Rochester’s Heritage Preservation Commission will hold a special public hearing to review the 103-year-old building’s status as a potential landmark.
The goal is to determine whether the building at 7 Second St. SW should be added to the city’s list of official landmarks, which carry added requirements for review when exterior changes are proposed.
RELATED: Former Olmsted County Bank building still on path for landmark review
“The landmark designation is required because of their application for demolition,” said Molly Patterson-Lundgren, the city’s heritage preservation and urban design coordinator.
The building’s owner, Mike Hawkins, applied for a permit in April to demolish the building, but sent a letter to Commission Chairwoman Christine Schultze to say he has no plans to tear down the building.
“The main goal, of course, is not to demolish the property, but instead revitalize it,” he wrote.
The city’s heritage preservation ordinance requires a review when a potential landmark is the subject of an application for a building or demolition permit, as well as official action related to other potential changes to the exterior.
Since the demolition permit comes with the least expense related to finalized plans, it’s the option Hawkins sought to spur a review as a potential sale of the building could make way for reuse of the building.
The concept for the site, which includes a potential restaurant and boutique hotel, would add two floors, but the proposal had no path toward an official review.
A preliminary rendering of the concept for adding two floors to the former Olmsted County Bank and Trust building was provided to the Rochester Heritage Preservation Commission for review Tuesday. (Widseth Smith Nolting)
The Rochester City Council approved a pilot program last month to allow the Heritage Preservation Commission to provide an official opinion of the proposed concept alongside its response to the demolition permit request.
Once the commission makes it’s recommendation regarding the property’s status, the city council will have until July 26 to make a final determination.
The commission’s 5 p.m. hearing Tuesday will be held online, with access information available at www.rochestermn.gov/agendas.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Meetings scheduled to be held during the week of June 7 include:
Rochester
• City Council study session, 3:30 p.m. Monday in city council chambers of the city-county Government Center, 151 Fourth St. SE. The meeting will livestream at www.rochestermn.gov/agendass and available on Spectrum cable channel 180 or 188 and Metronet channel 80.
• City Council, 7 p.m. Monday in city council chambers of the city-county Government Center. The meeting will livestream at www.rochestermn.gov/agendas and available on Spectrum cable channel 180 or 188 and Metronet channel 80.
• Heritage Preservation Commission special meeting, 5 p.m. Tuesday. Access information for the online meeting is available atwww.rochestermn.gov/agendas
Olmsted County
• Human Services Advisory Board, 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. Information for connecting to the meeting is posted at https://olmstedcounty.primegov.com/public/portal.
• Human Rights Commission, 6 p.m. Thursday in board chambers of the city-county Government Center.