed' tone of the books. It needs

restoration, but there is lots of

potential for it to be brought back."

Falczonski lives in Mankato; she

has the key to the house. Thus, theburden falls on her to check on thehouse, solicit volunteers to dorestoration work, and lead the tours

by appointment, which she seemsto do with cheer. Last month, she

and other officers of the Society (onewho came from Boston) supervisedthe unloading of three pieces offurniture into the Tacy House thatbelonged to Lovelace, including adrop-leaf table described in the finalbook in the series, Betsy's Wedding.The pieces were willed to the groupby Merian Lovelace Kirchner,Lovelace's daughter, who died lastyear. The story goes that Lovelacewould tell Merian bedtime stories ofher Minnesota childhood, and from

there the series grew. Sixty yearslater, the mystique of the storieslives on.

For more infOrmation: Lona

Falczonski, Betsy Tacy Society, 303Meadowood Drive, Mankato, MN

56001, lona@ic.mankato.mn.us,

(507) 345-810

LONG PRAIRIE, TODD COUNTY

A plan to convert the Reichert

Hotel into affordable housing has the

backing of the City of Long Prairie,

according to the project's architect, Jeri

Zuber, and additional financing is

being sought.

CHISHOLM, SAINT LOUIS

COUNTY

The Bruce Mine Headftame, a

tall rusting steel structure that once

hoisted miners down into an under-

ground iron ore mine and hoisted

carloads of ore up to the suiface has

seem years pass without maintenance,

and several Iron Range preservationists

wonder how long this industrial icon

can remain. The headftame is owned

by the State of Minnesota due to tax

fOrfeiture.

Two large railroad shop buildings

are being planned fOr conversion into

incubator-type manufacturing build­

ings, with restoration of building

exteriors. If all goes well, the building

owners plan renovation of additional

buildings in the large industrial

complex in the near fUture.

.• MINT AHOE .•~~

\Nhere histone e>vantsbegin.

1w1~!JJlaisdeil :J1l:anor

."

St. Anthony MainEvent Centre•

Bandana Banquet &Conference Centre

~+

'Perfect :Host Catering•MOON BAY Bevetllges

651.642.1049

The Hollywood continued from page 15

infamous liquor patrol limits, as arts venues clungclose to downtown, a few outlying commercialstreets and avoided predominately residentialdistricts. Another factor, to put it directly, wasthat northeast Minneapolis was decidedly unhip.But when the downtown Warehouse District,once an artists' protectorate, saw parts of itbecome a Palookaville, many artists migratedacross the river to Northeast where

unornamented commercial buildings and manylarge worker-Victorian houses became convertedinto studios, and the area now has become the

become the artistic center of Minneapolis.

The September 1st crowd contained manypeople who possess a passion for theater but mayhave hoped that the person next to them wouldbe the one with the funds to engineer its renova­tion. The crowd saw the Hollywood's geometri­cally decorous interior now in a disheveled state ­its auditorium with the MCDA trademark of

badly deteriorated plaster walls resulting from aleaky roof. But overall, the structure is very solidand its original architectural features seem to beasking for repair and fresh paint.

Most definitely, the Hollywood Theaterseems ready for the community around it lookingfor a place where theater can flourish in the truestsense of the word - where the architecture that

houses performance is performance - and thepeople within and around it are their ownperformers in their own evening.

- Robert Roscoe

17

18

rHistoric Palette ··Paint &t.Design

Tel 612/935-9661

18th and 19th Century ColoursInterior Architectural DetailsNatural Hand Ground Paints

Preservation Alliance

Makes Partner!We're making friends and expanding our influence

Richard Moe, the President of the National Trust for

Historic Preservation recently informed the PreservationAlliance of Minnesota that it had been named a State­

wide Partner with the Trust. Minnesota joins just 26other statewide preservation organizations in this highlyimportant initiative to bolster the preservation move­ment in the country. To become a Statewide Partner,preservation non-profits must meet criteria establishedby the National Trust and have demonstrated thecapability to implement the organization's missionstatement. The Preservation Alliance satisfied all of the

Trust's expectations: hiring and sustaining full-timeprofessional staff, providing an annual meeting, partici­pating in a state conference, building a strong constitu­ency for preservation throughout the state, strengtheningcommunity preservation activity and local preservationgroups in the state, being committed to cultural diver­sity, and producing communications (publications) andmedia strategies, and sponsoring a legislative agenda.The Alliance met or exceeded all of these requirements.

The Executive

Director's ViewGeorge W Edwards

Change is inevitable in life and also in the life oforganizations. Thus we see a lot of things happeningwith the Alliance. This spring we extended our reacharound the state attending public hearings throughoutthe state. We cosponsored the annual state preservationconference with the State Historic Preservation Office,

and our annual endangered properties list had thegreatest coverage and public response ever. Now we arebusy upgrading our organizational capacity, and will soonhave e-mail and a new world wide web site. We are busymaking numerous internal management improvementstoo, which will make us a better and stronger operation.

In recognition of our growth and organizationalimprovement, and strong board and volunteer leadership,we were just selected as a Statewide Partner with theNational Trust for Historic Preservation. This national

initiative is comprised of only the statewides that exhibitthe strength and capacity to provide leadership andassistance to their state's citizens. Selection as a Statewide

Partner will enhance the Alliance's stature and enable us

to grow stronger.

