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Post office building is step to reviving town

Staff writer

Since 2003, the building on Main Street in Tampa that used to house the post office, Woody’s Barber Shop, Klein Café, and Koch Grocery has been vacant, left to deteriorate.

The post office was the last to leave. Mold, and not a lack of mail, forced the office to close. The Chicago real estate company that owned the building never made any move to remove the mold or repair damage.

Farmer David Mueller was one of the Tampa residents who were disgusted that nothing was being done. He decided in June to buy the property using personal loans acquired from Tampa State Bank and restore the 4,000-square-foot Tampa icon to its original glory.

“It’s been there my entire life,” Mueller said. “The next alternative was complete demolition and then Main Street is gone.”

Tied up in bureaucracy — a legal issue with the out-of-state company — Mueller was not able to achieve consignment until December.

When the building was officially his, Mueller witnessed the extensive damage.

Mueller said, “The roof was completely gone in the back quarter of the building and the floor was rotted in the same section. The remainder of the building leaked from the roof. At this point, the building has no value.”

Mueller remained determined, despite the fact that the project could quickly become a money pit.

“It’s not a money-making project,” he said.

Mueller worked quickly. He removed pieces of the tin roof himself in December. Employing Jantz Construction and Dalke Excavating, Mueller had the building demolished. The only piece remaining is the historic front façade, which is setting lonely, propped up by pieces of lumber. Using professionals, to avoid damaging the firehouse next door or the façade, Mueller is hoping to have the former post office rebuilt by fall.

“It’s moving fast,” Mueller said.

Although the top priority is completing construction, Mueller is hoping to rent the building for four purposes. He wants a salon or barbershop to fill one storefront and a small convenience store to fill the other. The back area of the building will be used for smaller meetings as a secondary option to the Tampa Community Center.

“The final 1,000 square feet is still available to someone with an idea,” Mueller said.

While he said the city was hoping “someone” would step up to take care of the post office building, Mueller expects a group of “someones” will step up again and fill the new building with new businesses.

“There are so many people that dedicate their time, who do fundraisers and work concession stands, and work on the park,” Mueller said. “I’m not one to be there every night at the concession stand. This is my way to contribute. There are a multitude of dedicated people out there in this community.”

Mueller also hopes that new businesses will strengthen the four anchors of the Tampa Community: Agri-producers, Tampa State Bank, Cardie Oil, and Tampa Café.

“Businesses help each other,” he said. “People come into town to get gas and they stop to do several things.”

The revitalization of the post office building is not Mueller’s only Tampa development. He recently purchased a former gas station from Tampa residents Tom and Lori Moldenhauer.

“My hope is to act on their vision of restoring it to the appearance of the 1950s station,” Mueller said. “Unforeseen circumstances prevented them from acting on that dream. Local owners like the Moldenhauers are a delight to deal with.”

It used to be Klein and Son Oil in the 1950s, but it has not been active since Mueller has been alive. Mueller plans to transform the squat building into a small museum, displaying Tampa memorabilia and collectables.

Mueller plans to work on the former gas station himself, including a new roof and new windows.

There are other Tampa projects ready to start this summer. The county is preparing to pave 330th Raod to connect K-15 to Tampa with a paved road. The city has also received a grant to add to their park and to fix up the community center.

In the research for the park grant, Mueller and Tampa organizers discovered that there are 91 children living within six miles of the city. It’s Mueller’s goal to try to bring more young families to town.

“Tampa could become a booming town again,” Mayor Tim Svoboda said.

Last modified March 23, 2011

 

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