Why Isn’t Duluth’s Kozy Bar Building Already Demolished?
After endless fires, a recent deadline to raise money, and years of decay, the Kozy Bar is still standing. Eric Ringsted, the former owner, is leading the charge to keep it standing for history's sake. The building is doing nothing but siphoning money, when will Duluth finally have it blulldozed?
According to the Duluth News Tribune, the city of Duluth was ordered to repair the building. Something I have trouble accepting. The repairs won't bring the bulding back, it only would make it safer. The supporters were given a chance to show they had support to save it by trying to raise $140,000 om order to repair it.
If Eric Ringsted and his supporters believe in the building, then why doesn't he become the owner again and make the necessary repairs? If there is so much support in this building then why haven't they raised the money in order to bring the building back? The supporters want to save it, but they want someone else to pay for it. Right now that someone is the taxpayer.
In my opinion, this building has become an eyesore, it doesn't serve a purpose except to hold the hearts of people for what it once was. It is dangerous, it doesn't pay any taxes. It isn't conducting business, and no one owns it.
Another fire at the Kozy Building has wrecked this building again. Maybe it's just me but it seems like this building is dead. no one wants to pay for it. It's going to collapse soon unless it's fixed and if it were to collapse on someone that would cost the city a lot of money. If this is a historic building, shouldn't we have saved it already?
Even the city of Duluth told WDIO that at least part of it has to go because it has become a "ticking time bomb." CBS3 reported the Duluth Economic Development Authority said the city could spend over $100,000 on restorations to the Kozy, why? It's only going to make it so it isn't dangerous, it's not going to bring it back. To me, the city of Duluth is being asked to pay to keep it standing and looking like trash.
Something else needs to be built there that serves the community or brings business back to Downtown Duluth. I think it's time to demolish the building and create some new history for Duluth. The restoration group failed, time to take the building down.