School Use - Mantorville, MN

I don't know a great deal about the future use of the former K-M Intermediate School in Mantorville. There is even a chance the deal might not go through because there has to be criteria met before final papers are signed in August.

One of the criteria for purchasers Kent and Carole Keller of Mantorville is that a market study must show a need for potential tenants. Part of that study is to get input from local residents. What do we see as a use for the facility?

I know that if in fact Kent and Carole do become the owners they will find a viable use for the facility that benefits the community. Their motivation is not to make a fast buck.  They would like to see a return on the investment, but I think a big factor is to generate a use that benefits the community.

In the last several years the Kasson-Mantorville area has had to deal with way too many empty buildings. There's another big one in Kasson, also a former school, sitting empty. Empty buildings are anything but a positive economic sign in a community.

If a private party is willing to stick their neck out and try to do something positive with an empty school building, the community should stand behind them. Tax breaks, city assistance as far as zoning and even public input can be a boost for the building's future. Remember this was a school property-not on city tax rolls.

School property has not exactly been a hot commodity in the K-M area the last few years. Maybe something good can come from the school closing in Mantorville. It doesn't look right sitting empty without kids on the playground on a nice spring day!

Article by: Randy Carlsen

Do you have any ideas for tenants and how they could use the building?