As the Sons of Norway building in Lanesboro, Minn., has been a vital part of the town for many years, it has been difficult for many people, both residents and frequent visitors, to see the unique and historical building looking a little run down in recent years.
Fortunately, there are those who have stepped up to do something about it and bring the building back to its grandeur.
The main part of the Sons of Norway hall was built in 1910 by the Norwegian Lutheran Church, now Bethlehem Lutheran Church, and was used as a church hall. In 1921 the kitchen was constructed and in 1952, a bathroom and storage area were added on.
In 1929 the Lanesboro Sons of Norway Heimbygda Lodge was established and on July 29, 1960, the lodge purchased the building from the Bethlehem Lutheran congregation for $3,600.
The building, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, has provided many memories as it is used for graduations, birthday and anniversary parti
es, girl scout meetings, Sons of Norway (SON) programs, Commonweal Theatre plays and so much more.
According to the fundraising campaign, the building is rented more than 60 times a year and will be even more popular after completion of the renovation.
Although the Sons of Norway is not a non-profit organization, a 501(c)(3) “Friends of Norwegian Culture”(FONC) organization has been created and approved with a goal of promoting Norwegian culture and values. The FONC can accept tax deductible donations for the SON Heimbygda Lodge building.
There are two separate projects planned, with both construction and renovation running concurrently.
For the renovation of the exterior and main part of the building, “We received grants from the Minnesota Historical Society
(MHS) by applying through the Minnesota Historical & Cultural Heritage Grant process,” says Darald Bothun, President of the Friends of Norwegian Culture (FONC) and states, “a second source of funding came from the award from the Arlin Falck Foundation for the demolition of the 1952 addition” of the building in the amount of $5,240.
“The MHS funds come from the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment. We have and will receive a total of $236,400 to do multiple projects,” states Bothun.
A few of the many items included in this project are restoration of the front columns, installing a new ADA entry ramp, installing an emergency exit door, repairing the concrete wall foundation, and correcting structural deficiencies.
Phil Dybing, FONC treasurer, explains another part of the renovation which will be very exciting, as he says, “Underneath the ceiling there is supposedly a dome ceiling that is decorative, so all this is coming out,” to restore the ceiling.
On the list of work to be done to the building, it states, “remove the infill in the cove to restore the original historic dome,” so those of us who have spent many hours in the Sons of Norway building will see something our forefathers created and appreciated for decades.
The second part of the renovation will be a kitchen remodel. “Last year, the Sons of Norway established a Kitchen Committee to evaluate the feasibility and cost to update the kitchen at the same time as the general renovation,” states Dybing.
The Kitchen Committee members, who are all Sons of Norway members, included Phil Dybing, Heidi Dybing, Laurice Kneeskern, Lynn Susag, Gordon Tindall and Val Tindall.
“The committee evaluated whether to pursue a fully certified kitchen that would allow commercial food preparation. As the hall is used primarily for events that do not involve on-site cooking, we decided not to pursue that approach, and instead provide a complete remodel that includes several aspects of a commercial kitchen,” explains Dybing.
The estimate and contingency came back at $60,000 and after the members of the Sons of Norway voted to begin a fundraising campaign, there has been a $60,000 goal set for the kitchen remodel.
“We have raised approximately $16,000 in funds and pledges so far, and plan to push hard to reach our goal of $60,000 before construction begins later this year,” states Dybing.
“In case we do not reach the entire goal by late September, we have secured bridge financing to start the project on time,” states Dybing, as it is important to have the work on the kitchen done while the building is closed for the rest of the renovation.
Construction will begin the end of September 2017 and the building will be closed through the winter “with a goal to get all the historical preservation done and the kitchen in – in time for the 2018 season,” states Dybing.
Amid all of the new work that will be done, “We are going to try to keep the charm,” says Dybing, and part of that charm is the serving windows, which will stay.
The architect for the entire project is Todd Grover of MacDonald & Mack Architects of Minneapolis, Minn.
Bothun notes that the City of Lanesboro “has been extremely supportive in all aspects of restoring the 1910 building,” which is very much appreciated.
“It’s an important facility for Lanesboro because there is a lot of family reunions, weddings, etc., and it’s a key pivot from the Sylvan Park to the downtown area with lots of traffic and it’s a heavily used facility,” states Dybing.
If you wish to give a tax deductible donation, make your check payable to “Friends of the Norwegian Culture” with “SON Building” on the memo line. Send to: Phil Dybing, 100 Woodview Ave., Lanesboro, Minn. 55949.
If you wish to give a non-tax deductible donation make your check payable to “Sons of Norway” and write “SON Building” on the memo line. Send to: Leitha Bothun, SON Treasurer, 5074 Connemara Dr. NE, Rochester, Minn. 55906.
Any donations specified for the kitchen remodel will be used only for the kitchen remodel.
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