Caledonia, Minnesota
Collaborative Design Group completed an assessment of the County Courthouse, documenting the condition of the historic building’s envelope and roof. After completion of the report, CDG was selected to complete construction documents and administration for the restoration of the Courthouse’s masonry and to complete a reuse study for the adjacent 1875 jail building. While the Courthouse has been occupied continuously since its construction in 1883, the jail has not experienced the same consistent usage and the County wanted to understand the best use for the building moving forward.
The reuse team completed a market assessment and community engagement process to establish guiding principles for the report. The team reviewed demographics and market overview and imagined potential reuse options: lodging, a museum, library, County offices, specialty retail, and a brewery or restaurant. Based on the research, the study focused on three alternatives and analyzed design, capital investment, potential funding sources, and pro forma financial projections to guide decision-making. The report discusses the feasibility of each scenario and provides conceptual floor plans and case studies of similar successes from around the region.
