A potential peril of historic buildings was plain to see this week in Albert Lea and elsewhere, and as a firm prepares to perform a closely watched study on uses for the Western Grocery building, it’s a warning that all possible problems with the structure need to be examined if it’s to be used again.

Friday, September 07, 2001

A potential peril of historic buildings was plain to see this week in Albert Lea and elsewhere, and as a firm prepares to perform a closely watched study on uses for the Western Grocery building, it’s a warning that all possible problems with the structure need to be examined if it’s to be used again.

The peril is air quality, and it has been cited as the reason the Chamber of Commerce and Greater Jobs, Inc. have abandoned the old fire station building in downtown Albert Lea. People have complained about the smell in the building and there were concerns it would aggravate lung conditions.

It’s also the reason Pope County, Minn. shut down its public health and human services building. Mold discovered in the walls. The county had purchased the older building across the street from the county courthouse in 1999 and renovated it for office space. Now, they must find the source of moisture and clean up the mold before the building can be reopened.

The lesson: When you use an old building, you face challenges that aren’t present in a new structure. The question is whether the historical value, thrift and charm of an old structure are enough to outweigh the added hassle. That’s what the county commissioners must decide, with the help of the study, which starts next week. They have considered using Western Grocery, also known as Stevens Hardware, for county offices.

The same concerns could be relevant for other older downtown buildings, and that’s probably the reason why it’s rare to see an abandoned building renovated and brought back to life. The roadblocks standing in the way illustrate the necessity of some kind of assistance to make such renovations more feasible, if downtown is ever to become the thriving district envisioned by its advocates.