Library Board agrees to lease space in the NMC building

• NMC building patio

The main level patio of the Nuclear Management Co. building overlooks the Lakefront Park bathhouse and the St. Croix River. There’s a public parking lot between First Street and the bathhouse.

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• Mayor addresses library questions

The Hudson Area Joint Library Board voted 6 to 1 Monday night to lease 20,000 square feet of floor space in the Nuclear Management Co. building to serve as the new home for the library.

The decision clears the way for the city of Hudson to buy the now-vacant corporate headquarters property on Vine Street between First and Second streets.

The City Council on Oct. 19 approved an agreement to purchase the property, but the $2.5 million deal was contingent upon the library agreeing to move into the NMC building. The city has until Dec. 16 to opt out of the purchase agreement without losing $100,000 in earnest money that it put down.

The library will pay a beginning rent of $120,000 a year (or $6 per square foot of floor space) under the five-year lease approved by the board.

The decision came after the board spent more than an hour reviewing the lease terms and addressing seven issues that the board’s attorney, Jeff Redmond, had raised regarding the agreement.

Town of St. Joseph representative Dan Gavin advocated for continuing negotiations with the city over the terms of the lease, but city representative Mike Hispher said the offer was a “fantastic opportunity” to expand the library.

Hipsher made the motion to approve the lease, and it was seconded by city representative Sarah Smith.

Despite his misgivings, Gavin joined Hipsher, Smith, board president Jim O’Connor of North Hudson, Dave Ostby of the town of Hudson and school representative Dan Koch in voting to approve the lease.

Marion Shaw of the town of Hudson cast the dissenting vote.

Alderperson Alan Burchill, the City Council’s representative on the library board, was absent.

See the Nov. 19 print edition of the Star-Observer for more on the story.

Tags: hudson library, local government, news, communities