Prairie Skyline Foundation Inc

We propose to stabilize and protect the former Catholic Cathedral on Ash Street in Crookston from further damage from the elements.  We have completed our reuse plan for a Community Center with Art and Heart, the Young at HArt Center, and we have prepared architectural drawings for the stabilization.  The City has committed sewer and water and donated all building permits for the construction phase that is starting now! Built of 2 feet wide brick walls, vacant since 1991 the condition of the building which was stripped of all its stained glass needs attention now!  We have planned the restoration in three Phases.  Phase I is Stabilization, Phase II is Windows, Doors, HVAC, and plumbing, and Phase III includes all interior work to make art stations, stage, bathrooms, and gift shop.

First called the Skyline Project, Prairie Skyline Foundation (PSF) was formed in 1996 to transfer ownership of the empty and damaged, neo-gothic, three-spired Cathedral which once was the Diocesan Cathedral for 14 counties in northwestern Minnesota. The former Catholic Cathedral and PSF have had difficulties from the time it was vacated in 1991 up until last year when Polk County completed a demolition plan for four historic buildings. We filed a lawsuit to save the Wayne (Palace) Hotel, but lost the case. It took us awhile to recover from that.  In the last 15 years of Board Chair, Kay Hegge’s leadership, we have received several smaller grants, the hip shingles of the steeples have been repaired, printed marketing materials, we had “Artspace,” the non-profit developer for the arts come to visit Crookston, a mailing list developed, a website, blogs, a Facebook group and a Facebook page (Crookston Cathedral,) Construction architectural drawings completed and a reuse plan was developed. The reuse plan for the “Young at HArt Center, (Family Art Center”) addresses many challenges faced by the Crookston community:  A lack of arts opportunities and a center for area youth, a dwindling downtown and agricultural economic base and divisions between cultures, incomes, teenagers and their families.  Everyone loves the idea of a place for our kids of all ages to get creative while bringing in busloads of kids from schools all over who have lost their elementary art programming. People can see this vision for the Cathedral. Crookston will be the best place to raise a family with the inclusion of the Young at HArt Center in the "Icon of Crookston," the former Cathedral on Ash Street.  Please help us to move forward to a great future.