vision2020
Re: Old High School
I'm sure there will be plenty of well-deserved kudos for Linda and her
unfailing optimism and commitment to this project. I just want to add
mine and to offer an idea for fundraising for the Whitworth.
As I recall, at least one plan for that building included an open
courtyard on the south side (facing the high school) of the Whitworth.
If that courtyard was filled with tiles, each tile could become a
funding opportunity. Donors (us, right?) could purchase a tile for $100
or whatever and have the donor name inscribed on the tile. Such a plan
worked well on the floor of the WSU Alumni Center. It provides an
opportunity (and the inducement of immortality in that the donors' names
are inscribed for all to see in perpetuity) for everyone to participate
in the remodelling effort and builds the emotional involvment that
results in the building getting used in the future.
Anyway, that's my two cents (and worth every penny) BL
>From vision2020-request@moscow.com Wed Jul 8 06:14:06 1998
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>Date: Wed, 08 Jul 1998 06:17:31 -0700
>To: <sohns@turbonet.com>
>From: Linda Pall <lpall@moscow.com>
>Subject: Re: Old High School
>Cc: vision2020@moscow.com
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>
>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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