Two possible projects for Old Stone School presented to Lansing City Council
by Julie Berg-Raymond
The Old Stone School was the topic of two agenda items - involving two separate projects - at the regular meeting of the Lansing City Council held August 15.
FIRST PROJECT: APARTMENTS
The first project was presented to the council by Main Street Lansing Executive Director Andy Kelleher and involves an interested developer who lives within Allamakee County and who has toured the building twice and wishes to move forward with a plan for six to eight apartment units, with rent potentially in the $750-$850 range. Kelleher said the interested party does not want his name revealed in a public forum at this time, since the discussion is still preliminary. “But he is more than willing to have his contact details shared outside a public meeting, and he is also willing to speak with any interested council members,” he added. Kelleher noted that a “potential sticking point” is that “the developer has expressed an interest in de-listing the property from the National Register of Historic Places in order to make renovation work simpler.” Therefore, Kelleher said, “the potential developer would like to know if the City of Lansing would ever consider removing the property from the Register.”
In noting this, Kelleher added that “As a historic preservation organization, Main Street Lansing does not recommend removing the Stone School from the National Register of Historic Places. However, since the property has sat vacant for nearly 50 years, we do not want to prevent ideas from being presented to the city council.”
Kelleher told the council he wasn’t sure why the potential developer was interested in de-listing the building, since no restrictions would really apply. (“Under Federal Law, the listing of a property in the National Register places no restrictions on what a non-federal owner may do with their property up to and including destruction, unless the property is involved in a project that receives Federal assistance, usually funding or licensing/permitting.” nps.gov.) Kelleher said it’s possible the person “would maybe not go far toward preserving the historic integrity of the building.” He added that, while he thinks refusal to de-list the building “wouldn’t be a total deal-breaker, it would definitely kill a lot of the enthusiasm.”
By way of the potential developer’s background, Kelleher said the person has “flipped” six homes and is currently working on restoring a historic building that previously suffered damage. “I personally have not toured his work on this historic building,” Kelleher said. “But other people with architectural knowledge have given his work a thumbs up. His construction partner is part of a construction company in the Cedar Rapids area that has been in operation for 35 years.”
Council members had several questions about the proposed project. “This is the third party who’s been interested in the last year and a half,” council member Bruce ReVoir said. “Are they just trying to see if the City will flinch?” Kelleher said he thought the interest here is sincere, as indicated by the fact that the potential developer has toured the building twice - “once with Main Street Lansing Design Committee, and once with a potential construction partner. The second tour happened Saturday, July 30, during RAGBRAI, indicating there was enough interest to brave the traffic.” Kelleher noted also that the person has reviewed previous studies, designs and proposals.
Council member Steve Murray noted that “we certainly have a housing shortage,” but expressed some concern about the request to de-list the building from the National Register of Historic Places. “The only drawback (to being listed) is having strings attached if he seeks grants; so why does he want to do this?”
No action was taken by the council on this matter. “I just think we need to wait for more information from the developer,” Mayor Melissa Hammell said.
SECOND PROJECT: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA STUDY
The second project was presented by council member and Main Street Lansing Board member Curtis Snitker. Aaron Detter of Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) contacted Main Street Lansing about an outreach program at the University of Iowa that would involve a semester-long course in completion of a structural design study, because he knew of Main Street Lansing’s continuing interest in trying to preserve and/or develop the building. He knew, too, that the last time the building was examined for structural stability was in 2000. (Following completion of that study a new roof was added; the original entrance steps were removed as they were contributing to foundation issues; and the windows were boarded upon the building.)
The course, which would be held during the fall semester of this year, would end December 10 and would involve two parts, Snitker said. The first part would consist of a structural analysis and the second part would consist of a use/recommendation analysis - where the students would use community input as a parameter. “We have to decide, as a community, how we would like the building to be utilized,” Snitker said.
The community input would be solicited through public announcements on social media; via items on city council meeting agendas; and public postings around the community - the library, post office, bank, etc. “Because it’s a university-funded study, that’s extremely beneficial when applying for grants,” Snitker said. “I’m extremely optimistic that one can do something positive.”
The council approved the writing of a letter of support for the project, and payment of $1,000 to the University of Iowa toward the University’s cost to implement the proposed study.
