Pueblo City Council members tour former power plant ahead of decision

Decision day is quickly approaching for Pueblo City Council: Will it save the former Black Hills power plant building or have it demolished?

Several council members toured the 94-year-old building Monday, along with an architect who expressed interest in re-purposing the facility.

“I grew up on the East Coast in Connecticut and New York area, around industrial buildings like this all over the place. That was our playground,” said Robert Kaczowka, an architect with Mesa Design in Denver.

Kaczowka believes the historic structure should stay standing. “Oh, there’s tons of potential in spaces like this because just the history behind, the location, the materials,” he said.

But Kaczowka said he wants to talk with community members first before deciding on what will become of the building.

“The next step would be to start on an initial studies of urban planning and master planning. And then the building planning,” he said.

Council President Steve Nawrocki is cautiously optimistic the building can be saved.

“In order for something to really happen we would probably need anywhere from three to six more months for the private sector to see what possibly could be done with this facility,” Nawrocki said.

When asked how much Kaczowka had planned to invest in the building, he said he was not sure.

KRDO NewsChannel 13 will let you know if Mesa Design enters into any kind of agreement with the city and Black Hills.

Black Hills wants a decision from council by Dec. 31 if it wants the building torn down.