Who’s going to pay what share of a mall feasibility study will be decided by a committee, the New Ulm City Council said Tuesday.

Such a study had been requested by New Ulm Business Districts (NUBD) a month ago.

CITY MANAGER Richard Salvati told the council the city could allocate up to $5,000 this year towards a mall feasibility study. A very rough estimate of cost of such a study is $7,000 to $10,000, he said.

If the city contributes, it should be in cooperation with downtown businesses, Salvati said. He suggested a joint interview panel of councilmen and downtown businessmen to select a firm to make the feasibility study.

ARE DOWNTOWN businessmen willing to be assessed to pay for a mall if a study recommends such a thing, Councilman William Gafford asked.

Don Palmer of State Bank, speaking on behalf of NUBD, said this had only been discussed informally by the NUBD board. He said the feasibility study could include this question.

A COMMITTEE of two councilmen, one planning commission member and one or two NUBD members, plus Salvati, will recommend how much the city should pay towards such a study, and who should supply the balance of the money for the study.

The committee will also determine the scope of the study, determining, for example, attitudes of downtown businessmen towards a mall and its financing, various mall concepts available, parking.

Committee members will also interview firms interested in making the study and get firm prices for the study.

PALMER SAID he expects the study to produce a definite recommendation, not just five or six alternate proposals.

He said the study should lay the groundwork for future plans for downtown but would not mean immediate changes.

COUNCILMAN HAROLD HIPPERT said he favored a jointly-financed feasibility study but “never would I favor a mall with the present off-street parking.”

The city is to take possession of a parcel at Fourth N. and Minnesota Sept.1,1976, for use as a parking lot. The present occupant, Bode Brothers Brown County Feed Service, is contemplating relocating near the airport, Salvati said.

Salvati has also been negotiating with three property owners at Third N. and German for parking lot land.

Those negotiations are still underway.

THE $5,000 Salvati said the city could allocate would come from a $10,000 fund for consulting services. He said that money is also needed for preliminary designs for a street department garage and remodeling of city hall.

Once the new library opens the old library will be available for city hall use and the present council chambers in city hall will be available for other use. Salvati said virtually all city hall offices need remodeling.

New Ulm Daily Journal

Jan. 21, 1976