Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports from Fergus Falls, where Artspace, a Minneapolis non-profit agency, is hoping to renovate the Hotel Kaddatz. The empty historic building is the organizations first attempt to create space for artists in rural areas.
Artspace builds affordable space for artists to live and work. It has developed projects in the Twin Cities and Duluth, as well as several large cities across the country. It was the organization behind the much publicized moving of the Shubert Theater across downtown Minneapolis.
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DAN GUNDERSON: When it opened in 1915, the Kaddatz Hotel was a downtown Fergus Falls showpiece. But as time passed, the Kaddatz languished. And a few years ago, it nearly fell before the wrecking ball. A group of Fergus Falls citizens stopped the demolition and convinced the city to put a new roof on the building, preventing further deterioration.
REBECCA PETERSON: There were tons of pigeons in here.
DAN GUNDERSON: The three-story red brick building still shows the signs of decades of neglect. Droppings and pigeon corpses litter the warped wood floors. But Artspace project manager Greg Handberg sees promise.
GREG HANDBERG: You see, there's a nice center corridor, parlor spaces. You can start to see the old ornate stairway, beautiful transoms and woodwork.
DAN GUNDERSON: Like many old buildings on Minnesota main streets, the Kaddatz has its own unique claim to fame.
GREG HANDBERG: A gentleman sat in the front window of the Kaddatz Hotel and set the Guinness Book of World Records for the greatest amount of coffee consumed within, I believe, 24 hours or something like that. And it was some extraordinary amount of coffee. Literally hundreds of cups of coffee were consumed in a 24-hour period.
DAN GUNDERSON: If the financing for the $2.2 million project comes together without a hitch, coffee will soon be flowing again in the Kaddatz. Developers envision a restaurant on the main floor, apartment spaces and studios for artists on the upper floors, and a community art space in the cavernous basement. Local project director Bill Adams is helping put financing for the project together. He says having this building filled with artists and activity would be an economic and intellectual stimulus for the community.
BILL ADAMS: It's a great building. And the fact that it's been sitting largely vacant for many, many years, there's been a real empty space in the heart of the community. When you stand out and look at the building and think about the building coming to a new life, it's tremendously exciting.
DAN GUNDERSON: Fergus Falls is one of several rural Minnesota communities to successfully develop centers for artistic expression. A restored theater across the street from the Kaddatz Hotel is home to A Center for the Arts. But Artspace project manager Greg Handberg says few rural communities have taken the next step, creating space specifically for artists to live and work.
GREG HANDBERG: Every community across the state is going to have its own specific set of needs. That kind of thing, I think, is going to change by community. But one of the things that I think we found in Fergus Falls is that the need for space for artists to live and work does exist in Greater Minnesota and probably exists in quite a few communities.
DAN GUNDERSON: The Kaddatz Hotel project is still just a plan. But Center for the Arts executive director Rebecca Peterson says artists are already inquiring about space.
REBECCA PETERSON: There are even some artists that live in metropolitan areas that are looking for a location in a smaller community, such as Fergus Falls. And when they've been home on vacation, they've stopped by the center and asked, when is that going to be done? Because I'd like to move back. So the word-of-mouth enthusiasm is already starting to happen.
DAN GUNDERSON: Artspace hopes to finalize funding in time to start construction on the project next summer. Project manager Greg Handberg says Artspace is prepared to tackle a handful of similar projects in small towns across Minnesota. Dan Gunderson, Minnesota Public Radio, Fergus Falls.