LOVELAND — The 118-year-old Loveland Feed and Grain, which faced extinction three years ago, may become the centerpiece of a downtown complex where artists could live and showcase their work.
That’s the hope of Novo Restoration, a group of residents who have invited the country’s leading nonprofit developer for the arts to Loveland to assess turning the Feed and Grain into an artist colony.
The developer, Minnesota-based Artspace, has worked on similar projects across the United States and sees the makings of a cultural focal point in the rickety, three-story building that looms over downtown.
“We certainly think the potential is strong enough to prompt us to come out and take a look,” said Teri Deaver, director of consulting on new projects for Artspace.
Artspace has developed living and working spaces for artists in Seattle, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Houston and Chicago. This would be the developer’s first venture in Colorado, Deaver said.
Artspace representatives will be in Loveland on April 28 and 29 for public meetings to discuss the idea.
Local artists will be consulted, as will government officials and potential funding sources, Deaver said. “We hope to talk to anyone with a special interest in the site and decide what’s best for the community.”
The Feed and Grain was built in 1891. But it went out of business in 2003 and began to fall apart.
It was slated for demolition in 2006, but Novo Restoration launched a successful campaign to save the building.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com.
