From: Bob Frame Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 10:43 PM To: Dermody, Bill (CI-StPaul) Subject: Historic Stone Saloon - Historic Use Variance - City Council - Sept. 16, 2015 Bill Dermody City Planner Dear Mr. Dermody, I am writing to state my strong support for the Historic Use Variance for the historic Stone Saloon at 445 North Smith Ave. I have several significant connections with this project. * I am the owner and resident of 178 Goodrich Ave., the Schillinger-Brings House, one of the five historic limestone buildings recently designed as local HPC sites, which also includes the historic Stone Saloon. * I am a close neighbor of the Stone Saloon, living about a block and a half away. * I am a professional historian, employed by a national engineering company in their Cultural Resources Department. I work with projects and structures like the historic Stone Saloon every day. * I served for 15 years as a commissioner on the St. Paul HPC, including three years as chair. I am also a past executive director of the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota. As a close neighbor to the historic Stone Saloon, I believe that this project will do what the best historic preservation projects should do – be an asset to the neighborhood and to the city and foster economic development. The name “saloon” is used in the best historical sense here, since this project will demonstrate living history from the 1850s while providing a period consumable product. That historic use will make the project self-sustaining, one of the most difficult goals to achieve with a preserved historic property. I have been a resident of this block for 35 years. For most of those years I walked past 445 Smith and wondered how this historic building could be preserved and made viable. How could it avoid demolition, since it looked unattractive and unappealing in its unrestored condition? Using his personal resources, bolstered by the enthusiastic support of many neighbors, including me, Tom Schroeder has done what once seemed impossible. He has preserved, restored, and given new life to a very deserving and very significant St. Paul building. A potential liability has become a city asset. I urge the City Council to help Tom Schroeder carry this admirable neighborhood project successfully into the future. Thank you, Bob Frame 178 Goodrich Avenue Saint Paul MN 55102 763-370-1803