Demolition of Minnesota hotel stirs debate

Steps are being taken to demolish a hotel building in Duluth, Minnesota, that was believed to have been built more than 100 years ago, around 1910.

According to Duluth-based Fox21-TV, several people at a recent public meeting expressed hope the former Hotel Astoria could be preserved.

Last year, the current owners of the building cited “immense deterioration” in their application for a permit to demolish the former hotel. The owners also asked three tenants to leave and relocate at that time, according to Fox21.

“The owners say the building has been in decline for decades and that an estimated $2.4 million would be needed to restore it,” Fox21 says.

A different Duluth business owner speaking in favor of preserving the building asked the Duluth government to “slow down on this and really take a look on the historical vibe that’s going to be just gutted,” according to Fox21.

The report says the former hotel’s owners did not present a redevelopment plan for the parcel if the old structure is taken down. The debate and lack of a plan caused the city’s government to postpone a yes or no decision on the demolition process until after another hearing in July.