Defending the economic viability of a proposed plan for the Western Grocery building, three preservation specialists who conducted a reuse study of the building met Freeborn County residents Thursday to discuss their recommendations.

Friday, November 09, 2001

Defending the economic viability of a proposed plan for the Western Grocery building, three preservation specialists who conducted a reuse study of the building met Freeborn County residents Thursday to discuss their recommendations.

In their study, Thomas R. Zahn, Robert Claybaugh and Charles Nelson concluded that the old building could be remodeled as office space with a cost of $94 per square foot. The most viable user would be the county, they said. And they ruled out the court and law enforcement offices, which many preservation advocates originally thought were prime candidates.

The $9,000 study was funded by the county, the Minnesota Historical Society and Destination: Albert Lea, which has been vocal in favor of the restoration of the old structure.

Preservation architect Robert Claybaugh emphasized the structural soundness of the building. Since the building was designed as a warehouse, the floors can sustain 125 pounds per square-foot while offices normally are designed around 50 pounds.

The study team concluded the Western Grocery building cannot satisfy the needs for the judicial facility.

In interviews with the specialists, the court and law enforcement officials expressed that the courtrooms have to be on the same floor for maximizing administrative efficiency. They also want the courtrooms to be on the top floor for security reasons.

Referring to the hazardous mold that may be discovered during construction, the specialists said they found no tangible problem. &uot;Even if there is, it can be taken care of easily,&uot; historical architect Charles Nelson said. Appropriate ventilation and waterproof design can minimize the danger of contamination from the mold, he said.

The plan proposes the Human Services Department move in the remodeled Western Grocery Building. But Ron Gabrielsen, county administrator, pointed out the future use or sale of the current Human Service Building on Clark Street would be a new problem for the county.

The study also proposes mothballing the building as an option if the county cannot realize the plan in near future. According to Nelson, the mothballing requires securing the building by sealing, installing ventilation and consolidating the ceiling to prevent water leaks. &uot;The cost for it is very reasonable,&uot; he said.