MAIN STREET IOWA CHALLENGE GRANT
Main Street Lansing (MSL) Executive Director Andy Kelleher presented the council with an in-progress draft of a grant application toward a Main Street Iowa (MSI) Challenge Grant - the flagship grant program for MSI, which funds up to $100,000 in matching funds for brick-and-mortar improvement of buildings. Only 55 towns can apply. The Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant application is essentially a re-working of MSL’s earlier Downtown Housing Grant application, Kelleher said.
Both grant applications took into consideration the fact that Allamakee County housing studies have identified a need for more resident housing in the Lansing community, which this project would provide.
The Challenge Grant application notes that “the primary focus of the project is to renovate the vacant upper story of 359 Main Street into a two-bedroom apartment. The secondary focus is to complete necessary maintenance to the building, such as tuck pointing and roof repair.” The application further indicates that “estimates have been attained from Becker Brothers Construction, Lemke Masonry, Kris Krueger Heating and Cooling, Zac Christensen Electric, and Meisner Roofing. These estimates were used to come up with a budget of $160,000. Nick and Melissa Hammell have secured financing for the full amount through New Albin Savings Bank, allowing the project to continue while grant reimbursements are being disbursed.”
As he did with the earlier Downtown Housing Grant application, Kelleher contacted every person in Lansing who owns a building on Main Street about the grant opportunity. He also noted that “this grant typically only asks for a letter of support written by the mayor, but since the mayor is also our grant applicant, I believe it would be wiser to secure a Resolution of Support from the city council.”
The council approved Resolution No. 975 Support for Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant.
TASER/BODY CAM PACKAGE
The council approved purchasing a $28,06.75 bundled taser/body camera package for the Lansing Police Department, as the existing items have quit working. Lansing Chief of Police Conrad Rosendahl told the council that “cameras are one of the most important pieces of our uniform, and of our jobs.”
Rosendahl told the council that the Allamakee County Attorney will contribute $6,000 toward the purchase - $3,000 up front and $600 per month over the next five years. The City of Lansing will contribute $3,000 up front, as well - applying $3,000 of the Fiscal Year 2023 budget line item it had already approved. The rest will be on a payment plan with Axon Enterprise, the company that provided the package deal, and could be paid off monthly or in full at any time.
LP BID ACCEPTED
The council accepted Consolidated Energy Company’s bid of $1.64 per gallon for supplying the City of Lansing with LP gas. AgVantage FS, the City’s current supplier, bid $1.65 per gallon. Welch Inc. bid $1.76 per gallon if tanks were owned by the City of Lansing and stipulated a no-bid if tanks needed to be switched out. City Clerk Katie Becker noted the City does have tanks that need to be switched out, rendering Welch Inc. a no-bid.
RURAL ENRICHMENT GRANT
The council approved writing a Letter of Support and contributing $1,000 toward application for a Rural Enrichment Grant from Iowa Economic Development. The grant is for communities of 20,000 population or less and would be applied toward the purchase of planters, garbage cans and a railing.
WATER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
July 12, The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) came and took water samples to be tested for PFAS. The department will be notified of results in four to six weeks. Depending on what the results are, there should be further guidance from the DNR on any actions the department may or may not need to take. July 28, in preparation for RAGBRAI, the two hydrants that were going to be used for the shower trailers being brought into town were flushed out.
WASTEWATER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
July 6, the sewer line on South 5th Street that goes into Center Street was flushed, since the water and wastewater mains are completed on Center Street. July 7, the hydrant was flushed at the west end of Wall Street into the wastewater line. This is usually done twice per year. This year, however, this area of town will be jet-vac’d, so it was only done once. From July 12-14, the sludge tank was decanted. (This means some of the clear water from the tank was skimmed off to put back into the aero mod system.)
OLD BUSINESS
Chief Rosendahl advised the council that the Main Street nuisance property had been inspected, and said, “a few things are on the front porch yet, but it’s organized. The only thing left in the yard is his car, and it’s covered up. It looks 100 percent different.” Rosendahl said the resident has no problem with having a private contractor remove whatever needs to be removed and recommended that the resident be allowed to pay the contractor directly for that work.
In other business, the council approved the following: adjusting a Damon Construction invoice, per Parks Board, from $10,000 to $8,700 (remaining work will be done and charged for after the pool season); Resolution No. 974 City Street Finance Report.
The next regular meeting of the Lansing City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, September 6 at 7 p.m. at Lansing City Hall, because of the Labor Day holiday Monday, September 5.
