By Shannon Fiecke, Staff Writer

Local history buffs thought they might have a new owner for an
endangered house on Fourth Avenue when Habitat for Humanity decided to take a
look.

Shakopee’s Historical Preservation Advisory Commission has been
looking for a buyer for the 133-year-old house, which will be demolished by
Scott County unless someone takes the two-story brick home, which is referred
to as the Buch House.

Once the home of a prominent lumber merchant, the house is one
of 10 properties across the state targeted by the Preservation Alliance of
Minnesota this year for preservation. It is located across the street from the
county Government Center and next to a parking lot for St. Mark’s Catholic
Church,

The Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity became interested in the Buch
House after it was approached by Shakopee City Planner Mark Noble about
possibly moving and rehabbing the house for a low-income family.

The nonprofit has land-acquisition dollars earmarked for Scott
and Carver counties and was interested in purchasing the house if it made
financial sense.

Although Habitat rarely moves houses and considered the project
a long shot, the prospect of restoring a historic place was alluring.

“We were very excited and crossing our fingers,” said Habitat
spokeswoman Sharon Rolenc.

Last week, someone from Habitat toured the house, but determined
it wasn’t the right fit for the organization, whose mission is providing
affordable houses for low-income families.

Rolenc said there were two main issues with the Buch House: Size
and cost.

The house was larger than Habitat preferred for a single family,
but not large enough to be made into twin homes. That, coupled with likely
rehabilitation and moving costs, kicked it out of consideration.

There were more cons than pros, Rolenc said.

About 10 percent of Habitat homes are rehabbed properties, while
the rest are new construction.

Even though it was suggested that the county put its anticipated
demolition costs toward moving the house, Habitat still was faced with covering
the difference.

“Sadly, it’s cheaper to demolish than move,” Rolenc said.

If the Buch House had
been the right size and there was the possibility of garnering financial
support from the public, Habitat may have pursued the house.

Plan B

The local preservation commission is now back to trying to stir
up interest from private individuals.

Even without the house being listed, a few people have already
made serious inquiries into the property.

The next step likely is to put the house up for sale, said Noble,
who works with the local preservation commission. He hopes this will generate
more interest.

Because the house is government-owned, the county can’t make a
deal with one person, but must offer the property to the entire public — even
if can only get $1 for the house, said Scott County Facilities Manager Don Fehr.

Because Habitat is a nonprofit, the county anticipated being
able to donate the home to Habitat, had it wished to acquire the house.

Until recently, Buch House was being leased out by the Scott
County Community Development Agency.

The county has been purchasing houses on the block as they
become available because it plans to eventually turn the area into a parking
lot. Until that time comes, houses are rented out through the Scott County CDA.

The county decided to demolish the Buch House early because
officials didn’t think it was financially prudent to make repairs to the house,
primarily to the mechanical system, for such a short period of use.

Noble said the county would like the house moved by the first
snowfall.

The Buch House is one of 53 local places that have been
designated by Shakopee’s preservation commission as historically significant.

The commission has tried to assess the cost of relocating the
house, but has had difficulty trying to get estimates without knowing where the
house would end up. The moving cost greatly depends on factors such as the
location of the lot and whether trees must be trimmed or power lines moved to
get there.

Shannon Fiecke can be
reached at (952) 345-6679 or sfiecke@swpub.com.