Former Eagan Fire Building Sold For $500,000

EAGAN, MN — The city of Eagan announced Wednesday that it has closed on the sale of the former Fire Administration Building to Art Works Eagan. "This is a win/win for Eagan and the local arts community," Eagan Mayor Mike Maguir said in a statement.

He says taxpayers are the winners too: "While this is a straight up real estate transaction, working together, two visions are being realized," Maguire adds.

"Since 2011, it’s been the City’s goal to sell this building, and since 2015 it’s been a vision of the Eagan Forward initiative for a ‘Community Art Center.’ Credit Art Works Eagan, its volunteers and their leader, Jerri Neddermeyer, for making this purchase happen by raising funds and arranging the private financing to close this deal. There is no subsidy; no risk or burden on our taxpayers."

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The former Fire Administration Building, kitty-corner from Eagan City Hall, was never designed as a fire station, according to city officials. It was closed six years ago when the City opened the Fire Safety Center at Yankee Doodle Road and Station Trail.

The old Administration Building had garage bays intended for ambulances, not fire trucks, and it proved difficult to sell, in part, because of over $225,000 dollars in deferred maintenance, according to a news release. The Fire Admin building was actively put on the market for two years, in 2013 and 2014, but only one unqualified offer was received.

Art Works Eagan is purchasing the building at 3795 Pilot Knob Road "as is" for $500,000, a price within the current appraised values for the structure, according to city officials. The closing of the old fire admin building is just one part of a 10-year plan to reduce and consolidate the number of Fire Stations from five to three, while improving response.

Art Works Eagan (AWE) envisions a central location for a fine art gallery, studios for working artists, small performance space and a makerspace. Their overall goal is to foster community connectedness particularly with opportunities to interact with local arts organizations and working artists.

According to AWE, the facility will also be a vital location to plan programs and community efforts that further the arts. Having residents lead the way on an arts vision, versus looking to government to pay the way, is pleasing to elected officials.

“I’ve always said Eagan’s future will be defined far more by the commitment and passion of our residents than by any act of government,” Maguire concluded.

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