>> Eric: GOING TO TURN OUR ATTENTION NOW TO THE CURRENT ST. PAUL MAYOR, THE STATE OF DOWNTOWN ST. PAUL, AND ITS PROPERTIES.

EARLIER THIS WEEK THE LOWRY BUILDING WAS PUT NTO RECEIVERSHIP DUE TO NEGLECT BY THE CURRENT OWNERS, MADISON EQUITIES.

ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS REPORTER FRED MELO HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CLOSELY AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TO HIM IN JUST ABOUT A MINUTE.

BUT FIRST, MAYOR MELVIN CARTER JOINED THE CLEANUP CREW AT THE LOWRY ON WEDNESDAY ND FRED WAS THERE OF COURSE.

>> WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE, WHAT, OUR TEAM HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 8:00 IN THE MORNING.

BEEN HERE SINCE 8:00 IN THE MORNING, THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH TRUCKLOAD WE GOT OUT TODAY.

THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH TRUCKLOAD.

THIS STUFF IS ALL PILED UP.

THIS ISN'T EOPLE'S TRASH AND FURNITURE THAT LIVE HERE RIGHT NOW, THIS IS STUFF PILED UP IN THE BASEMENT.

NOBODY'S BEEN MANAGING THE BUILDING SO THE GOAL TODAY IS THE OBVIOUS FIRE HAZARD STUFF, THE STUFF THAT CAN LIGHT ON FIRE EASILY AND TORCH THE WHOLE BUILDING.

THE GUYS WHO DO THIS FOR A LIVING SAY THEY'RE THROWING AWAY THEIR CLOTHES.

>> Eric: THAT WAS FRED MELO'S VOICE TALKING TO MAYOR CARTER AND JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT THE SITUATION AT THE LOWRY AND HOW COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ARE FARING IN DOWNTOWN.

HOW ON EARTH WAS THIS ALLOWED TO GET TO THIS STATUS?

>> THAT'S HE QUESTION THAT ONE OF THE TENANTS SAID TO ME.

IT'S GREAT THE MAYOR IS HERE, WHERE WAS THE MAYOR TWO YEARS AGO, COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAD AN OFFICE IN THE LOWRY.

YOU OPEN CITY HALL AND GET TO FOURTH STREET SIDE RIGHT THERE.

GRAY DUCK TAVERN WAS A POPULAR WATERING HOLE FOR CITY FOLKS AND IN THE BUILDING AND IT'S CLOSED NOW.

JIM CRACKEREL WAS THE ANAGER, BOUGHT IT UP SEVERAL YEARS AGO, FIXED IT UP, HOPING FOR A ROOFTOP TERRACE, PUT ENERGY IN, HE WAS GOING TO DO AIRBNB, HE WAS GOING TO DO A COUPLE FLOORS FOR ECOLAB WORKERS.

THEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, IT WAS TOUGH TIMES FOR EVERYBODY.

THEY START BRINGING IN MORE AND MORE FOLKS WHO HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY HOMELESS WITHOUT SUPPORT SERVICES.

AND JUST REALLY NEGLECTING MAINTENANCE -- THE LIST GOES ON.

THEY FOUND OG FECES ON THE CARPETS IN THERE, YOU KNOW.

THOSE WASHING MACHINES YOU SAW HAVE BEEN PRIDE OPEN FOR THEIR COINS, THERE'S NO SECURITY.

BASIC THINGS MISSING, SO IT'S GONE OWNHILL REALLY FAST.

>> Cathy: MADISON EQUITIES OWNS THAT, RIGHT?

IS THAT THE GROUP THAT HAS ALL THE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOW FOR SALE BECAUSE THE PRINCIPAL OF MADISON EQUITIES DIED, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, JIM CRACKEREL DIED IN JANUARY AND HIS WIDOW ROSEMARY SAID THERE'S ABOUT TEN PROPERTIES AND IF YOU THINK OF THE NORMAN ROCKWELL VERSION OF ST. PAUL WITH THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING WITH FLASHING NUMBER ONE, THAT'S ONE OF THE OFFICE BUILDINGS, MANY MORE AROUND MEARS PARK.

SHE SAID I WANT OUT, UT ALL TEN ON THE MARKET, PARKING RAMPS, OFFICE BUILDINGS, YOU NAME IT, AND GET ME OUT OF HERE, SO THEY'RE STILL ON THE MARKET.

>> Cathy: WAS THERE SOME REASON THAT Mr. COCKEREL AND HIS ASSOCIATES -- HOW WAS THIS NOT INSPECTED?

