http://www.cityofarcata.org/departments/community-development/current-projects

The “greenest” building is the one standing…. Do you all also believe we can continue to destroy perfectly fine structures without severe environmental consequence? Have you noticed there are no Redwoods left?.. I hope the negative commenters above live to see the consequences of thoughtless development in Arcata… The community as a whole opposed the demolition for cause, great cause. Read the record, then comment.

If you use your real names, and email me you comments, I would gladly give you the public comment that was “quashed” by the powers that be in Arcata. It is seriously funny that those manipulating our open and public process would not be castigated above, while those that simply speak openly, in the community’s expressed interests are. I suspect the comments above reflect a lot of self serving interests, or people would identify themselves. The demolition discussion was to be an open public process…. don’t you all want and open, public process?

Marc Delany

You should be very proud of the organization’s commitment to building quality, lasting structures. I think the LDS presents a work ethic not so common everywhere, in their buildings. The quality of the work is superior and the brick and metal meeting house, in Arcata projects a sense of permanence, somewhat in contrast with the surrounding, all wooden community. A bit ironic it would be chosen for demolition so prematurely.

I am a specialist in “adaptive reuse” of buildings. I have had extraordinary experience with the successful renovations of many different and similar buildings. (hundreds, several churches and synagogues). I assure you, this one too can be reused…. several schools would love to gain the use, there are few similarly suitable properties most places. They have the financial ability to carry the project. The technology required is certain. What is lacking is the desire on the part of the local LDS agents, it seems, to allow any other use of the building, other than as an LDS run meetinghouse.

Asbestos cannot cause headaches. Sometime (but doubtfully) mold… which is easily fixed BTW… Most headaches from buildings heated with “forced air” (like this one) are from improper combustion producing CO… carbon monoxide (makes you sleepy too). That was likely the original problem, as there are (unusually) 7 separate furnaces in the meetinghouse….a problem also easily corrected.

This building, with its mold, asbestos, CO or other conditions can be restored to 125% of what it once was, easily. I have not been able to get to the Bishop in charge of this real estate (in SLC) direct contact information. I’m afraid the local agents do not have the skill set necessary to understand the problem and solution.

I don’t understand why the LDS management would be willing to, self reportedly, lose a million dollars to demolish a very useful, very needed structure in our community, when repairs and alterations would be far less and net a small profit.

I hope you do not mind, I am forwarding your letter to friends and our city council who would like to see the building remain a part of our community, for as long as possible. Yes, the over whelming majority of Arcata’s community voted to try to retain the building, a very few controlling the decision oppose.

We will see what we shall see.

Thank you for you expression of support for the meetinghouse. I hope you get to see it as an active and essential part of Arcata again one day.

Sincerely,

Marc Delany

On Thu, Dec 1, 2011 at 6:16 PM, Jonathan Duncan wrote:
Dear Marc,

I caught this article off of a facebook post. I attended that building from 1999-2000. I had great experiences there, and seeing the pictures posted in the Arcata Eye stirred some nostalgia. And some regret. I remember people would often complain about getting headaches during church, and there were always discussions about things like asbestos and mold.

The reason I chose to write to you is to thank you for your interest in preserving the building. I can assure you, there are plenty of LDS folks who would love to see that building preserved and even restored. Many of us encouraged local leader repeatedly to get it re-opened over the last 10 years. Each time they made any kind of concerted push, it came back to cost. The LDS Church has high standards when it comes to building code- if fixing this building could be done, I feel they would have done so. However, the small size of the local LDS community couldn’t justify the work, as a larger newer building was completed in McKinleyville when the Arcata building was shut down people could attend. I suppose the slightly tongue-in-cheek solution would be having more LDS members in Arcata. Larger numbers could justify a building there.

This preservation petition comes from a line of requests. Many of us loved that building. However, I just can’t foresee a way to have it kept. I do wish you the best in your pursuit in as much as I too would love to see that building restored. I recommend you contact the LDS Church reps, whoever they may be, and have a sit-down talk. I wish the community could support a restoration, but we both know the current financial situation in the county. In the end, you, me, and a lot of others may have come to grips with losing the building to progress.

Good luck,

Jonathan Duncan
BYU Graduate Student
Provo, Ut