The Alan Kurth building on Burdick Expressway has officially been sold to Duane Brekke, the owner of Electraped, an electric bicycle company that was leasing space in the building before the sale.
According to Alan Kurth, the former owner of the building, the sale was official on Tuesday.
Brekke said he had originally intended to only be in the building on a temporary basis, but he changed his mind after the smashing success of his new company.
A story published in the Dec. 4 edition of The Minot Daily News last year stated the Souris River Botanical Conservatory had purchased the property and planned to use it to house Don Vitko's cactus and succulent collection, among other things. This turned out to be premature.
Brekke also noted that a sale he is currently having only applies to a few of the electric bicycle models that will be discontinued, and has nothing to do with speculation the building had been sold to someone else, thus forcing him to clear out his inventory.
Kurth said talks regarding the building had been going back and forth for the past two years, but no deal was ever finalized.
He said he does wish a deal could have been made with the Minot Park District because of the building's location across Burdick Expressway from Roosevelt Park Zoo and Roosevelt Park. Kurth said he worked with the park district in the past to help out with overflow
parking for large events such as Fourth of July celebrations.
"I am disappointed that the park district didn't buy it," Kurth said, "because it is 2.5 acres right across from the park."
Kurth didn't want to speculate on why a deal couldn't be finalized with the conservatory when they thought they were so close, but did note that he is very confident Brekke will make a fine owner for the property.
"Brekke will be a good custodian of the property," Kurth said.
Mike Nilson, who co-chairs the conservatory's campaign executive committee, said financing had nothing to do with the conservatory's failed attempt to buy the property.
"Apparently Alan Kurth got a better offer," Nilson said. "We're disappointed. It's one of those things, I guess."
In the earlier story, conservatory officials said they were going to pay around $300,000 for the property. Kurth said it was listed at $400,000.
Kurth said his last signed offer from the conservatory ran out on Aug. 31 of last year, and he took the first offer after that date that could be finalized. He reiterated his wish that something could have been worked out with the park district, as well as his concerns about keeping the Don Vitko collection in Minot.
As for the conservatory's next move, Nilson said he's not sure what will happen next. A meeting was held Wednesday night to discuss the conservatory's options for a new location, but at the moment, things are up in the air.
"Right now we're kind of on hold," Nilson said.
Asked about concerns the Vitko collection might be moved to another city if a permanent home can't be found soon in Minot, Nilson said he simply didn't know, as he hadn't yet talked to Vitko about it.
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