City of Jasper Continues to Pursue Demolition of Historic Quartzite Buildings

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Friends. it appears the City of Jasper is planning to proceed with trying to waste tax dollars to buy and tear down more historic buildings on Main Street, despite the many letters of concern.
They are proceeding with this plan to help one private business build a new building, to the detriment of more priceless Quartzite buildings.
This will absolutely destroy our historic downtown and threaten the revitalization plans we have been making for 5 years. According to Michael Koop, CLG Coordinator & Historic Preservation Specialist at the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office, he said that “with every old building that comes down in any town, it makes it less likely to become a historic district.” which is a loss of potential grant funding for any old buildings downtown.
A new building will have a 40 year lifespan max. The old quartzite buildings will have a 100 year lifespan when we renovate them. This is a fiscally irresponsible use of tax dollars.
This agenda is not supported by ANY economic data, as ALL of the research supports preservation investment as a better investment than demolition.
Visit our blog for a fact sheet and references.
We DO NOT need to tear down historic buildings to build a new one. There are multiple empty lots that could be used for new construction. 
The cost of demolition is more than the repair needs for any of the three currently endangered buildings. .
If you care about Jasper and it’s future, you need to attend the council meeting on Tuesday.

Send letters. Emails. call the city. It is unacceptable for behind-closed-door deals to be made by a city that is working for private interests and agendas, instead of the public good of the entire city and all the residents. 

We attended the last meeting in order to express OUR intentions to use our skills and nonprofit status as a successful, well-supported, established community revitalization and preservation organization, in order to save, rehab, conserve and plan future uses for Jasper’s historic properties. 
We have successfully brought Bauman Hall to the point of being able to start construction to fix its wall this winter, when our pending grant request is hopefully approved in November.  None of the buildings being threatened are in as bad of shape as Bauman Hall was, they are all able to be repaired, and all are eligible for the National Register and millions of dollars in grant funding.

Please do not stay silent. We will continue to do everything in our power to save Jasper’s historic legacy. We ask you, the community, to do your part and hold elected officials accountable to the wishes of the community. 

Listen for yourself to the City Council expressing intentions to demolish at least three historic Jasper buildings.
Listen to them state that they did not advertise the Bowling Alley lot for sale to anyone. (the Parcel transfer listed in the Closed section of this month’s agenda)
Listen to them state they are selling the lot for $1 + 50% closing costs, but did not offer that to the public or any other business. 
Listen to them state they intend to buy the buildings on either side of the bowling alley lot and demolish them. 

Part 1 Jasper City Council meeting September 2021

 

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