The historic Loveland Feed and Grain building got a 30-day extension of its life this week, but that doesn’t necessarily please those who want to save the building forever.
The Loveland Historic Preservation Committee voted Monday to give Feed and Grain supporters until April 17 to come up with a plan to save the 115-year- old structure.
A local preservation group, Novo Restoration Inc., wants to stop the planned demolition of the building and turn it into an arts complex. The group is trying to raise $400,000, including $100,000 from the city of Loveland.
But Novo can’t ask the city for funds until after the preservation commission makes a decision, said spokeswoman Erin McLaughlin.
This, she fears, will slow down the group’s efforts to raise money to buy the building.
“They (the commission) wanted to give us time to get support of the council, but we can’t get support of the council as long as they are delaying their decision,” McLaughlin said.
“It’s unfortunate,” McLaughlin said, “but we work within the parameters given us.”
Novo has raised $16,000, which impressed commission members, said commission chairman Martin Janssen.
“They have staged a remarkable grassroots effort that hopefully will spur other organizations to get involved,” Janssen said.
The owner of the downtown grain elevator, which is a designated local historic structure, wants to tear down the building to make way for apartments.
The owner, Dean Anderson, said a complete restoration of the structure would take nearly $5 million, an expense too great for him and the developer to bear.
“People are dreaming for something that in my estimation can’t happen,” Anderson said this month.
Staff writer Monte Whaley can be reached at 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com.
