Thursday, February 17, 2005
The Park Inn Restoration Project
Let March 8 be the date the Park Inn moves forward again
After a few days of ruffled egos and mounting frustrations, those concerned with the Park Inn restoration can sit back and catch their breath.While far from a done deal, we're hopeful that the Park Inn restoration project can get back on track.
The Park Inn, of course, represents a major chapter in the history of Mason City and the architectural world. It is the last hotel anywhere designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is an extraordinarily important — dare we say invaluable? — piece of property.
Yet years of neglect had taken their toll; the building was a wreck. Plans were made for its restoration; the city sold the building to the private Mason City Foundation with the stipulation that it be renovated in five years.
But such projects are enormously complicated and expensive; this one is estimated at $10 million. What's more, the foundation changed leaders, and the new management — to its credit — spent time retooling the organization to improve efficiency.So the foundation came to the council asking for five more years.
In the meantime, the Chamber of Commerce — like the rest of us, eager to make sure the project is completed — went public in urging appointment of a project manager and formation of a plan it said would bolster public confidence.
Read more at GLOBE GAZETTE
Photograph from www.peterbeers.net
After a few days of ruffled egos and mounting frustrations, those concerned with the Park Inn restoration can sit back and catch their breath.While far from a done deal, we're hopeful that the Park Inn restoration project can get back on track.
The Park Inn, of course, represents a major chapter in the history of Mason City and the architectural world. It is the last hotel anywhere designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is an extraordinarily important — dare we say invaluable? — piece of property.
Yet years of neglect had taken their toll; the building was a wreck. Plans were made for its restoration; the city sold the building to the private Mason City Foundation with the stipulation that it be renovated in five years.
But such projects are enormously complicated and expensive; this one is estimated at $10 million. What's more, the foundation changed leaders, and the new management — to its credit — spent time retooling the organization to improve efficiency.So the foundation came to the council asking for five more years.
In the meantime, the Chamber of Commerce — like the rest of us, eager to make sure the project is completed — went public in urging appointment of a project manager and formation of a plan it said would bolster public confidence.
Read more at GLOBE GAZETTE
Photograph from www.peterbeers.net
# posted by Unknown : 1:46 PM
