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<br />NATIONAL <br />TRUST <br />FOR <br />HISTORIC <br />PRESERVATION" <br /> <br />March 20, 2008 <br /> <br />Mountains/Plains <br />Office <br /> <br />Ms, Jana Tronier <br />Artists Collective Co-op and Gallery <br />1325 9th Street South <br />Fargo, ND 58103 <br /> <br />Dear Ms. Tronier: <br /> <br />It was good to speak with you about your proposal to develop the former Detention <br />Hospital in Fargo as an artist's live"work facility. Listed on the National Register of Historic <br />Places, this property is a solid, handsome structure that has become a valued <br />neighborhood landmark. With the pending transfer of ownership from the county, there is <br />an opportunity to find a new use that will preserve this historic structure, while also serving <br />community and neighborhoods needs. <br /> <br />The National Trust strongly supports adaptive use alternatives for the Detention Hospital. <br />The concept of reusing this structure for artist's lofts and studios is one that has proven to <br />work elsewhere, As you know, a number of historic properties around the country -- from <br />old schools to former warehouses and factories -- have been converted to artist's live- <br />work spaces. Organizations such as Minneapolis-based Artspace have demonstrated the <br />viability of this concept in dozens of locations in Minnesota and around the country. <br /> <br />As we discussed, there are two National Trust for Historic Preservation financial <br />assistance programs that could be considered as sources of funding for this project in <br />Fargo. One is our Preservation Fund, which provides small matching grants of from <br />$500 to $5,000 for preservation planning and education, For example, a Preservation <br />Fund grant could be used to help with the cost of an architectural assessment to <br />determine rehabilitation needs and costs associated with adapting the Detention Hospital <br />to a new use. Nonprofits or government agencies may apply for Preservation Fund <br />grants, which are awarded competitively on a 1:1 matching basis. <br /> <br />In addition, the National Trust Loan Fund is a potential source of funds to acquire and/or <br />rehabilitate structures that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These <br />loans can range up to $350,000 and may be structured as predevelopment, acquisition, <br />mini-permanent, bridge and rehabilitation financing for residential, commercial and public <br />use projects. Eligible borrowers include not-for-profit organizations, revitalization <br />organizations or real estate developers working in certified Main Street communities, local, <br />state or regional governments, and for profit developers of older and/or historic buildings. <br /> <br />Mountains/Plains Office <br />535 16th Street, Suite 750 Denver, CO 80202 <br />,303.623.1504 ,303.623.1508 <br />E mpro@nthp.org <br />Serving: CO, KS, MT, NE, ND, SD, VT & WY <br /> <br />National Office <br />1785 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 <br />,202.588.6000 ,202.588-6200 <br />E info@nthp.org <br />www.PreservationNation.org <br />