Flood cleanup could fix Armory’s ills
November 26, 2012 at 6:00 pm in Duluth News Tribune
The June flood may turn out to be a financial boon for the Duluth Armory, but also will cause the building to be inspected by state authorities for potential environmental hazards.
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Too bad the Norshore didn’t have flood damage.
This city wants to save everything but has no money. Except the school district which stole the money to tear down the schools to build new.
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I wonder if the Armory Arts Org has bitten off more than it can chew. This place is really a white elephant but that is the regretful truth. The scale of difficulties in dealing with a place of this size, age and state of disrepair – now with flood damage and other problems – It’s just not going anywhere!
An alternative would demolish the Armory and devise an arrangement that would masterplan the whole city block around a public square. Around the square, the Armory Arts Org could pursue the music and recording studio it wants in a purpose-built facility. The farmers market could relocate to the square, perhaps attracting a public food hall (bakery, butcher, fishmonger, flower market, eateries) of Northland food producers. There could be artist studios and galleries, artisans’ workshops, seasonal pop-up shops and lots of outdoor plaza space. Much needed student and artisan housing on site would make it 24/7 and give roots to the Creative Corridor.
The whole place could grow organically but adhering to design criteria and sustainability (environmentally and fiscally) with public:private financing from the city, charities, arts organizations, guilds, co-ops,developers and private benefactors.
It would really rejuvenate the east Downtown, East Hillside and anchor some really positive things there for everyone to enjoy – the young, the elderly, the craftsmen, the artists, the students, the families – Duluthians.
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Blighty: Very creative and wonderfully worthwhile idea for reconstructing the area. If only the special interests and the bleeding hearts would realize that every old building can’t, and shouldn’t, be saved. Especially old buildings with the multitude and magnitude of problems the armory has. I wonder if anybody in the City Administration would consider following through on a very good idea like yours. We can only hope.
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The city sold the building to the Armory Arts Org for $1. The check bounced.
True story.
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An incredible waste of money. Another reason govt is going broke. 800,000 to clean up a basement? The whole building isnt worth half that.
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**** As a result, she said the agency will inspect the site, probably this week. ****
And slap a huge fine on Duluth tax payers. Thanks loads for sicccing them on us DNT.
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so it was slated for demolition in over 10 years ago?? i guess the city must be too busy tearing down blighted homes instead of an actual building with health risks….why this toxic mess hasnt been dealt with by now is beyond comprehension…..and if they got that whole building for a dollar they should be able to make the neccessary repairs themselves without tax funded dollars.
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Even if they tear down that big old charming building they still have to deal with the mess, so why not reuse the thing? You would rather have a crappy piece of new construction? Apparently the only industry that can afford quality construction right now is the medical industry.
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i too find asbestos and lead charming….a place that used to make ammunitions isnt charming…it might be historical but not charming.
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Demolish the building and daylight Chester Creek! No buildings should ever have been built above a beautiful creek like that. What poor urban planning our past city planners had. Even the current city planners lack vision.
Perhaps some day it will be possible to enjoy a hike from the the Lake Superior shoreling up the creek to Chester Bowl ski hill area!
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I meant to say shoreline.
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Thank you Ulysses. For one who advocates historic preservation, I said “demolish the Armory” with a heavy heart. But I just see problem after problem that is going to require resources on a scale that an ad-hoc arts org might not have to deal with. I have a lot of respect for what Armory Arts are trying to do but I think they have to approach this maybe from a fresh perspective – do the cost:benefit analysis.
I don’t want to be lumped in with the people attacking City Hall, city planners of 100 years ago and Buddy Holly even for that matter! An anonymous benefactor gave $1m to the Armory Arts Org and there may be strings attached. I wonder if the benefactor would approve of my concept. In any event, he/she should be asked if still alive. It could have been Lois Paulucci,,, who knows. It could have been Bob Dylan for all I know.
I insist that if the Armory’s pulled down, the site be master planned right down to the building materials – no flimsy vinyl clad matchstick buildings, a roomy public “piazza”, “torg”, “square” and restricted to the kinds of residents and activities I noted above.
It would be nice if someone from the Armory Arts Org were reading this and could comment. Thank you.
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The armory was built as a military warehouse not as a concert hall. I booked bands there in the late 60 early 70 Ted Nugent cost me $750, the building was in rough shape then. The city took it over and stored salted sand on the wood floors. I shut off the gas for the heating system around 10 years ago, was down in the old shooting range at that time and you could look thru every wall. The upper levels had all broken windows and it was a home and toliet for pigeons
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Wish the powers that be would take another look at this structure and condemn it. Perfect place for more green space – would certainly enhance the Lakewalk – as well as remove this hole where public AND private money continues to disappear. Remove and cut our losses as a community.
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Tear this building down, to take a few words from a former President..
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