Agenda - Council Work Session - 07/23/2024

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Sust inin Our Le cy The Future of Ramsey Town Hall RETROFIT RETROFIT: OTH REMAINS AT CURRENT LOCATION Keeping the Old Ramsey Town Hall in its current location has benefits and drawbacks. By remaining where it is,the OTH can remain on the National Register,connect Ramsey to its rural past, and potentially contribute to a thriving business community. However, the location is developed on all sides, leaving no room for expansion or parking. "Old ideas can sometimes use i�The historical significance of 1 drive b the Old Town Hall the pro ert is something that new buildings.New ideas must eve da and I think that ` p p y g Olen use old buildings.f! every y' we would like to display.History g building is so awesome and is always something that should —Jane Jacobs, �` I want to see life.ff ,A, author of The Death and Life of Great 1 be remembered•99 American Cities —Shannon Potter —Tara Gattner PRECEDENTS Weaver Schoolhouse Emy Frentz Arts Guild Anoka State Hospital Weaver,MN-Residential Mankato,MN-Community Anoka,MN-Public Housing Formerly a one-room , A historic local Formerly a state schoolhouse serving church was mental health Weaver and the 7 renovated and r campus,the old surrounding area, turned into the Emy buildings have the building was Frentz Arts Guild. been abandoned renovated in 2008 : The building serves a for years.A plan to and turned into a _ rl as the home of a begin renovation private residence. local arts nonprofit, T` of the property for .4 The adaptive reuse Twin Rivers Council - adaptive reuse as of the building won a Stewardship Award at the for the Arts,and provides gallery and rental space for housing for homeless veterans began this fall and will Minnesota Preservation Awards for its efforts. community events. continue over a ten-year period. BENEFITS1W ir Stays on the National Register of Historic Places(NRHP) Lack of parking The site has no space for added By remaining where it is,the building stays parking.It is surrounded by The following resources are available for buildings. on -National Register. -• that on the NRHP.Most stipulated work has to follow businesses on either •-• ••busy the building is eligible for state and federalthe Secretary of the Interior's Standards. highway to which it has only indirect grant funding• •tax benefits th•t it would •MN Historic Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credit access. •private driveway• • •Preservation Alliance of MN Heritage Partnership • -access to if moved. Program •large wetland further constrain •MN Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants •• ••• • _ •Cetifed Local Government Grants through the lack of parking Location Historic Preservation Fund • -s finding•business that • • primeSt.Francis Boulevard is a busy arterial road.The building will have thrive be able to more difficult. access to clients when the building is re-purposed.The area is zoned for small business developments,keeping the surrounding businesses on a similar scale. • • • • VS $ i- •• -NationalRegister a. Connection to • - rural •• s- meansthere•-constraints The current location is near Ramsey's border with Anoka;the school served on what may be done to the families from both communities.Keeping the building here helps explain how building.For example,changing early-twentieth-century rural communities depended on each other. the outward appearance of the building would not be permitted. Signage added to the building for Save money business purposes would have to be freestanding and not affect the With no relocation costs to consider,the city will only need to cover the costs of fa(;ade of the building. renovation and maintenance. Noroomfor expansion Foster a thriving local business community The site constraints mean there is no Old spaces are key to fostering new creative endeavors in communities. le L _j V possibility of expansion or growth. Nonprofits,startup businesses,and arts communities all create spaces where Any future occupant would be creative ideas can grow and flourish.Ramsey has the ability to capitalize on that. locked into using the building as is. >>> Taking into account these considerations, there are still many opportunities for the property to be put to good use. With a few business proposals already received by the City, we will explore possibilities for the property in its current location.