Friends of the Balsiger Building

Friends of the Balsiger Building Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Friends of the Balsiger Building, Landmark & historical place, Klamath Falls, OR.

02/21/2019

City of Klamath Falls just this morning in the newspaper shared they are willing to sell the Balsiger property to.....another Portland developer....for a dollar. Very disappointing they would not consider the possibility of selling to the Friends. Now the city has spent $250,000 on the purchase.....another $100,000+ on the desecration of the property. One added caveat.....the city has to tear the old garage down for approximately $500,000. Good money after bad and we still have empty promises. But.......we now have a fifty million dollar renovation on Klamath Union high school.

06/24/2016

Almost forgot to add a little information about the beams salvaged from the Balsiger Building. They were sold and will be used in a new ski lodge in Montana as I was told. Apparently they are strong enough to hold a roof up for them but not the Balsiger Building.

06/23/2016

Well, I'm back in town, work in Alaska, and had to drive by the Balsiger site. It was perfect timing too! I saw someone taking pictures around the old garage so.....had to drive over to talk to them. It was a young man and I engaged him in conversation. He works for the city and "they" have come to the conclusion the old garage will have to go. Wow! There was an earthshaking statement. The young man was very nice and we had a good conversation actually. I inquired as to when work might begin on the site and he indicated there would be nothing done until next year! OOhhhh, that's why we had to destroy the Balsiger Building this spring so plans to proceed could take place??? Additionally and interestingly the city found drums of unknown fluids in the garage, even some barrels walled in behind a sheetrocked wall. A qualified environmental waste handling company will have to come in. Ok, for the Balsiger building site... the city is trying to figure out how to fill the basement of the old White Pelican before any development. There will be soil sampling around the lot as well. So in the end the wrong building was destroyed because the city is going to now pay to have the old worthless garage demolished....to what tune $$$$ for the taxpayers to pick up. There wasn't any indication as to when if ever the "developer" was coming to Klamath to begin developing this property. I did ask.... I did see we now have a nice cyclone fence around the property. I can just feel the excitement building for that new development...... What a shame the city mayor and council chose to lie about what was going to happen and deny the ability of a group of Klamath residents the opportunity to save this one and only Egyptian building left in the country. I wish I knew what the real reasons we that the rush to destruction were. The one thing I know for sure there will be substantial costs to the city/taxpayer before any development will ever begin.

05/20/2016

Watched the April 18th council meeting again. Kevin Alexander did a great job when asked the question "why the rush" and it was certainly a poignant question. Trish asked where were you four years ago? Ah....it was owned by a private individuals then....but certainly well worth watching. Of course this testimony may have been to an empty podium.

05/19/2016

Just read on the Herald and News the letter to the editor from Marge Balsiger. Well said Marge! History will document the poor decisions of this council's concerning th Balsiger. Again, thank you Marge!

05/18/2016

Marge Balsiger and I were on hand last night for the council meeting. Was interesting on another note. The council was voting on a 60 million dollar refi of the sky lakes hospital bond....to lower the rate??? Ok...but there hadn't been any information shared about change with council members. I was happy to see one member vote no...Bill Adams...because he didn't like the lack of information ahead of schedule. I'm saying this because that is possibly what happened concerning the Balsiger. A little misinformation and wahala....let's tear it down. ?? Who knows for sure what and how it really transpired except we have nothing now.

05/15/2016

Just a reminder...tomorrow the 16th is klamath falls city council meeting...again. There will be some of the Friends there to make comment. Everyone is invited, if you would like to make your voice known about the destruction of the Balsiger there is the public comment forum ahead of the regular agenda and one can give three minutes of testimony.

Did you happen to see the headline in the H and N this morning?? "Hopes Grow For Balsiger Salvage" ....o.k. might be a l...
05/13/2016

Did you happen to see the headline in the H and N this morning?? "Hopes Grow For Balsiger Salvage" ....o.k. might be a little late! What might they salvage that is of worth? Remember Melanie...you don't know what you got till it's gone.....but we did know and were still unsuccessful at changing minds.

05/13/2016

The city council is breathing a sigh of relief... The deed is done and the klamites well soon forget and we will continue doing what we do. Except......we won't forget not let them forget. We shall remain vigilante as to the developer that is supposed to be in the wings anxiously awaiting the destruction of the Balsiger so they can start.....developing.....????

Just happened to get of work early and thought I'd go by the Balsiger and see what was happening. The crew was working o...
05/13/2016

Just happened to get of work early and thought I'd go by the Balsiger and see what was happening. The crew was working on taking the crown down. There were a lot of onlookers watching as well..waiting for the final blow. I watched as the crown was pulled backward into the building. It was sad. Many people taking pictures of an historic event. Well.....at least the city had a new parking lot at this time.

05/12/2016

Hi everyone......Hope many have had the opportunity to say goodby to the Balsiger in the way of going by, even though it is tremendously disheartening. I've had several opportunities to talk with many people observing the demo of the building. To a person they all indicated they would have much preferred to have retained the Balsiger. City officials I'm believing followed the path of....it's easier to say I'm sorry but do it anyway...in order to do what they wanted to do in the first place. Trish Seiler asked the Friends that testified at the April 18th council meeting where were we three years ago because she had been working on alternatives that long. Ahhh...it was owned privately until 10 months ago when the city bought it and they're was no indication or invitation for citizens to partner with the city regarding the building. I'm not saying there weren't the greatest minds with all the options involved but I'm thinking there may have been additional possibilities presented by other interests parties. Oh yes...The old garage on the property doesn't get demoed??? It is unusable to any new development but there it stands! Sooooo..Will the citizens get to pay for that removal too? I would have agreed to that being demolished and leaving the Balsiger. I can't wait to ask the city what and when the developer is coming down?? Should I hold my breath?

05/10/2016

Opened the Herald and News this morning and instantly was incensed. Front page news....." Salvaging Cultural Heritage " as the city and museum try to save a piece of the Balsiger. Sooooooo now it is a piece of cultural heritage???? I give credit to Todd Kepple for stepping up to try to save this, he also had voiced his opinion to save this building when his and all other supporters comments feel on deaf ears. What a headline!

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Klamath Falls, OR
97601

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(541) 882-3099

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