St. Peter considers options for old fire hall

Jun. 15—ST. PETER — Out of seven proposals, the St. Peter City Council recently pared down a list of possible uses for the city's old fire hall to three.

Council members will now gather more information on brewery, brewpub and Islamic center concepts this month before deciding between the options.

The city's new fire hall project on the corner of Broadway Avenue and Sunrise Drive, nearing its finish this summer, leaves the historic hall on Mulberry Street open for future use.

Proposals came up for discussion at the City Council's June 5 workshop meeting, after the council approved a request for proposal, or RFP, process in April. The seven applicants detailed their purchase offers, planned uses for the building, potential modifications to it, and how the plans fit within the community and downtown.

Along with the brewery, brewpub and Islamic center, other proposals ranged from apartments, a combination of apartments and commercial use, an incubator for entrepreneurs and office space. Among "lots of different uses" in the proposals, said City Administrator Todd Prafke, council members are going about the process thoughtfully.

In the workshop packet, Prafke described the RFP process as providing "substantial latitude for council members to go in a number of different directions, making choices based on information that sometimes does not easily provide for an apple-to-apple comparison."

To arrive at a decision, Prafke said council members will ask the three applicants for more details in the upcoming weeks. It'll be a chance for council members to nail down specifics, parking considerations for example.

"We'd ask people to come and make a presentation, maybe five minutes, maybe 20 minutes, and then be available for questions," he said.

The St. Peter Islamic Center's proposal, submitted by center President Mohamed Abdulkadir, envisions a central location to hold religious, educational and community-engagement activities for the city's Muslim community. The community has 120 Muslim families in St. Peter and the surrounding area, according to the proposal.

The Islamic Center has been operating out of rented space on Sunrise Drive, which is "inadequate for our growing needs, and is also very isolated from the heart of our town," Abdulkadir wrote.

Along with a $300,000 purchase price, the organization intends to spend $250,000 in renovations. Modifications would include installing a signboard, bathrooms, carpets, classrooms and replacing garage doors with sheetrock walls.

The site would have space for daily prayers, Eid prayers twice per year, tutoring programs, school classes, potluck dinners and summer camps.

A brewery concept, submitted by Kurt Stoel, is dubbed Tremendous Brewing and would include a close partnership with the St. Peter Food Co-op across the street for food.

"Proximity to the Co-op yields a perfect location to tap that resource, with the Co-op being able to create a brewery specific menu offering items tailored specifically to be quickly delivered to the brewpub," Stoel wrote in the proposal.

Patrons would have the freedom to bring food from any other restaurant to the brewery as well.

Proposed modifications in the $300,000 purchase proposal include adding signage and a patio space. Seating capacity at the brewery would be about 120.

With the future opening of one brewery in St. Peter, Paddlefish Brewing, and close proximity to Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery, Tremendous Brewing would help "ignite tourism and create a regional draw for craft brewery and vineyard enthusiasts," Stoel wrote.

A third proposal, meanwhile, teams up LocAle Brewing Company with River Rock Kitchen and Baking Company for a brewpub, restaurant and event space concept.

Known as Ale & Oven, the proposal by Jim and Lauren Parejko of LocAle and Montana Rasmussen of River Rock would feature craft beer and artisan pizza on site, along with event center space open for rentals and live music.

"These two businesses have shown their ability to thrive the past five to seven years individually, and this collaboration will utilize both their strengths in coming together to build something new," they wrote in their proposal.

LocAle would maintain its Mankato location under the proposal, although due to Minnesota liquor laws, it would change from a small brewery license to a brewpub license. Brewpubs can have multiple locations, while a small brewery license only allows for one taproom.

The partners offered a $50,000 purchase price and anticipate more than $550,000 in renovations and $250,000 for equipment costs. Most of the renovations would be inside, per the proposal, including adding a commercial kitchen, more bathrooms, plumbing for fermentation and serving tanks and a new HVAC system.

Follow Brian Arola @BrianArola