They told Scott Knutson he was crazy.

Thursday, August 30, 2001

They told Scott Knutson he was crazy.

Why would anybody want to buy the used-up, empty building next to the post office? Why would anyone assume the burden of a neglected and outdated structure? What good could come of it?

But Knutson took a chance. And a year later, he looked anything but crazy.

The Albert Lea developer turned the former auto parts store on Newton Avenue into a clean, modern commercial building. Workers applied the crowning touch, a shiny &uot;Knutson Building&uot; sign, a few weeks ago, and suddenly people are noticing the new look, Knutson said.

&uot;I’ve had a lot of positive remarks,&uot; Knutson said. &uot;Everyone is happy that I worked on it.&uot;

The best compliment: Lots of interest from businesses who wanted to locate in the building. The first tenant moved in during November of 2000, and today only one space is still available. The building’s tenants include Commodity Marketing, Prudential Financial, Power 96 and Farmers Insurance Group.

&uot;Scott has done a top-notch job as soon as we came in here,&uot; said Sean Passingham, a representative with Prudential Financial.

Passingham said the business had security problems at its old location and was attracted to the Knutson building’s better security system and more visible location. He’s also seen more foot traffic.

&uot;With the post office and people walking by, I think that helped quite a bit,&uot; he said.

It took a year of long working days to get the building to this point.

Knutson bought the property in June of 2000. &uot;When I bought it, I was wondering what I should do with it,&uot; he said. He did know that he wanted a challenge, and the building provided just that.

He decided to bring it up to city code and make it compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Beyond that, he decided he would prepare the building to be customized for whatever businesses showed interest.

When Knutson and his crew started, there were oil spots on the floor, leftover parts racks sitting around, and most everything needed replacement in the 97-year-old building. They gutted the structure and replaced the sheet rock, floors, ceilings, electrical wiring, windows, heating, air conditioning and fire sprinklers. The crew worked all winter.

The job was expensive. Knutson had to pay to heat the building all winter, even while it was not earning him any money. Low-interest assistance from Alliant Energy and the City of Albert Lea helped, and the building is in a tax-increment financing district, which will offset some costs.

When it was time for tenants to move in, Knutson said he was flexible. Commodity Marketing needed 1,100 square feet, three offices and a conference room, so Knutson arranged a space that fit their needs. He did the same for the other tenants.

Once the basics were in place, Knutson began adding personal touches.

&uot;I’m a guy that likes attention to detail,&uot; he said. The walls of the central entry area are adorned with paintings, wooden benches provide a place to sit and another communal area has a small table with a basket of flowers. The sign out front was another personal touch. It includes a painted yellow rose, about which Knutson said he gets a lot of questions. &uot;It’s for a special friend,&uot; he said.

The project is the largest yet for Knutson, who has been renting properties in Albert Lea for nearly 20 years. He started with houses, then added duplexes, then smaller commercial property, and now the Knutson Building. His next project: The 300 building on Broadway Avenue, which is owned by a California firm. The company hired Knutson as a consultant, and he’s preparing to replace the roof and carpet as he works to attract new tenants.

While groups like Destination Albert Lea and the First Impressions Committee begin to focus on downtown as a crucial part of Albert Lea’s future, Knutson’s work has helped add to the area, he said.

&uot;(The Knutson Building) is one of the nicer-looking buildings in Albert Lea right now,&uot; he said. &uot;When I take on a project like this, where I get my property looking real nice, all the others want to get theirs looking nice as well. It encourages them.&uot;

Knutson is even considering starting a new venture, where his crews would work on beautifying the exterior of other downtown buildings. It would be a challenge, but that’s something he’s used to.

&uot;I like a challenge,&uot; he said.