It's an interesting coincidence that the Harmon Historic district would come up for a vote just as the Walker Art Center, bordering Loring Park, asks for permission to tear down the Guthrie Theater for a parking lot.
Will the Citizens for a Loring Park Community also endorse the effort to save the Guthrie? Surely the Guthrie is as worthy a cultural artifact as buildings commemorating Minneapolis's early automobile industry. (Both mayoral candidates said at the Almanac forum last week that they favored keep the building. Mayor Sayles Belton made a good point of the building being a notable "gateway" to the city as people enter from the west on 394.) The Walker has so far been able to convince everyone that there is no use for the Guthrie building once the theater company itself moves to new digs on the riverfront. That is five years and a capital campaign away, enough time for a new use to be found or the Walker board, administrators, and funders to see the error of their ways. We can all agree, probably, that there is a parking problem in Loring Park and around the Walker-Guthrie complex. The neighborhoods have been talking about it for years. So if that's the problem, let's solve that problem. There's enough space for a ramp at the Parade arena site, and the Walker and Park Board could even give up some of their precious sculpture garden for more parking. The Park Board web site boasts that it is already the largest urban sculpture garden in the country. I recommend we all call the same people the CLPC asks us to call: "your Council Member and Council Member Lisa McDonald (673-2210 or E-Mail), Chair of Zoning & Planning." Only this time ask that the Heritage Preservation Commission's denial of the demolition permit be upheld. It should be on the next Z&P agenda. Also, check out the online petition at www.SavetheGuthrie.org. Jim Berg Ward 9 - Corcoran Minneapolis __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make a great connection at Yahoo! Personals. http://personals.yahoo.com _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
