I am angry. I am disappointed. And I am not surprised. Yesterday afternoon a backhoe was delivered to tear down a turn of the century home on my block to make way for a flood park.
It was not much to look at on the outside, but inside the woodwork was all original varnish, oak and maple. The duplexing had been done with beauty and craftsmanship. The house was structurally and mechanically sound. Inside the floors were maple and in perfect condition. It was a 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom: 2 family duplex. The house needed nothing. Many original windows, many replacement double-pane insulated windows. Picture rail, full turn of the century moulding and crowns, a clawfoot tub, .... you all know what I'm talking about. And yet the city deemed it cost-prohibitive to move. AND NOTHING WAS SALVAGED. Okay, that is an overstatement. Someone took the balusters and rail and a few door knobs. Nothing else. Why are we tearing down perfectly good houses? Replacing this duplex with a similar quality building must cost at least a $225,000. Why not sell it for $10,000 with the condition it must be moved by owner by a set date? Why not save the cost of demo and collect a purchase price at the same time. Where are those two affordable housing units being built in Central Neighborhood to replace this duplex? Lots of why questions, I know. But I cried as this home came down and now sits as a pile of rubble on my corner. And it is not the first home to meet this fate at the hands of the City. When will it be the last? --Kim ____________________________________________________________ Rev. Kimberly Goodman Phone: 612-823-4488 3700 Park Avenue Fax: 612-823-3194 Minneapolis, MN 55407 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________________________ _______________________________________ 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
