Annandale Advocate, December 4, 2013
"Reuse team offers proposal"
by Tom Westman, Annandale Advocate Staff Writer

A reuse committee is seeking a two-year lease to find a buyer for the 1922 portion of the middle school, proposing to use the first floor as a community center during that time.

Representatives of the 1922 Reuse Steering Committee came to the school board meeting Monday, Nov. 25, to present a proposal seeking to lease the 1922 portion of the middle school.

The group is seeking a two-year lease to transition the first floor of the building to become a community center. No action was taken on the matter at this meeting.

"I would encourage you not to act on the proposal at this meeting, but to have a general discussion and understand all aspects of the request in advance of possible action at our December meeting," Superintendent Steve Niklaus told the school board.

The presentation and discussion took up over an hour of the school board meeting and no action was taken.

The '22 demolition cost

Prior to the presentation of the interim use proposal, Niklaus presented the board with estimates to demolish the 1922 portion of the Annandale Middle School.

The following are the estimates for the demolition, totaling $904,840:

■ Architectural fees, $36,000

■ Demolition, $298,440

■ Mechanical, electrical and utility disconnections and reconfiguration, $40,000

■ New construction-replacing bathrooms, $200,000

■ Boiler plant work, $25,000

■ Contingency, $35,000

■ Boiler plant work, $25,000

■ Construction management fees, $79,400.

■ Removal of hazardous materials, $166,000.

The cost of the hazardous waste removal was not part of the discussion at the meeting.

"The thing about it is the hazardous materials have to come out of the building regardless of demo or re-use, so technically they are not really a part of the discussion," Niklaus said.

The cost of the demolition and remodeling would be paid for out of the monies left over from the Annandale Elementary School construction budget. The project contingency line item of the budget is at $1,485,485 and according to Niklaus, is not expected to decrease a significant amount.

The money in the contingency fund, however, would need to be spent by December of 2015, according to Niklaus' communication with the Minnesota Department of Education.

The contingency money could be used for other capital projects besides the demolition of the 1922 building. It could be used for any project to address repair and betterment of the middle school or high school.

'22 interim use proposal

The 1922 Reuse Steering Committee submitted a five-page proposal to the board to lease the 1922 building for two years.

"The historic 1922 building is primed and available for a new use," said Laura Hood Beckman, the facilitator for the committee. "The 1922 building has been a community asset for 90 years and it should be saved."

"We propose to use the lower floor and gym as a community center for two years while investigating fully the best options for long term use of the building," said the proposal submitted to the board.

The committee's proposal would leave the upper two floors vacant, at least for the next two years.

The lease would be for $1 per year plus operating expenses of the building. Niklaus said an estimate of those expenses would be $35,103 per year. This would include electric and gas, water-sewage and insurance. The figure was based on the 42,480 square feet of the 1922 portion of the middle school. The middle school's total square footage is 155,054 square feet.

"It won't cost the school district anything," said Jill Bishop of the steering committee. "In fact, it could save the district the $900,000 demolition cost if the community center is a go."

According to the proposal, the school district would have the right to terminate the second year of the lease if there has not been satisfactory progress in finding a sustainable, permanent use of the building.

"The committee will be responsible for maintenance, programming administration, staffing, and will work with the school district to arrange for access to the 1922 building using the existing entrance during and after school hours, including addressing security concerns," the proposal states.

The reuse committee would operate the proposed community center. This committee is under the umbrella of ACT, Annandale Area Community Team, a 501c3 non-profit organization.

During the meeting committee members Blaine Barkley and Judy Grabham presented a slide presentation of school buildings now being used as community centers. Visits were made to Glencoe, Glenwood, Detroit Lakes and Freeport.

"All of these former schools have been converted into very successful community centers," Barkley said. "Over 33,000 people a month visit the community center in Detroit Lakes."

In the proposal, the following are possible uses for the proposed community center: Youth First activities, a public art space, utilizing it as a classroom, meeting space, a public studio space, yoga, aerobics and exercise activities; senior citizen activities, an event center; historical center or technology center.

The proposal also states that all use of the building will be with the approval of the school district.

"Give us the interim use, we got the people in place to make this happen," said committee member Rose Mary Nelson.

The members of the steering committee include Barkley, Diane Barkley, Hood Beckman, Bishop, Mary Barkley Brown, Mike Dougherty, Grabham, Kelly Hinnenkamp, Judy Johnson, Rose Mary Nelson, Kathy Wenngatz, Marlene Young and Paul Zabinski.

District concerns

Niklaus has reservations about the proposal.

"My problem is with the two years being asked for." Niklaus said. "It is not in the school district's interest to own that building."

Board member Alicia Millner brought up the issue of parking.

"Where will all the people visiting the community center park?" asked Millner.

"If the community center is not successful, the school district would have to go back to the voters to get the money to demolish the building," said Rieger-Borer.

The board took no action on the proposal, but agreed to meet with the 1922 Reuse Steering Committee before the Thursday, Dec. 19, school board meeting. At that time, the board is expected to act on going forward with the demolition of 1922 building in the summer of 2014 or to accept a negotiated lease from the committee.

"Everyone here has the best interest of the school district and the community," Niklaus said. "I admire your intensity and determination. It's very commendable."