Is the Legend's site a 'landmark'? The city will hire a consultant to find out

The Rochester City Council voted Monday to authorize a Landmark Designation Study for the former Legends/Labor Temple site in downtown Rochester, as a local activist works to build the case that the building deserves to be preserved as a historic location. 

In a 5-2 vote, council members approved a motion to hire a professional consultant to begin the study, while also extending the research period for Rochester resident Kevin Lund, who has been researching the origins of the city-owned structure at 11 4th Street SE since early February.

"This is one of the beauties of historic preservation: one could consider this an investment,” said Councilor Mark Bransford. “When it turns out that this building is as amazing as it is, and we get it all fixed up, that’s going to bring people downtown and put money into businesses’ pockets."

While Monday’s motion did pass the council, support among members for the actual preservation of the site was more sparse; remember, the council voted to end Legends’ lease in January, with the intent of demolishing the building. Some who voted in favor of the measure said the council should note how historic designation proposals could be used to set up roadblocks for the city. 

“We ought to be careful of what’s happening in this situation right now,” said Council Member Patrick Keane. “We know demolition is final, so we should be careful — but pay attention to what’s happening here. Are we being strung out, or is there something happening where we’re working towards a real end, where we can take action?”

While unable to vote on the topic, Mayor Kim Norton said the Legends historic application “felt a little like grabbing at straws,” in an effort to bring the demolition process to a standstill. (Judge Lund’s work began in early February, weeks after the city voted to end Legends’ lease.)

In the end, Molly Dennis and Nick Campion were the sole two members to vote against the motion to allow for more time, citing their own issues with the usage of historic designations — plus concerns over cost. 

The city estimates the Landmark Designation Study (done by a private consultant, not Lund) would cost $7,000, a drop in the bucket for the city’s budget, but setting a precedent that Dennis did not agree with.

“When we start giving thousands [of dollars] here, thousands there, when people disagree with the city’s decisions, I think we’re getting into a dangerous slope of wasting money,” said Dennis.

Inside his landmark application, Lund reports the building was home to the Time Theatre, and one of the first Red Owl grocery stores in the 1930s.

Restoring the lock tower

In a 7-0 move without discussion, the council also cleared the way for the proposed clock tower project to begin construction later this spring, allowing the city’s Clock and Bell Committee to form a new 501c3 non-profit to receive funds from the Rochester Area Foundation.

The meeting’s agenda packet says roughly $300,000 has been raised for the project, surpassing its original goal — although the plan is to start construction soon, in the hopes of building “excitement and momentum for more donations and support from the community.”

Once finished, Rochester’s historic clock and bell, originally constructed in 1899 and hidden from public view since 2015, will sit on the corner of 6th Street SW and South Broadway — on the property of Rochester’s Fire Station One.

Isaac Jahns is a Rochester native and a 2019 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism. He reports on politics, business and music for Med City Beat.

Cover photo: Legend’s site / file