vision2020
RE: Old High School
Linda,
Nice job. Thank you for all the work you have done on behalf of the
Whitworth bldg. I am sure the anonymous donor came forward because of your
efforts in the background and foreground. You are what makes Moscow a
special place.
Steve Cooke
-----Original Message-----
From: Linda Pall [SMTP:lpall@moscow.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 1998 6:18 AM
To: sohns@turbonet.com
Cc: vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: Re: Old High School
Dear Mike Sohn and Visionaries,
We owe a gigantic debt of gratitude to the anonymous donor who has stepped
up to challenge our community to rise to the occasion and bring the dream
of
a true community center to fruition sooner rather than later. The
generosity
and vision have already stimulated interest and brought us again to the
spirit that we had in April, 1997, when the Council, the community and
those
interested in historic preservation and reuse of our architectural legacy
came together to authorize city purchase of the building in the first
place.
Mike and Visionaries, you undoubtedly know that the original deal ($50,000
of city money, $55,000 of proceeds from sale of the White Avenue property,
and $45,000 of private contributions) fell through because of a change of
budget priorities in summer 1997 and later questions about the sale of the
White Avenue property. The citizens of Moscow, through contributions large
and minuscule, came together and raised more than $160,000, a feat that I
personally marvelled at.
For sixteen months the transaction went back and forth. I have no interest
in revisiting the particulars of this to-ing and fro-ing. This past MOnday,
when I was seriously concerned that we might well have lost the magnificent
opportunity to buy the building, this wonderful donor materialized with two
million dollars.
To his credit, Tony Johnson returned to the spirit and attitude he
expressed
in APril, 1997, when he objected to the use of property tax in the project
but said he would not stand in the way of a project that had such obvious
community support. Yes, there are nay sayers...but the 'nay' side of the
conversation sounds like the conversation that preceeded the purchase and
restoration of the Old Post Office which virtually the entire community
recognizes as one of the jewels in our crown.
The reason no one has seen additional fund raising efforts between summer
1997 and now except to find additional money if we required an
environmental
assessment is because since February, 1998, when we thought the CIty had
concluded its deal, we were wrong. Until the CIty actually has the deed in
hand, it is infeasible to plan a broad-based fund raising effort.
But NOW! Thanks to the School District's approval of the deal last night,
we
can at last move forward. I am so excited about the possibilities that are
opening up because of the donation. I am sure that we can put this project
together so that it will be another jewel in our collective civic crown.
And
it is entirely appropriate that a community center be located near the
community's center!
We'll be looking to all of the visionaries for continuing help, support,
comment and corrections when warranted or otherwise. This is a great
re-start to a great project. Join us!
Thanks for the kind words of visionaries about the project and the very
best
to all,
Linda Pall
At 11:00 PM 7/7/98 -0700, you wrote:
>I have been objecting to the expenditure of public funds for the
renovation
>of the old high school. We all subsidize automobiles through property
>taxes, gasoline taxes, and income taxes to name a few.
>
>Tony Johnson stood firm on the expenditure of public funds for the old
high
>school.
>
>I have seen very little publicity trying to raise funds for renovating the
>old high school. Will the supporters of this purchase be starting soon?
>
>I still feel that locating a community center with the new pool would
>provide flexibility and services for all ages in one area.
>Mike Sohns
>
>----------
>> From: Bruce Haglund <bhaglund@uidaho.edu>
>> To: vision2020@moscow.com
>> Subject: Re: Old High School
>> Date: Monday, July 06, 1998 5:32 PM
>>
>> At 04:04 PM 7/6/98 -0700, you wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >It is important to note that Mike Sohns -- despite his objection to
>public
>> >expenditures -- is in fact suggesting that we should expend
>> >public funds to subsidize automobiles.
>> >
>> >Dale Goble
>> >Moscow
>> >
>> visionaries,
>> I was hoping more of you would chime in. Dale and Tom Lamar are right
>about
>> the parking/auto problem. More parking encourages more auto use. Parking
>is
>> expensive in many ways.
>> (I'm an Adams Street neighbor of the HS and students park in front of my
>> house--two blocks from school, close enough, I'd say. I note the extent
>of
>> their parking pattern as I walk to work each day.)
>> The notion that old buildings are some kind of problem just because they
>> are old is wrong. Spending the $3,000,000 to rennovate the old HS would
>> deliver an exceptionally sound building with durable finishes (low
>> maintenance) and new systems (HVAC, lighting--low maintenance and energy
>> saving) all this for $100/square foot--you can only build new buildings
>of
>> low quality (high mainteneance) for less. Regrettably, we rarely build
as
>> well today. So the bottom line is a bargain price AND a valuable
cultural
>> resource is saved. The old HS will delight Moscow residents for many
more
>> years than a parking lot will. (Note that my office is in a building
even
>> older than the old HS and it's a very delightful place--in spite of my
>> clutter.)
>> Also, I thought no public funds were used to purchase (save) the
building
>> and that fund raising for remodelling would occur.
>> Bruce Haglund
>> Chair, Dept of Architecture
>
>
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