by Susan M.A. LarsonStaff writer
It's a somewhat melancholy note on which the Land of Lakes Choirboys is starting its next 25 years.
For the past 11 years, the Land of Lakes Choirboys has met and rehearsed in its own choir school, a small white building located on the border of Elk River and Big Lake Township. Before that, the boys met wherever they could, in schools, churches and such.
A Highway 10 overpass project is forcing the choirboys to find a new home. According to John Fitzgerald, executive director, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has notified the group it must be out of its building by April 16.
A temporary facility to rehearse in and land to build a permanent home and, eventually, a performing arts center are being sought.
"Right now we're looking at anything and everything," said Fitzgerald. "We've reviewed options in Monticello, Rogers, Ramsey, Elk River and Otsego. We'd like to stay in Elk River. We want to stay along the Highway 10/101 corridor for visibility."
The Land of Lakes Choirboys is trying to view the move as a blessing in disguise.
With 100 members in Land of Lakes' three choirs, "we're overcrowded at the place we're at, so losing it is forcing us to look at the future," Fitzgerald admitted.
The ultimate goal -- the performing arts center -- would benefit the entire community, Fitzgerald said.
"In the facility we build, we want to include a performing arts center with seating for 400ñ450 people," he said. "We'd be able to take care of a lot of the artistic needs of the community we serve and have a place ourselves to perform in. We're trying to provide meeting and performance space for community arts groups."
First things first, however.
"Our biggest problem now is finding a location," said Fitzgerald. "We keep talking to people and asking people to help us look. But so far, we don't have a solid lead in the Elk River area."
Leads so far have produced land that is too expensive or "too far out in the boonies," said Fitzgerald.
While the land isn't needed by April 16, a game plan is necessary before that date, Fitzgerald stressed. For example, finding a temporary place to rehearse, temporary office and storage space, having a land deal in the works, a timeline for constructing a choir school on the land, followed by the performing arts center.
"We don't want to regress," Fitzgerald said. "This needs to be a positive growth thing."
According to Fitzgerald, the Land of Lakes Choirboys has received an offer from MnDOT of $270,000 for its building and land.
"It sounds like a lot of money," said Fitzgerald. "But when you look at the price of land along the corridor, you can't even find land for that price."
The group is seeking eightñ10 acres of land. Fitzgerald estimates that a simple building could be constructed to suit the choirboys' rehearsal needs for $100,000ñ$200,000 plus the cost of land. The performing arts center they would like to build will cost approximately $1ñ3 million.
Anyone with suggestions can call the choir school at 263-8880 or Fitzgerald at 241-5000.
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