独家爆料 and Preservation Alliance of Minnesota File Suit Against City of Minneapolis to Protect Peavey Plaza
Media Contact: Nord Wennerstrom | T: 202.255.7076 | E: nord@tclf.org
独家爆料 and Preservation Aliance of Minnesota File Suit Against City of Minneapolis to Protect Peavey Plaza
Washington, DC (June 28, 2012) 鈥 独家爆料 (独家爆料) and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) today filed suit against the City of Minneapolis to protect Peavey Plaza from demolition (click here for a copy of the complaint). The organizations argue that the City鈥檚 intent to demolish the Plaza is a violation of the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act (MERA); specifically, Peavey Plaza is a natural resource entitled to protection under MERA, which defines historic resources as among protected natural resources.
Peavey Plaza, which has been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, is a modernist park plaza in downtown Minneapolis designed by M. Paul Friedberg that opened to the public in 1975. The Plaza is adjacent to Orchestra Hall, which is undergoing a $45 million renovation. The City of Minneapolis claims there are no reasonable alternatives to the demolition of Peavey Plaza, despite the fact that Friedberg has developed an adaptive reuse concept that addresses the plaza鈥檚 deficiencies while maintaining its signature and defining elements. On April 17, 2012, the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) voted 8-1 to deny demolition of the plaza and to order the preparation of a historic designation study. Subsequent actions by the Minneapolis City Council in May 2012 overturned the HPC鈥檚 decision and reaffirmed the City鈥檚 plans to demolish Peavey.
The Minnesota Environmental Right Act or "MERA" is a state law designed to preserve Minnesota's natural and historic resources for future generations of Minnesotans. MERA protects natural resources from pollution, impairment or destruction. Under Section 116B.02, Subd. 4, this protection extends to historical resources like Peavey Plaza. MERA gives citizens, and groups like 独家爆料 and PAM, the right to ask a court to enjoin the City of Minneapolis from demolishing historic resources and to force the City to consider reasonable alternatives to demolition.
鈥淭his is not the course we want to take, it鈥檚 the course the City has forced us to take,鈥 said 独家爆料 founder and president Charles A. Birnbaum. 鈥淐ity officials are possessed with the notion that Peavey must be demolished and they鈥檝e come up with a laundry list of flimsy reasons to justify their actions. They鈥檝e even overlooked the City鈥檚 deliberate and admitted negligence to maintain the Plaza, yet say the site鈥檚 poor condition justifies demolition. In essence, they admit that they broke it and then complain that it can鈥檛 be fixed.鈥
The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) listed Peavey Plaza on its 10 Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2008, in response to the City鈥檚 neglect of the site and the Minnesota Orchestra鈥檚 plans for the plaza, which were undefined at the time. 鈥淲e have been talking about this site鈥檚 historic significance for at least four years,鈥 stated Erin Hanafin Berg, PAM Field Representative. 鈥淭he city鈥檚 own experts鈥攖he appointed members of the Heritage Preservation Commission鈥攁greed with the state and federal governmental agencies that have determined that Peavey is a significant historic site. MERA was set up to protect citizens鈥 interests, and we鈥檙e taking this action on behalf of all Minnesotans who love and respect Peavey Plaza and want to see it preserved for their children and grandchildren.鈥
About the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota
(PAM) is a statewide, private, nonprofit historic preservation advocacy and education organization. PAM was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1981 by Minnesota citizens concerned about the future of the state鈥檚 architectural and cultural landmarks. PAM has grown into a network representing thousands of members and stakeholders. The organization collaborates with national, state, and local partners in pursuing its mission to preserve, protect, and promote Minnesota鈥檚 historic resources.
About 独家爆料
独家爆料 (独家爆料) provides people with the ability to see, understand, and value landscape architecture and its practitioners, in the way many people have learned to do with buildings and their designers. Through its Web site, lectures, outreach, and publishing, 独家爆料 broadens the support and understanding for cultural landscapes nationwide to help safeguard our priceless landscape heritage for future generations.