All this change is exciting, and the Board and I arechallenged to make the Preservation Alliance a unifyingforce for preservation in Minnesota. We know the statewill benefit, and we need your help in making thesetransitions. When we ask for your help, I hope you willstep forward.

The Preservation Alliance also received a National

Trust Challenge Grant, one of only 14 awarded, as a partof the Statewides Initiative. The grants are designed tofacilitate the move from an all-volunteer based preserva­tion organization to one that has the capacity to main­tain full time professional staff. The grant also validatedthe Alliance's significant work and accomplishments andenabled the group to pursue and obtain additionalprivate funding. The Alliance will be receiving addi­tional payments from the grant this year and next, andmatching dollars will still need to be solicited frommembers, corporations and foundations.

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19

New MembersThe Preservation Alliance ofMinnesotas mission is topreserve, protect and promote Minnesota's historic resources. This can only be accomplished

with our member's support. We want to acknowledge all of the people who have joined the Alliance from July 1, 1998 and August 31,1998.

Andersen, Eleanor J., Arden Hills

Anson, Sally A., Minneapolis

Audrey Jackson Antiques, WelchBarkelew, Ann, Sunfish Lake

Benidt, Bruce w., Eden Prairie

Beran, Marge, WoodburyBlack, Mr. & Mrs. Ron, Elk River

Braman, Barbara & Edwin, St. Paul

Brooks, Marney B., Long Lake

Cram, Catharine, Maple Plain

Crosby, Ella P., Wayzara

Dorn, Beverlee, Wayzata

Franklin, Evelyn, Sr. Paul

Futter, Carherine, Minneapolis

Glaefke, Parricia & Howard, Long Lake

Gardner, Nancy, Milltown, WI

Gardner, Denis, Crystal

Gassner, Kim, Plymouth

Gode, Tom & Linda, Independence

Gregerson, Jane & David, Minneapolis

Hallett, Janice, Minneapolis

Harris, Gale, Crystal Bay

Hyatt, Elizabeth, Minneapolis

Labhard, Bouky, Minneapolis

Labr, Larry J., Gaylord

Lang, Theodora H., Wayzata

Lindahl, B. John & Sarah, Crystal Bay

Lindberg, Larey E., Wayzata

Lindley, Clarkson & Nancy, Long Lake

Maki, Bunny, Roseville

McGuigan, Judy, Roseville

Miller, Amy, Ellsworth, WI

Monkhouse, Christopher, MinneapolisNicholson, Ford & Catherine, Dellwood

Pagnucco, Mary & John, Wayzata

Pauly, Jackie, Minnetonka

Penney, Polly, Minneapolis

Pepera, Marlys, Forest Lake

Peterson, Brian, Red Wing

Pflaum, Mrs. Leo, Wayzata

Reed, Lachlan & Martha, Wayzata

Riaz, Mahmoud & Nancy, Minneapolis

Roby, Carolyn, MinneapolisRuth, Jenny, Roseville

Scherer, Patty, Roseville

Scott, Andrew & Kathleen, Minneapolis

Stevens, David, Minneapolis

Swanson, Larey Ann, Medina

Sweatt, Margaret, Wayzata

Sweatt, Sally, Minneapolis

The Upper Midwest Conservation

Association, Minneapolis

Tuttle, Emily Anne & Gedney, Wayzata

Wakefield, Mrs. Samuel c., PlymouthWilson-McLaren Restorations, Prior Lake

Wolford, Rita, Golden Valley

Partners In Preservation

The Preservation Alliance ofMinne­

sota wishes to acknowledge all of new

corporate supporters who have joinedthroughout the Partners in Preservation

campaign during 1998:Andersen Wmdows

Andy Baugnet, PhotographerKodet Architectural GroupMintahoe Hospitality GroupNetalliance

P & H Graphic Communications

Syrentha Savio, Web Page Designer

-----------------------------------------Preservation Alliance Membership Application

The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota is a membership organization. Your contributions make our work possible. And they are tax deductible.Join today! Fill out the coupon and mail it with your contribution to:

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Where Is It? .~Our fax machine received two correct responses to the

July-August issue's Where Is It, fromJudith Van Dyne,Advertising Sales Director for AIA Minnesota, andFloreen Meyer, of Building Restoration Corporation.

The Jemne Building in downtown St. Paul is one ofthe country's Art Deco treasures. St. Paul architectMagnus Jemne and his artist wife Elsa built it for theWomen's City Club in 1931. It combines both the zig­zag (vertical) and streamline moderne (horizontal) aspectsof the Deco style. The building was left empty in 1993when the Minnesota Museum of Art left it for Landmark

Center. Earlier proposals to turn the Jemne into a LeRoy

A vintage renderingoftheJemne Building.

Presenrvat[on[st

So...where is it? Fax the editor your guess at 612-317-0990!

Neiman art museum or a women's center failed when

groups that were pushing those ideas failed to raiseenough money.

Wold Architects purchased the building earlier thisyear. The firm's plans include remodeling the auditoriuminto a "three-dimensional studio station environment"

and an architectural gallery that would be open to thepublic on weekdays. The gallery will also include adisplay on the history of St. Paul.

For this month's Where Is It?: Why go to jail forcoughing?

Where is It? ftatures Minnesota properties listed on the National Register of

Historic Places, with photographs supplied by the Minnesota Historical Society.

NON PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Minneapolis, MNPermit No. 672

HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN MINNESOTA: THE PLACES AND PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT WORK