Duluth Google Fiber Movie!
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
A wonderful video tour of Old City Hall made by Dan Hartman. Very cool. Can’t wait for it to be done!
Predictably, it was a 6-3 vote. The easy part is over. Now the work begins. This ought to be interesting.
Challenge #1: Actually close the sale.
Challenge #2: If the strip club agrees to move out, will it open somewhere else? Wherever “somewhere else” might be, that’ll be a fun little controversy.
Challenges #3 through #209: Figure out how to fix the place up, get someone running it who can make it work, and everything that comes up along the way.
Losing Daugherty Hardware was bad enough. Now Ace Hardware downtown is closing. The big-box stores cannot compare, and downtown takes another hit. Poop!
This didn’t make a lot of news, and that’s a shame. Thanks Rep. Laine.
NEWS RELEASE
New Law Gives Minnesotans a Natural Choice for Care of Deceased
Saint Paul, Minnesota – Governor Pawlenty has signed into law changes that will give Minnesotans a more natural choice in how they care for their deceased loved ones. Under current law, a body must be embalmed if there is a public viewing, but State Rep. Carolyn Laine (DFL – Columbia Heights), who authored the bill, said this practice is largely unneeded. The new law permits dry ice to be used for public viewing of a deceased body within private property, such as a home, church or funeral parlor.
I was going to post this as a response in a previous thread, but made it a post instead…
There are questions about the sale price. Legitimate questions, $2.6 million is a lot of money. Between the three buildings, there is a lot of value. This is both a fair price and makes economic sense for the city. I’ll share our value assessment with you.
First, we have examined the sq ft comps in the neighborhood. There is 40k sq ft of commercial / office space in the Temple and Annex space. The average per sq ft cost for sale in old downtown is $37.75 based on building sales of Coney Island Bldg and Gardner Hotel (and other area building sales). I think we could make a strong case that the Temple is a much more valuable property than those, but using this standard, the value of the commercial and office space would be $1.5 million.
On Saturday Eric Ringsred signed a purchase agreement to sell the Temple Opera Building, NorShor Theatre, and NorShor Annex to DEDA for $2.6 million. The sale is contingent on approval by DEDA and the Council. It’s my intent to make the NorShor the crown jewel of the downtown, to make it the center of a regional arts and entertainment district.
There is a lot of discussion on this, let me fill in with a few thoughts:
This semester the theme of the UMD Sustainability Fair is Art and Design. What can you do at the fair? Attend an engaging conversation with community experts! Architect David Salmela, FAIA, will discuss architecture and sustainability. Pastor David Carlson of Duluth’s Gloria Dei Lutheran Church will talk about his experience with the Early Adopter’s training and how the Natural Step Framework as affected the congregation. Susan Meyers, graduate of UMD’s Masters of Liberal Arts program, will talk about her project, Creating a Journey into Healing with Art. Ryan Jordan, UMD Admissions Diversity Counselor, will present on Music and Social Change. You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about sustainability efforts in the Twin Ports by visiting over 20 community and campus organization’s informational and interactive booths! Also, check out UMD and Duluth elementary student art on display at UMD Stores Express and around campus! Sustain Fair Poster Spring 2010
UMD Parking Q’s: www.d.umn.edu/parking
Check out UMD’s Sustainability website: www.d.umn.edu/sustain
As Business North reports, the West Duluth Video Vision closes April 17. As the banners at Hollywood Video report, that store will be closing soon as well.
Other West Duluth video stores that came and went over the years include Mr. Movies, All Star Video and Late Night Video. The Redbox outside Super One and scattered convenience stores are the only movie rental choices in West Duluth now.
UPDATE: Video Vision owner Brian Augustine has changed his mind and will open a new location in the Spirit Valley Shopping Center.
The First Presbyterian Church is located in Duluth on the corner of 3rd Ave E & 2nd St.
From MinnPost:
Duluth considering new lift bridge plan that would limit openings for small vessels
Duluth’s Aerial Lift Bridge may be in for a new schedule that will mean small boats may have to wait.
Jitterbug for Jitterbug
TONIGHT!
April 9th, 2010
6 – 11 pm
Peace Church – 1111 N 11th Ave E – Duluth
People of all ages, shapes and sizes will have a chance to learn some basic, advanced and even “trick” swing dance steps taught by a team of professional dancers (rumor has it that the area’s premier mix tape master will also make a guest DJ appearance sometime during the night slinging his favorite swing tunes).
Coleen Rowley, you may remember, was the veteran FBI agent who blew the whistle on pre-9/11 intelligence failures and tried to warn the Bush Administration against the war in Iraq. She’s retired from the FBI now, but still working for a more transparent and ethical government.
If you miss her at the rally, she’ll be giving a public lecture that same evening at UMD, 7:30pm in Room 120 of the Solon Campus Center.
