Input sought on saving

George's Ballroom

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Most of the folks who met to make comments about George's Ballroom Thursday night agreed on two points: there's a viable use for the building, but is there viable funding to restore it?

A handful of New Ulm residents gathered together with the three men who comprise the George's Ballroom reuse study team as part of the team's information-gathering process.

The architect, project manager and Minnesota Historical Society representative heard ideas and memories after a full day of interviews with city officials and local business people. The team is conducting its final interviews today, after which it will go to work on a preliminary report that is expected to reach the New Ulm City Council in April.

The team will take ideas from different parts of the community and mix them with a structural inspection and a cost analysis of what it could take in order to rehabilitate the 60-year old landmark. The team's final report is due in June.

In the days since George's Ballroom was loaned to New Ulm from Brown County in order to test the developmental waters, the city has attracted at least two bidders in its campaign to locate an interested private developer. The city still has a few months left before the property passes back into Brown County's hands.

The Save George's Ballroom Committee, a local grassroots effort started by two people, has also contacted about 20 local arts and cultural groups in efforts to create some awareness.

Bob Claybaugh, a Taylors Falls architect and reuse study team member, offered a few thoughts on the condition of the building. He said the building would be an excellent candidate for what he called "adaptive reuse" and said its art deco interior and neon lights make it "a knockout."

Claybaugh's comments prompted an older woman in the crowd to say that many of the people who used to dance at George's would come back if it opened up.

"There's not a ballroom around like George's," she said.

Claybaugh said the building is structurally sound but has massive roof leaks, which have destroyed much of the interior. Despite that fact, he said George's is "a high-quality building."

"The good side to this is that getting rid of the wood and the acoustics would get rid of much of the mold problem," said John Lauber of the Minnesota Historical Society, who is also a reuse study team member.

While the team basically agreed that simply restoring the ballroom might not be a saleable idea, the size and configuration of George's Ballroom "lends itself to reuse possibilities" because of the bar and bowling alley that adjoin the main ballroom.

Several people in the audience also aired their feelings on the landmark. Bill Miller of New Ulm told the the team, "You get the feeling that because few people show up that they don't care. That's not true."

Reuse study project manager Tom Zahn said the team will share its preliminary findings with the city council on April 1 and said he expects the team's final report to be complete by June 1.