In 2001, our firm did a number of feasibility studies that looked at uses, structural stability, and costs to renovate the MCD for Centra. The structual studies showed the building to be sound, the cost estimate at the time, was approximately $40 million. Centra pumped the water out of the basement, cleaned out a lot of debris, and secured the building. We worked with a structural engineer who did a report, and a contractor on pricing [[who had done renovation work on the building in the 80’s before it was closed, including a new roof)

The financial model for saving the building was finding a tenent for the tower, either office, hotel, residential or some combination like the current Book Cadillac. The tower use would financially support keeping the grand rooms below, which at the time we looked at as contemporary art museum space [[MoCAD perhaps?), Casino, event spaces, small retail, even movie theaters built behind where the train sheds were. We also located much of the salvage that was removed that could be used for reproduction of missing details.

In 2001, Centra was in discussions with the GSA and customs to move into the tower until 9/11. After that, it was looked at to be one of 3 homeland security centers in the country, but that didn’t get funded by congress. We looked at it as a casino and hotel. Then the Police were interested in moving their headquarters there. That didn’t happen because they decided to decentralize their offices for security [[again post 9/11).

I do not support demolishing this great structure. If anything, have the DEGC help Centra locate a tenent and work on financing to make it happen. A renovated MCD would go very far in moving that neighborhood forward. Maroun and centra had no intention of tearing it down back then.