Hi, thanks for posting! It is indeed critical that the city council and mayor hear from the citizens on this. Please, folks, call or write your councilperson, and let them know you support an expanded Heart of the Beast presence and new commercial space helping to anchor the corner of Bloomington and Lake.
The theater's Executive Director has written a Fact Sheet on buying and re-purposing 1508 Lake which you can read here: http://www.urbancreek.com/hobt/factsheet.html Kindly, Karen Cooper [I'm a new list member, too] Fuller At 2:47 PM -0500 10/15/02, MJ Mueller wrote: >Dear List, > >The following was sent out by Powderhorn Park Neighborhood >Association. Although it addresses residents of Powderhorn Park etc. >I believe it to be a Minneapolis issue, so I am posting it here. I >urge your support of this project. Thanks. > >MJ Mueller >Seward > >Attention Artists, Residents, Business and Property Owners of the >Powderhorn Park, Phillips and surrounding neighborhoods: >The much anticipated Neighborhood Multi-Cultural Arts Center is in jeopardy! > >Planning for the Center, which would revitalize the vacant building >at 1508 East Lake Street (the former Antiques Minnesota building), >has been a collaborative effort of In the Heart of the Beast Theatre >(HOBT), Midtown Phillips neighborhood, Powderhorn Park Neighborhood >Association (PPNA), and the California Building Company. > >The Issue: >With the terms of a purchase agreement (between HOBT and the current >owner) coming due, expected financial help from the city of >Minneapolis has not materialized, and could kill the deal. > >Background: >Two years ago, Heart of the Beast Theatre requested assistance from >PPNA to assess potential reuse options for the former Antiques >Minnesota building at 1508 East Lake Street. > >Of first concern was HOBT�s need for permanent shop space (they >currently use the theater space as a shop between productions, >removing and replacing the seats each time!). A dedicated shop would >mean a dedicated theater, providing a regional performance space for >non-HOBT use as well. The balance of the 1508 building was to be >built-out as additional retail space for artists and expansion space >for the Mercado Central. > >With PPNA�s help, the California Building Company (a for-profit, >arts-based property management and developer located on California >Street in Minneapo-lis) was identified as an appropriate development >partner for the project. With HOBT, they entered into a purchase >agreement for the property earlier this year with a tentative >closing date of 4 October 2002. > >>From the beginning of the project, it was known that the project had a >funding gap of about $600,000. Fortunately, Minneapolis officials >(including the Mayor and Councilmember from the 6th, 8th and 9th >Wards) were very eager about the proposal and indicated that the >city would do what was necessary to make this project happen. And >the Midtown Phillips neighborhood committed $100,000 of their NRP >funds to the project�s funding needs. > >Currently: >However, recent discussions with city staff and officials have taken >on an unex-pected, and decidedly cooler, tone: MCDA has indicated >that their staff report will recommend against any further city >funding (HOBT had requested a grant from a fund specifically >restricted to non-profit organizations). > >Through his attorney, current owner Selwin Ortega has made it known >last week that he plans to exercise his 30-day non-performance >clause of the purchase agreement, terminating the sale of the >building (and adjacent parking lot) to HOBT. He further suggested >that he plans to convert the structure to a food-product warehouse >for his Las Americas grocery stores, having recently sold his Fourth >& Lake properties for this purpose to the Urban Ventures >organization. Recent experience suggests that there is virtually no >neighborhood support for such a proposal. > >In contrast, enthusiasm for the Art Center is nearly unanimous, with >PPNA, East Phillips, Midtown Phillips, Lake Street Council, and the >Bloomington-Cedar-Lake Commercial Association all on record in >strong support of HOBT (exemplified by Midtown Phillips� $100,000 >contribution). > >What We Ask You To Do: >Say Something Now! >Very simply, call or write to the Mayor and your Councilmember in >support of the Neighborhood Art Center. Letters have the greatest >impact with elected officials (as compared to e-mail), because it�s >generally recognized as an indicator of extreme concern when someone >takes the time to pull out pen and paper. And a letter expressed in >your own words is particularly powerful. So use the information in >this message, but refrain from word-for-word copies as much as >possible. I�ve attached a copy of PPNA�s letter to the Mayor for >your information and to serve as inspiration for what you might say. >Send your letter to: >Mayor R.T. Rybak >Minneapolis City Hall >350 South Fifth Street >Minneapolis, MN 55415 >612.673.2100 > >(City Councilmember�s Name) >Minneapolis City Hall >350 South Fifth Street, Room 307 >Minneapolis, MN 55415 >612.673.22(Ward number) For example, Dean Zimmermann is 673.2206 (6th Ward) > >E-mail is (FirstName.SecondName)@ci.minneapolis.mn.us For example, >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >The project is located in Ward 6 (Councilmember Dean Zimmermann), >but borders on Ward 9 (Councilmember Gary Schiff). > >We can appreciate the many demands for your time � don�t let our >preference for a letter keep you from sending an e-mail or making a >phone call. In any case, don�t hesitate! The 30-day clock began last >week. The sooner we make our voices heard, the better our chance to >succeed. Please send a copy of your letter or e-mail to PPNA. If you >make a call, send a quick e-note letting us know when and who you >called, what points you made, and any response you may have >received. Send these to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Your Participation Does Matter � A Case Study: >Last year, when it became known that the Marquette Bank office at >Bloomington & Lake � a friend and ally of area neighborhoods � was >at risk of closure as part of the Wells Fargo/Marquette Bank merger, >we asked members of the community to return the favor of friendship. >The federal regulators who were reviewing the deal received a record >number of letters. This dramatic outpouring of support was largely >responsible for their recommendation that the Bloom-Lake office >remain open. > > >"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens >can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." � >Margaret Mead >"History is just one damn thing after another." � Henry Ford > > > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Join the world�s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. >http://www.hotmail.com > >_______________________________________ > >Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy >Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
