Scan this QR code with your smart phone camera to be taken to the Knox County Chamber of Commerce VENMO portal to donate to the Edina Demo Fund online. Donations are also being accepted at USB in Edina.
By Echo Menges
The Knox County Chamber of Commerce continues to accept donations toward the Edina Demolition Fund. An account has been set up at USB in Edina, and a Venmo option is available for online donors.
So far, $5,000 has been donated locally to help fund the demolition and alleviate the commitment made by local business owner Randy Carlson.
Carlson stepped forward earlier this year to take ownership and liability of the buildings in order to make them eligible for the CDBG demolition funds, protect the surrounding businesses on and near the Edina Town Square, and ensure poisonous asbestos materials inside those buildings would be properly addressed. By doing so, Carlson is liable for 20 percent of the cost of what could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in demolition expenses.
The Knox County Chamber of Commerce is supporting the effort from the standpoint of public health and safety.
“If Randy hadn’t stepped up to claim ownership of these buildings, and they were to collapse, it could potentially close the entire downtown district of Edina. This is the reason the Chamber of Commerce is supporting the Edina Demolition Fund,” said Dr. Lisa Bosch, Knox County Chamber president.
“It is our intention to support the businesses in the area, and to avoid additional health and safety concerns. Also, demolition of these buildings will allow new businesses to emerge, generate revenue, and have a positive impact on the economic health of Edina, along with the county as a whole,” said Dan Niemeyer, Knox County Chamber board member.
