An endangered relic of Loveland’s farming past remains standing, but its supporters say an even tougher fight over its future looms.
The city’s Historic Preservation Commission voted last week to deny a request from the owners to raze the 115-year-old Loveland Feed and Grain building. The commission held an emergency meeting Thursday night to consider the issue after being lobbied by activists to make a decision.
The commission earlier in the week had voted to put off a vote until April.
The group’s chairman, Martin Janssen, said residents opposed to the Feed and Grain’s demolition successfully argued that the structure still had a viable future.
“This group of residents convinced us that there are people out there interested in buying this building to make other uses for it,” Janssen said.
But the Feed and Grain’s owners – Dean and Betty Anderson – say they will appeal the commission’s decision to the City Council. The Andersons have tried for at least three years to turn the building into an apartment complex.
The $5 million price tag proved too costly, however, prompting the Andersons to push for demolition to make way for apartments.
Supporters aiming to transform the building into a possible arts complex were heartened by the commission’s decision.
“They were able to see that there is some reality to this dream we have,” said resident Erin McLaughlin.
She is leading an effort to raise $400,000 to buy the building from the Andersons. So far, $25,000 has been pledged.
McLaughlin and other residents want to raise $100,000 in donations and request another $100,000 from the City Council. They will use those funds to match a possible $200,000 grant from the State Historical Fund.
But there is a snag. The earliest the City Council can take up the Andersons’ appeal is April 18, which is past the April 3 deadline to apply to the State Historical Fund for preservation dollars, McLaughlin said.
The next time McLaughlin’s group could apply to the state is October. If the group gets the funding it needs, the earliest it could buy the building is January.
In the meantime, residents are scrambling to find other revenue sources to keep the Feed and Grain intact.
“We are trying to move in a timely manner,” McLaughlin said, “but it is frustrating.”
Those wishing to donate can go to www.lovelandfeedand grain.org.
Staff writer Monte Whaley can be reached at 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com.
