ST. CLOUD -- A plan has emerged for the old St. Cloud Technical High School to become the future home of the city hall.

Mayor Dave Kleis made the announcement in the currently vacant building Friday afternoon. He says the original plan to create a multi-unit housing facility on the site with Dominium fell through, so the city has decided to move on to "plan B".

The mayor anticipates it will cost between $6 million and $9 million to renovate the 1917 building into city offices. It will be paid for in part with the sale of the current city hall and adjacent parking lot. The city has signed a letter of intent to sell the property to Inventure Properties.

The current city hall has been used by the city since 1984, but it has been falling into disrepair and they recently spent $30,000 to put up a net to keep the bricks from falling off.

There are several steps that have to take place before it becomes official, but Kleis is hoping they can start renovations by the end of this year and be moved in by the spring.

Photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
Photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
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Another phase of the plan calls for turning the remaining parts of Tech into a hockey facility with two sheets of ice. That would require state bonding money from the legislature. Kleis says a sports area downtown would create economic development for the area.

The city's current ice facility at the Municipal Athletic Complex would then have its ice removed and would be transformed into indoor spaces for things like soccer.

The city would also still want to sell the former media center with money from the sale of that building also helping to pay for the project.

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