City topples Krogmann house, gravels lot

By Lori EhdeThe city of Luverne Public Works Department tore down the small house on the corner of Lincoln and Cedar streets in Luverne Tuesday morning.The lot has since been graveled and will serve as a municipal parking lot for any public parking.The project is part of an anticipated Luverne Fire Hall expansion, and the property sale was negotiated by a Building Committee of the Luverne Fire Department.A purchase agreement was signed with family members of former lot owner John Krogmann on Sept. 27 and was later approved by the Luverne City Council via a budget amendment resolution at the Nov. 22 meeting.The $40,000 purchase price for the property included stipulations that
the city move the double garage to Krogmann’s farm property north of Luverne, for an additional $2,500 paid to the moving company.
Krogmann be allowed to salvage the front doors off the building before demolition.
the city pay for demolition and landfill costs. It took 12 tandem truck loads and cost about $500 in tipping fees.An architect has looked at the current structure to determine whether an expansion as tentatively planned is feasible. A new location is also being explored, but cost estimates are needed for all options.A new ladder truck has to be temporarily stored in the city’s electric department building because it doesn’t fit in the Fire Hall.The preliminary plans call for an addition to the west that would double the length of the building and bring it up to code.The addition of more bays will bring all the equipment inside one building and make everything easier to access for emergencies. The drive-through bays will mean fire department members won’t have to back out in every case.The addition of four bays leaves one open for the future growth of the department.Economic Development Director Jill Wolf is looking into grant opportunities for funding part of any Fire Hall project.Fire Chief Don Deutsch said he was pleased with the negotiation process and the end result.He said removal of the Krogmann house on that corner was necessary before any discussion of a fire hall expansion could continue.