Nonprofit wants city-owned former Putnam Funeral home for civic center
COLDWATER — Kathy Bappert and a group of friends formed a nonprofit corporation that will ask Coldwater City Council to lease them the Putnam Funeral Home building for a year. The group plans to turn it into a community center.
When a corporation closed the funeral home several years ago, Bappert said she thought the building needed to be used. With Four Corners Park renovation nearly finished nest door, "In January, I'm driving downtown. Seeing all the work done on the Four Corners, I'm like, something has to be done with this building."
Bappert's first thought was, "Wouldn't it be fun to have like a Women's League? So the ladies could have this beautiful old mansion to meet together for tea and book groups and play cards. And so I just started calling people."
Suggested uses for the historic building grew. Darlene Starr showed a list the group put together, filling a page. Suggested were special events with speakers, candidate forums and debates, meeting spaces for clubs and organizations, educational services, book clubs, community classes, and activities for everyone of all ages.A suggestion the city run the center as part of its parks and recreation program met with little enthusiasm from city staff and leaders.
The suggestion from the group that has been meeting monthly is, "How about if we form a nonprofit? We'll run it, and you own it, and we'll lease it from you," Bappert said.
The city purchased the original Beech mansion for $1 in September 2020. It needed an immediate $41,180 roof repair. Parts of the roof stairs had to be stabilized. Other necessary repairs raised the total invested to around $85,000.
In April, city council voted 7-2 to pay STP Painting of White Pigeon $35,800 to paint the outside when it painted the historic Coldwater District Library building across the street.
Before the three-story mansion can accommodate the public, more work is needed. Bappert said, "We aren't sure of the condition of the HVAC system." The boiler was shut down. The pipes had started leaking. "We need somebody to come in and evaluate what it will it take. We're also not sure about the plumbing. We need some bathroom renovations." There is no handicapped facility.
When the heat was shut off, "Another problem is the basement. Things are very damp and moldy."Plans are to use the first floor at first. A full fire suppression system is required to open other floors for public space.
"We're working with an architect who can help us find historical renovation grants and some planning grants," Bappert said.
A major question the group wants answered is, "How much can the city help us to get in here." Ultimately "we can do a lot of fundraising," Bappert said.
The city asked for proposals from anyone interested in developing the building. This is the only one so far.
When vice mayor Randall Hazelbaker pushed to purchase the structure, he pointed out that the Putnam and library facades with the Presbyterian Church spire are part of the city's logo.
The group is cleaning up inside the building. There are plans for an open house during AppleFest on Sept. 16.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Nonprofit wants city-owned former Putnam Funeral home for civic center
