The headline in a recent article in a local newspaper said, "Vestige of downtown's stately past on the block: Condo developers give up on historic Armstrong-Quinlan House; auction October 4." This house was in its glory during the 1880's. In 2001 the city spent $2.4 million moving this majestic building from downtown's Cleveland Circle to its current home in the Irvine Park neighborhood. An Herculean task! The city hoped to recoup the money from sale of condos. Priced as high as $850,000 per unit, the four-condo house attracted no takers. Despite dropping the prices, the building still stands vacant.(St. Paul Pioneer Press, September 21, 2007).
Kate, this is a heart-rending comment on our society, I think. Here a lovely building was saved, only to be put into a tenous situation once again. Here in Portland, in the news this week was a story about a new condo building in the Pearl District (an industrial area that's undergone extreme conversion to condos and lofts and shops, bars and restaurants--what you'd call tony, as in expensive). The building's condos could not attract enough buyers, so it's being converted to apartments. I'm thinking that can't be a bag thing.
ReplyDeleteAbout me, I was born in Jackson, Miss., in 1947. By the time I was three, my Daddy's job took us out in the United States. By the time he left that job seven and a half years later, we'd lived in 26 states. Once we lived for a few months in Laverne, Minnesota. Daddy built cooling towers which didn't take but maybe three months or so. We returned to Jackson in 1957; in between then and now, other than Jackson, I've lived in Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas) and Houston, Texas.
Beautiful looking building, Kate.
ReplyDeleteI agree with lynette, that if they convert it into apartments, maybe it will be a good thing.
I am guessing there are several lessons to learn from this experience.
ReplyDeleteDon't elect council people who think they know something about development or real estate.
I suppose all ciies have similar horror tales. But this one looks forelore to say the least and I wonder why no takers?
Do you know how much the apartments are now? I think American people prefer individual houses, don't they? I do too but here the prices of houses are so high that not many people can afford buying one.
ReplyDeleteThe building is great.
This one looks like something out of a movir! Way too much for me, though. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is an absolutely gorgeous building, I can't imagine how the whole building could possibly be moved from one location to another! And what a shame that it's standing empty. Perhaps it's newe location is where apartments or condos are just not in high demand.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous building.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful house but too bad about its situation. I guess sometimes it's hard to predict what will and won't sell.
ReplyDeleteThe house looks really nice, so is the problem the surrounding? It does not "fit in"? The neighbourhood is not the right one for this house? No golf course round the corner?
ReplyDeleteSad this did not workout. Had the project been attempted in Greenville's downtown it would have been considered a bargain ... Seriously.
ReplyDeleteI love this building.. watched it being moved. I would love to live in it, but can't afford that price.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful building. I hope they can find a good use for it and you don't lose it.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful house, A shame it has come to this. Hopefully it can be restored and reused again soon.
ReplyDeleteWhat a magnificent old building. I certainly wouldn't mind living there, if I could afford it.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you're feeling well enough to blog!
ReplyDeleteI think we've driven past this house: is it right next to a rather busy street and kind of out by itself? IMHO, $500k to 850k for such an apartment in there when the same amount of money (or nearly) can buy a mansion/similar near one of the lakes in MP or in the Summit/Crocus Hill areas in SP (which would include the land) seems destined for trouble, and the current housing market "crisis" doesn't help the situation any. FYI, I found a SP realtor's take on it, with some more details, including about the move here.
It's certainly beautiful, though. I'm surprised that some millionaire hasn't bought it to live in.
ReplyDeleteWay out of my income bracket though.
Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteWhat a hugh building also expensive prices for a unit, no wonder with all the money the city already spend at this building....
wonderfull to read this...:)
BTW I red also about your love for animals /Pets (wendypost) its so good to hear/red about love fr pets I LOVE my dog as much as myself and maybe even more. :)
JoAnn:)
What a grand house. I've never seen a house this big here in Stavanger.
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