Bauman Hall Structural Repair and Renovation

We believe in a world where we are responsible stewards of our built resources, and our community’s wealth. Our mission is to solve environmental and economic problems by mobilizing a community to reuse its cultural assets. We do that by preserving our historic buildings, investing in what we already have, to create opportunities for entrepreneurs, artists, and creators. Reusing and restoring the places that tell the stories of the past will open us to the possibilities the future holds.Since 2015, Reclaim Community has raised over $120,000 and been awarded $148,000 in MNHS Cultural and Legacy Grants towards our rehab planning. Currently we are working on two major projects. The Jasper School received a $75,000 grant in 2020 to complete a Historic Structures Report which will give us a road map of all the necessary repairs and cost projections, with which we can use to access grants and donations to begin construction. This work is underway.
Bauman Hall, which we saved from demolition in 2018 because of its unadressed structural issue with east wall masonry and mortar failure, has had a completed $10,000 grant for a Conditions Assessment to identify its unique repair needs, including the need for an emergency shoring plan to stabilize the area that is failing. Approximately 10 large quartzite stones have recently fallen from the top of the building, which is not only a real danger to the public and our staff and volunteers, but to the survival of the building itself. We just received final approval for our $53,000 grant for architectural and construction drawings to design the needed repairs. We are awaiting the final letter which allows us to begin this project any day. The shoring and stabilization design is an urgent first step, and as soon as that document is complete, we need to have the funds ready to purchase the necessary lumber, scaffolding and supports to shore up the moving wall area immediately.

Typically our summer fundraiser events will earn between $6,000-$9,000, but due to Covid, we were unable to hold them. We are working on merchandise sales and virtual fundraisers instead right now. We estimate the costs of the materials and labor for shoring to be approximately $8,000, although we may be able to save some of the labor costs by using volunteer labor whenever possible.

Reclaim Community is preserving and rehabilitating the Jasper School and Bauman Hall, in order to increase opportunities and revitalize the local economy. The school will transform into a multi-use building that can provide affordable, unique historic loft-style residences, artist workspaces, community arts and cultural programs using the historic gymnasium/auditorium, and affordable spaces for business startup and incubation- a brewery, for example. Bauman Hall will become our office space, an arts and crafts gift shop featuring handmade items, and rental event space or possibly a community coffeeshop and library. Eventually the second floor performance hall and stage will be restored after the structural issues are resolved.
Currently we are also collaborating with Project Food Forest, another local nonprofit, in order to design a community garden space and a public edible food forest landscape installation on our large grounds area. This is planned for spring 2020.
Reclaim Community is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The group will rely on donations and volunteers to accomplish its goals, as well as collaboration with local and regional economic and arts organizations and governments, as necessary.