Carriage Building - Mississippi Riverwalk Project
Rustic lIills Carriage Tours
Dubuque. IA
5076 Bennettville Road · Zwingle, Iowa 52079
February 2, 1999
To the Honorable Mayor and City Council of Dubuque,
I'm Colleen Bradley, owner and operator of the above business and writing you about a very
serious problem that threatens the existence of my business Rustic Hills Carriage Tours (a horse drawn
carriage service).
For the past few years I ha',;;;; Opeii.tcG viiI vi tiiC buiicting at lile cild vf U~C 6th Street ExtCIlSicii.
on the floodwall. Now it is my understanding the City is going to tear down part or all of this building. I
have searched the entire area for another location but can find none - ifl can't provide my unique service
out of its current location I will be forced out of business.
Before you allow this to happen I want to bring some facts to your attention.
Most Cities with this type of service receive many complaints of mistreated horses but NOT
Dubuque! I am YITLconcemed with my horses well-being - they are my friends. Over the years I have
created a comfortable set of stalls (that include automatic waterers) in which my horses can relax. I have
also installed a special ventilating system to ensure their comfort. The centra1location of this building
minimizes the distance my horses have to pull (and each day I bring in two sets of horses to allow for
plenty ofrest time).
Keeping my horses in the best condition is not only my personal requirement but also allows me
to provide Dubuque with a very presentable and well managed carriage operation. I provide my service
from April - December giving the guided, informative historic tours days and evenings.
As you may guess I'm not exactly getting wealthy from my business but I love the work and have
been able to live one of my dreams, giving quality tours to enable visitors (and Dubuquers) to discover
Dubuque's beauty and history. At the same time, I believe my horse drawn carriages as well as their well
dressed - as well informed drivers enhance the characture and atmosphere of the Ice Harbor and
downtown Dubuque.
I am requesting your help to enable me to continue providing my carriage service for years to
come by not destroying the home of my operation. In fact, you'd think with all the money being spent on
our Riverwalk Project a little attention could be paid to enhance the area from which such a unique service
is provided.
I thank you for your time.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rustic Hills Carriage Tours
Colleen Bradley - Owner
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
February 11, 1999
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Riverwalk Project - "Carriage Building"
Colleen Bradley, who runs the Rustic Hills Carriage Tours in Dubuque, has requested
the City Council construct the Mississippi Riverwalk Project without relocating her
business from its 6th Street location near the f1oodwall.
The City and the Fischer Companies are joint owners of the "carriage building" on 6th
Street which she uses for her business. Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens is
recommending that the City demolish approximately 10 feet of the "carriage building,"
and then reconstruct the building wall when the Riverwalk is constructed. Ms. Bradley
and the Fischer Companies are agreeable to this option.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
(>kif ~ iJ!1t/,-
Mtchael c. Van Milligen
MCVM/mkr
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Tim Moerman, Assistant City Manager
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
February 11, 1999
TO:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM:
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager~
SUBJECT: Riverwalk Project - "Carriage Building"
Introduction
Colleen Bradley, who runs the Rustic Hills Carriage Tours in Dubuque, has requested
the City Council construct the Mississippi Riverwalk Project without relocating her
business from its 6th Street location near the f1oodwall.
The purpose of this memo is to recommend an option to deal with the "carriage
building" on 6th Street, adjacent to the Mississippi Riverwalk Project. The small,
concrete block building in question is leased by Colleen Bradley from the Fischer
Companies for her horse-drawn carriage tours. The "carriage building" is shown on the
attached drawing.
Discussion
When the City purchased the riverfront property from the Fischer Companies for the
Riverwalk Project, we believed we acquired the "carriage building." Our initial plan was
to demolish the building and construct the Riverwalk, which would have required Ms.
Bradley to relocate her business. Staff have been in contact with Ms. Bradley over the
past several months, discussing options for the "carriage building" as the Riverwalk
Project nears construction.
Subsequently, we determined that we had in fact only acquired approximately 10 feet of
the building (as shown on the attached map). Ms. Bradley has been unable to locate
another site, and asked if we could demolish only 10 to 12 feet of the building, rebuild
the wall, and allow her to remain at this location. Corporation Counsel Barry Lindahl
and I reviewed this option with Brian Kane, attorney for the Fischer Companies. As
indicated in Mr. Kane's attached letter, the Fischer Companies is agreeable to this
proposal.