DID HE -- WHAT HAPPENED?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THERE ARE UNITS IN THE LOWRY THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY CONDEMNED BECAUSE OF ROACH INFESTATIONS.

THE ENTIRE THIRD FLOOR IS CONDEMNED.

BUT HE MAYOR'S ATTITUDE WHEN I TALKED TO HIM THE OTHER DAY WAS WE DON'T WANT TO CONDEMN THE WHOLE BUILDING, WE DON'T WANT TO KICK 100-PLUS PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREET AT ONCE.

THE COUNTERARGUMENT IS IF YOU DON'T DO THAT NOW IF YOU HAVE TO A COUPLE MONTHS FROM NOW, NOW WE'RE IN WINTER.

THEY CANCELED THE FIRE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY BUT GIVING THEM UNTIL APRIL TO CORRECT SOME OF THOSE DEFICIENCIES.

>> Eric: WHAT DOES THE COURT ORDERED RECEIVERSHIP DO?

>> NOW THE CITY ASKS A JUDGE TO FASTTRACK A RECEIVER, THAT'S A THIRD PARTY FRAUENSHAH, THEY'RE GOING TO COLLECT THE RENTS AND, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME OF THAT MONEY AND PUT IT TOWARDS GETTING THE ELEVATOR BACK ON IF IT BREAKS DOWN.

MAYBE THAT'S A BRIGHT SPOT, LET'S HOPE.

THERE'S A LOT F PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT OUT.

THERE'S A LOT OF SECTION 8 TENANTS IN THERE SO THEY'RE GETTING FEDERAL SECTION 8 MONEY.

>> Eric: SOMEBODY'S GETTING RENT FROM SECTION 8.

>> MONEY'S COMING FROM VARIOUS RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ARE SENDING IN MONEY, MADISON EQUITIES IS GETTING A CHECK, IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT GOING INTO THE BUILDING.

>> Cathy: HOW ARE THEY GOING TO SELL THIS THING?

I THINK IT WOULD BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS POINT.

>> THEY TRIED, GOT EIGHT BIDS AND FOR WHATEVER REASON ROSEMARY SAID I DON'T WANT THESE BIDS, THEY OBVIOUSLY WEREN'T HIGH.

IT WENT TO FORECLOSURE SALE AND THERE WAS A TYPO AND NOW IT'S GOING TO BE DELAYED ND WE'RE BACK ON WEDNESDAY.

>> Eric: HAT DOES THIS DO TO THE MORALITY DOWNTOWN AND HE FOLKS IT WHO WANT TO MAKE IT BETTER AND THE FOLKS WHO LIVE THERE?

>> FRANKLY THIS IS NOT THE ONLY BUILDING IN DISTRESS.

HE'S GOING TO SELL IT AT AUCTION SEPTEMBER 9TH, THAT'S AN ONLINE AUCTION SEPTEMBER 9TH THROUGH 11TH, NOT A FORECLOSURE BUT HE'S BEEN TRYING FOR FIVE YEARS TO SELL THAT BUILDING, COMPLETELY EMPTY OF TENANTS.

TOUGH TIME FOR DOWNTOWN, THERE'S GREAT BRIGHT SPOTS, GO TO THE ORDWAY, ACROSS HE STREET TO TPT, GREAT THINGS GOING ON.

THE REAL ESTATE MARKET, ESPECIALLY THE OFFICE MARKET IS GOING TO BE REAL TOUGH FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

>> Cathy: QUICK WE HERE ABOUT GEORGE HALTIMMER, I'M WONDERING IS THERE ANY TALK IN CITY HALL NAMING SOMETHING ELSE AFTER HIM NOW THAT HE'S GONE >> HE WENT INTO HOSPICE IN 2022 AND AFTER A FEW MONTHS THEY SAID YOU FAIL, YOU FLUNK, GET OUT OF HOSPICE AND HE CAME TO LUNCH DOWNTOWN TO MEET WITH OLD ST. PAUL AND THEY SAID CAN WE NAME THE HIGHLAND BRIDGE OR FORWARD PARKWAY OR SOMETHING AND HE GOES THERE'S SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE DOING GREAT THINGS, THE LIBRARY IS ENOUGH.

THEY SAID ARE YOU GOING TO COME BACK, COME BACK TO ANOTHER LUNCH, WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK?

IF AND HE SAID YOU MEAN A RESURRECTION?

GREAT GUY, FUNNY GUY, ND VERY, VERY