Listers-
 
This is another short update on the fight to preserve the Mapes
hotel-casino building in Reno, NV.  The city redevelopment agency/city
council met on May 4 to consider the demolition plan from OliverMcMillan
LLC.  In the week before the meeting, representatives from OliverMcMillan
and city staff held a press conference with the president of QM Resorts.
QM is a local firm that rehabilitates buildings as timeshares.  The
persons assembled announced that they were working on a new plan to save
the Mapes building by constructing.  The Truckee Meadows Heritage Trust
members announced that they were thrilled at the prospect of this
partnership.  We are still very nervous, however, as the city council is
pursuing a "dual track" plan where they are still making demolition plans
for the historic building.  IF this partnership does not solidify in 45
days in the form of a working plan, the majority of city leaders
(consistently 5-2) will vote to begin tearing the building down.
 
45 days from now, in mid-June, we still won't have the facts to know if
the National Register-listed  building could be saved.  The city's
original request for proposals was seriously flawed.  After spending $4
million to buy the property, the city staff spent a grand total of less
than $400 dollars to advertise the Request for Proposals.  Staff assembled
an RFP that referred to the "former Mapes site" that made no mention of
rehabilitation, the historic significance of the building, or even
included a photo of the architecture. They then advertised this in the
local paper and in Dodge Reports (which is free).  No attempt was made to
list it in the preservation literature.
 
The majority of city leaders still refuse to open a new RFP for
rehabilitation, as they are afraid that OliverMcMillan LLC will walk away
from their other redevelopment projects.  Their other projects include the
construction of a new theater on the riverfront and the rehabilitation of
the historic Riverside Hotel in partnership with Artspace, Inc.
 
As always, support from the preservation community is still important.
All efforts continue to save the hotel and change local laws so that these
errors never happen again.  Some information is available on the Save the
Mapes website at WWW.Mapes.com
 
The Mapes building is still under consideration by the National Trust as
one of the 11 most endangered buildings in the USA.  Robert Case is
preparing the TV program on those 11 historic sites for the National
Trust, and the Mapes footage will hopefully be included in that broadcast
during mid- to late-June.
 
The members of the Truckee Meadows Heritage Trust are writing a resource
book for other citizens and grass roots groups facing this kind of
historic preservation challenge.  Any questions, comments, advice, or
requests for other information can be directed to me. My phone number is
702-746-0916 and my email is [log in to unmask]
 
Regards,
Tim Scarlett