TOWER- Anyone driving down the Main Street here recently likely noticed the flurry of activity at Tower’s historic fire hall. As part of a multi-stage overhaul, the building is currently undergoing repairs to its exterior brick.
According to Tower-Soudan Historical Society President Nancy Larson, crews are working to rehabilitate, repair and tuck point the exterior masonry on the entire building. Last summer, she noted, contractors replaced the roof and in 2019 they restored the windows and doors.
“Our goal with these three projects is to ‘seal the envelope’,” she said. She noted that the first step in any restoration project is to take all necessary steps to ensure that the structure will not suffer any further water damage.
Architects from MacDonald and Mack are overseeing the entire project as the firm specializes in historic preservation and Larson explained they are premiere in this industry.
“We have the contractors in place (now), so we can move along with the project. Things are really falling into place,” she said.
Even with the project moving along nicely, Larson said it is unlikely that the exterior work will be done this fall. In addition to favorable weather (including consistent temps above 40 degrees) being required for this type of work, “Everything is very particular in the way it needs to be carried out,” Larson said, noting that everything from texture, color and mortar composition to the method of its application has to be just so.
Once the exterior of the building is complete, the next step is to work on the HVAC system and restoration and repair of the masonry on the building’s interior. Plans are also in the works to finish an addition to the building that was not part of the original structure. Framing was done in the addition in 2019, and once plumbing, electrical and finish work is completed, the space will be available to host area events like the history talk held last week at Pike River Products.
While Larson was unable to give a firm number on the cost of the project at this time, she said that the next set of construction documents will address costs in more detail. In addition, to the escalated prices of building materials in recent years, costs often are higher for the restoration of historic buildings due to the requirement of work being performed by experts with specialized background and skills.
To meet the financial needs of the project, the Tower-Soudan Historical Society has been holding ongoing fundraising events like the Charlemagne’s Attic Sale. This sale of 100-percent donated items helps to secure the funding match required by grant funders like the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation for their Culture and Tourism grant. The project has also received funding from the Minnesota Historical Society, and TSHS has established a special fund for supporters of the project to make pledges and one-time contributions. Larson asked people to consider making a multi-year pledge or one-time donation to support the fire hall restoration. Private donor funds suggest strong community support for the project. Contact Nancy Larson at 218-750-7514 or at tshsdonations@gmail.com if you would like to donate or make a pledge.
Larson said that the TSHS is also hoping to roll out a capital campaign in 2023. “We have a great board, and we’re making a lot of progress (on that),” she said.
The timeline for completing the project is always dependent on fundraising and available grant funding, but Larson is optimistic.
“We have a grant opportunity that we didn’t know about a year ago,” she said. “It could give us a definite boost to move along sooner than later. Our hope is that we’re able to do the interior in the winter of 2024. It all depends on the fundraising and community support is critical to securing grants.”