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ITM awarded $500k for Administration Building

GRINNELL HERALD REGISTER • February 14, 2005

The Iowa Transportation Museum has been awarded $500,000 in federal transportation enhancement grant dollars. The announcement by the Iowa Department of Transportation, which administers the federal program for the state, was made last week.

    The dollars, which will become available later this year, are all earmarked for the restoration of the Administration Building, located diagonally across from the Grinnell Public Safety Building at the corner of Spring St. and First Ave. As was reported in the Herald-Register on Feb. 3, stabilization of the two larger buildings is essentially complete and the ITM board will now turn its attention the small building – one which ITM Director John Swanson says is in the worst shape.

    “We already know, based on the architectural studies done, that the roof needs a complete replacement,” Swanson said “Actually, what we’ll probably end up doing will be to essentially gut the building.”

    He says water damage over the last few years has done enough damage to the flooring, running clear down into the basement, that removal of the first and second floors will be necessary. The game plan for investment of the $500,000 federal dollars will probably involve clearing out the building, bracing the walls, and putting on a new roof. This will leave a weathertight shell which can be worked on as more funds become available. Swanson estimates that complete stabilization, restoration and refurbishment of that building will cost around $3 million. When it is completed, Swanson says this building will be available for functions and programming, and will also contain two seminal displays related to the complex’s past and future: one telling the Spaulding story, and another to serve as a “teaser” to give an idea of how the complete museum and restoration lab complex will develop.

    CAT grant update Last week ITM officials also met with the Vision Iowa CAT (Community Attraction and Tourism) Fund board for a first review of an application for a first review of an application for $850,000. The proposal is also focused on construction dollars aimed at advancing the rehabilitation of the Administration Building. Swanson said Vision Iowa board members expressed an interest in getting more information about the project before making any further decisions related to it. For example, Swanson says, the Vision Iowa staff was directed to tour the facility, “to get a good look at these buildings and to make sure they have a good understanding of what we’re trying to do.”

    “They also want more detail in terms of how the community plans to support the project,” he said. “That means they want to know specifically how the city of Grinnell intends to provide financial and infrastructure support, and I have to say that we’re extremely pleased that the city and the community at large and the county have demonstrated commitment to the project. That is crucial to receiving funds.”

    Swanson said another major area Vision Iowa board members were scrutinizing was fundraising. “They want to see where we’re at and see more results as far as private fundraising,” he said. “We need to be able to demonstrate that we have the capacity to raise money through sources other than grants. We need private gifts, corporate donations, and contributions from non-governmental sources.”

    He said the ITM board is currently working on two different fundraising campaigns: a “founding friends” drive as well as the initial stages of a capital campaign. Swanson says the ITM is moving as quickly as possible to address the CAT fund questions, and hopes to be on the agenda again – that board meets monthly – by April “at the latest.” Even then, Swanson says, he expects discussion and negotiations could last for several months.

    “At least we’re started, and they want to know more, and that’s important,” he said. The CAT program will be administering $12 million of state tax dollars as grant funds per year for the next six years. Swanson says that applying for grants in phases is allowable under the program. A grant to help with restoration of the Administration Building now, for example, would no preclude a distinct grant application for museum or restoration lab work at a later date. The former Administrative Building, first to be restored, will include a Welcome Center, conference facility and preliminary exhibit area.