Healdsburg planners balk at Purity building renovation

Healdsburg planning commissioners want to explore ways to better preserve an old fruit packing warehouse in downtown Healdsburg.

The commission this week took no formal action on the fate of the Cerri property and the 1920s era warehouse, property that the city purchased five years ago to create more parking.

Some members of the community have rallied to save the structure, saying it is a symbol of Healdsburg?s architectural heritage.

The commission was being asked to decide on one of two conceptual plans, but chose neither.

The first, costing $3.8 million, would renovate the existing structure to provide public meeting space for festivals and the farmers market.

The second option, costing $1.3 million, involves demolishing the warehouse and replacing it with a multi-use shade structure that would also host events throughout the year.

The parks and recreation commission previously endorsed the demolition option.

Planning Director Rick Tooker said Wednesday that there was no support this week among planning commissioners or about a half-dozen speakers for tearing down the building. But he said the commission also did not support the current renovation plan because it would essentially rebuild the structure with some reuse of materials.

?They preferred exploring concepts that better reflect the existing historic structure,? he said.

For example, one commissioner suggested retaining the existing building so that is provides shade, but opening up the walls.

From a practical point of view, there may be little money to do anything soon with the old building, which most recently was known as Purity Products for the company that had its offices there and also stored fertilizers and pesticides.

Funding for any city work would come from the Redevelopment Agency. But the state recently decided to help balance its budget by taking redevelopment funds from local governments. In Healdsburg?s case, it stands to lose $2.8 million.

The City Council is expected to look at how to deal with the diversion of redevelopment funds at its Sept. 8 meeting. It also is expected to consider the warehouse issue sometime within the next 30 to 60 days.