The St. Anthony Commercial Club and former Washburn-McReavy funeral chapel, two buildings in the crosshairs of the developer Alatus for a future high-rise, were demolished October 5. Their preservation had been the subject of lawsuits between neighborhood activists, the developers, and the Minneapolis city council. The most recent court ruling required plaintiff Neighbors for East Bank Livability (NEBL), to post a $4.6 million bond, which it was unable to do.
In a statement, NEBL spokesman Erich Wunderlich said: “We are disappointed that the developer Alatus has destroyed the historic Saint Anthony Commercial Club building in the Saint Anthony Falls Historic District, all the more so considering that NEBL still has ongoing legal challenges to the project before the court.
“NEBL’s claims filed under the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act (MERA) may yet result in a determination that the building was in fact eligible for individual listing on the National Register of Historic Places, an opinion shared by two of Minnesota’s most highly respected preservation experts. The MERA claims are further validated as they argue to uphold the City’s own Heritage Preservation Commission’s denial of a certificate of appropriateness to construct a 42-story tower in the Historic District.” NEBL filed an appeal of the City’s approval of a conditional use permit and variance to allow for the tower in the Historic District, Wunderlich said.
“NEBL will not give up its claims to require the City and developers to respect the laws set forth in the city’s Comprehensive Plan, Zoning, the neighborhood’s Small Area Plan, and the Saint Anthony Falls Historic District Guidelines, in its efforts to protect and preserve the Historic District.”
Chris Osmundson, development officer with Alatus, could not be reached for comment. He had said earlier that construction was expected to begin in May and take around two years.
Below: The former Washburn McReavy building was removed and the St. Anthony Commercial Club soon followed, October 5, giving an open-air view of the back of one of the area’s most historic buildings, originally built for the Pillsburys. (Photo by Mark Peterson)