Revisiting Landmark Center after the partial roof collapse

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - At 4:16 Tuesday evening Law Enforcement sprung into action after a partial roof collapse at landmark center in downtown Mankato.

Roads and sidewalks were completely closed in the area, just in case the 100 year old building deteriorated further.

The Blue Earth County Historical Society hopes this is only a transition phase for the building, one of many it has faced before.

BECHS Director Jessica Potter said “For a hundred years this building has seen a lot of things come and go out of it, but it is one of our one of our buildings that’s that’s strong and it weighs down that corner and that’s a beautiful thing.”

The building’s strength lay in its floors, as it was specifically designed to house not only people, but vehicles as well.

Starting as a Dodge dealership by the Eckman brothers, the first floor was a showroom, the second floor was a repair shop, and the third floor was for painting.

The floors had to hold the weight of all those vehicle, with a car elevator transporting them between levels.

Before Tuesday’s collapse, big plans were in the works to bring the building back to life.

Plans for development include a new fourth floor, the region’s first micro-distillery, and 33 upscale apartments costing around 12 million dollars. But for now, that’s all on hold.

Daniel Schisel the associate director of Public Safety Resources said “We have engineers with the city we have building inspectors and then it’s really the contacting the owner of the building and working with them”

The Landmark Center is now in the hands of the developers and engineers determining the building’s integrity and ultimately its future.

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