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The Council discussed the cost of moving the building, parking, historical designation, moving <br />the building to a park, moving the building to Town Center, and the possibility of the building <br />being purchased by a private party. <br /> <br />Associate Planner Wald indicated the preliminary estimate of moving the building and making <br />the needed improvements to bring it up to code is approximately $70,000. <br /> <br />Councilmember Pearson commented this is the last surviving one-room school in Anoka County <br />that is still on the site. The unfortunate thing is for the site to stay historical it needed to not be <br />developed on both sides. The yard is gone, and in his opinion the historical value is almost gone. <br />In the current site it does not seem like a good use for much of anything. It would be interesting <br />roi' the kids that lived in Ramsey to see what kind of school Ramsey kids went to in the past, but <br />the building is so changed it is nothing like when he went to school there. <br /> <br />Councihnember Elvig stated he sees this as an interesting opportunity for Town Center. He had <br />been against this, but he has been in other areas that include old buildings in the middle of new <br />structure. Something tastefi~l could be done with this. RTC may be able to use it for an <br />infornaation booth. He does not see it being used for a craft shop, and the City would need to get <br />involved in leasing in that situation. - <br /> <br />Councihnember Strommen concurred. She stated the EDA had a discussion that the building <br />made a lot of sense for a program site or information site. The building itself is part of the <br />history of the City. She does not see renting it out or selling it to another use. Whether the <br />building is iu the Town Center or a park she thinks the best use for it is to help tell the story of <br />the City's history. <br /> <br />City Administrator Norlnan suggested the building be continued to be controlled by the City, and <br />fi'om time to time a group like the historical society may want to use the building. <br /> <br />Councihncmbcr Kurak commented when the EDA discussed this they talked more about parks <br />and the historical use of the building. They looked at the possibility of working with Anoka <br />County Parks. <br /> <br />Councihncmber Elvig commented from what he is hearing from the Council the building should <br />be moved and have some use. <br /> <br />Mayor Gamcc questioned if the City should pay to move the building, in addition to the cost of <br />maintaining it. He suggested they may want to put the building at the fairgrounds and have them <br />take over thc building. He stated he likes the idea of keeping the building here, but they need to <br />look realistically at the cost of moving and maintaining the building. If the building is going to <br />be moved, the best ones to handle that would be the Historical Society. The Historical Society <br />could upgrade it and keep it at the fairgrounds. <br /> <br />City Council Work Session/June 8, 2004 <br /> Page 5 of 7 <br /> <br /> <br />