Memo to Michael C. Van Milligen
February 11, 1999
Page 2
I have discussed this proposal with Administrative Services Manager Pauline Joyce,
Acting Building Safety Manager Steve Neyens, and the project consultant, Bob Kost at
BRW, Inc. Both Steve and Bob felt that this work could be accomplished with some
additional structural support provided at the base of the new wall, where the fill would
be placed between the f100dwall and the "carriage building." Since we have budgeted
for demolition of the building, we have funds for partial demolition and reconstruction of
the west wall.
Recommendation
Ms. Bradley has requested that the City Council agree to this option of partial demolition
and reconstruction of the "carriage building," and has given her reasons for this request
in the attached letter. Staff has been able to resolve the legal and design issues that
would allow the City to proceed with this option.
I recommend that we proceed with this option, because it addresses Ms. Bradley's
needs for her tour business, and allows the City to construct the Riverwalk Project
within budget.
Attachments
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Pauline Joyce, Administrative Services Manager
Bob Kost, BRW, Inc.
Colleen Bradley, Rustic Hills Carriage Tours
Ed Nicholson, Fischer Companies
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Attachment: 1
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Brian J. Kane
Gary K. Norby
Les V. Reddick"
D. Flint Drake....
Michael J. Gau"
BradJ. Heying
Todd L. Stevenson"
KANE, NORBY & REDDICK, P.C.
ATTORNEYS
2477 J.F. KENNEDY RD., SUITE 102
DUBUQUE, IA 52002
..
All admitted in Iowa
* Also admitted in illinois
** Also admitted in Wisconsin
Phone: (319) 582-7980
Facsimile: (319) 582-5312
e-mail: knrpC@mwci.net
January 28, 1999
Mr. Barry A. Lindahl
Corporation Counsel
196 CyCare Plaza
Dubuque, IA 52001
RE: PLASTIC CENTER, INC. /RIVERWALK/CARRIAGE BUILDING - BRADLEY
t~lP1f
Dear Barry:
This letter follows-up our conference call with you and Ms.
Laura Carstens on, January 20, 1999. The "carriage building". is
that building depicted on the drawing enclosed with this letter and
highlighted in yellow. As you know, the City has acquired the
shaded portion of our client's real estate, which includes a
portion of the carriage building (presently leased by Ms. Colleen
Bradley in which she stores her carriage and stables her horses) .
As an aside, her carriage business is an attractive addition to
downtown Dubuque and it probably is in the best interests of the
City to assist her in this regard to maintain her use of this
building.
At the present time, our client leases the carriage building
on a month-to-month basis to Ms. Bradley for $140.00 a month. Our
client is also responsible for the taxes, insurance and maintenance
in connection with the building.
As we proposed during our conference call, our client proposes
that we continue to rent the carriage building and continue to
maintain it. Further, we propose that the City take down that part
of the building on the City'S property and restore the easterly
wall of the carriage building by re-building it in a fashion
similar to the existing construction, all at the City'S expense.
In the end, the goal is to have a carriage building, downsized
somewhat, but still useable by Ms. Bradley which will be solely
rented and maintained by our client in accordance with the existing
month-to-month lease terms. The City would be responsible for the
demolition or taking down of that part of the building on the
KANE, NORBY << REDDICK, P.C.
Page 2
January 28, 1999
City's property and for reconstructing an appropriate wall (and, if
necessary, roof or other structural parts of the carriage building)
in a satisfactory manner in compliance with the City's building
code to make the property useable. The parties agree to cooperate
with regard to the timing of the construction at the City's
expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City should mark or
otherwise indicate the exact part of the building you desire to
take down (consistent with the foregoing) and our client and Ms.
Bradley should agree to such designation prior to any work being
done or this agreement taking effect. .This is because all of us
need to know whether the remaining portion of the building is
sufficient for Ms. Bradley's purposes.
'-.
As an aside, our client is willing to entertain any
improvements the City may want to make to the balance of the
building to conform it to the architecture or style of the balance
of the river walk improvements (at the City's expense). This may
be a consideration the City wants to pursue given the favorable
terms our client extends to Ms. Bradley for leasing the property
and the fact that Ms. Bradley's business is an attractive addition
to downtown and tourism in the area.
If the foregoing is agreeable to you, please let us know and
confirm your agreement to the foregoing in writing. If you have
any questions, or should you desire any changes to the foregoing,
please contact us directly.
We look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, please
do not hesitate to contact us directly should you have any
questions. Thank you.
Best regards,
KANE, NORBY & REDDICK, P.C.
BY~!{
BJK:db
Enclosure
Copy To: Mr. James M. Pfohl
Mr. Ed Nicholson