Fw: [Mpls] Walker Library Idea

[md]

> I made a joke about "the curse of Walker Library" referring to the fact
that
> every business that has gone into the old Walker Library building has
failed.   Why?
>
> Does the Met Council still own the building?  Now that it will be vacant
> again, what do they plan to do with it?   To quote Councilman Niziolek's
email:
>
> "My conversations with the Met Council indicated that they were
> willing to be a partner in moving the library back into the old Walker
> Library building.  The building sold for $800,000. That was truly an
opportunity lost. "
>
> Is this opportunity permanently lost?   Couldn't a new partner be found or
a
> new  owner that would return the old Walker library back to it's original
use?
>
> The old building is on the National Historic Register which limits any
> improvements  or changes to the exterior.   The Minneapolis Heritage
Preservation
> Commission accepts requests for "historic variances" for properties they
have
> designated.  Perhaps the NHR has a similar process.
>
> Jeff Scherer of Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle has designed many award
> winning libraries. He could probably come up with an innovative re-design
for the old Walker.
> The proceeds from the sale of the new Walker could partially finance the
> project.
>
> I believe the NHR designation was one reason that MPL decided to build a
new
> building, because there was no cost effective way to make the old library
ADA
> compliant. I know there were other reasons, which perhaps someone on this
list knows.
>
> Madeline Douglass
> Kingfield
>
>
>