News

Rubble trouble—Brewery foundation barrels ahead

POTOSI, Wis. - Taking a quick glance inside the abandoned Potosi Brewery building, one imagines a shell-shattered structure in Eastern Europe. Rubble fills the interior. The walls and what remains of the ceiling are scaly with peeling paint.

However, Potosi Village President Frank Fiorenza and others believe there's a masterpiece to be developed in the rubble.

A non-profit corporation, the Potosi Brewery Foundation, was formed recently and a board of directors and officers elected, The foundation's mission is formidable. It hopes to "restore a historic landmark, the Potosi Brewery site, and to reconnect the community to a part of its cultural heritage."

The restoration project carries a price tag estimated at between $1 million and $5 million.

Board member Gary David said the foundation hopes to raise $100,000 annually during the next three years to stop the deterioration. He noted that donations are tax-deductible and any profit goes back to the building. An account has been set up at the F&M Bank in Potosi. Miller Brewing Co. has come on board as a contributor. Numerous grants are available for matching funds.

Much of the building's damage is cosmetic, Fiorenza pointed out. "The structure is sound, all of the floors are reinforced with concrete and steel. It's the roof that needs replacing. Right now, that's our No. 1 focus — to protect what's underneath and keep the elements out."

Fiorenza recalled his initial reaction when he saw the building's interior: shock. "But it's about reconstruction and having a vision."

The building, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, was built in the mid-1800s and made beer until 1972. During its heyday, the brewery was Potosi's largest employer and the Potosi brand was well-known.

Foundation secretary/treasurer Sharon Bierman recalled how the "community watched in horror" at the building's deterioration. "But nobody knew what to do."

Five men, including David, a Galena, Ill., woodworking artist, bought the property at auction more than a year ago. Grant County auctioned the property to pay for back taxes.

"We've chugged along," David said, "doing some cleanup, getting funds together and deciding on a plan."

David and others said they hope the site can be self-sustaining and restored for limited commercial development. Its use as a tourist attraction of historic interest also is being touted.

David said he believes that when restored, the structure, built to industrial standards, could house a bed-and-breakfast establishment with a business on the main level.

David added that the foundation has assembled a talented group of individuals, including Galena based preservation architect Adam Johnson, to spearhead the project. The group, Fiorenza added, offers "a certain kind of professional skill" to the effort.

Advisory/work groups were formed in three categories: Development and Construction; Finance; and Promotion and Marketing. Public involvement on any of the groups is encouraged.

"What's really heartening to me is that people in Potosi ask what they can do to help and offer their services," David said.

Fiorenza cited the project's importance to the community. "It keeps the community vibrant. It will bring traffic here. Other commercial establishments can feed off the brewery as a tourist attraction."

The foundation's next scheduled meeting is May 17, at the old Potosi bottling plant across from the brewery on South Main Street. The public is invited to attend.

©2000 Telegraph Herald