Residential tenants of the Northern Warehouse Lofts in Lowertown have been adjusting to life without a working elevator since last week. Many of them are artists who base their businesses out of the six-level building and the loss of their sole elevator has left them scrambling — and it’s happening soon after repairs resolved an elevator breakdown at the Tilsner Artist Lofts next door.
Constructed in 1903 and converted to artist lofts in 1990, the Northern Warehouse building at 308 Prince St. is known as the headquarters of the St. Paul Art Collective, which has hosted annual art crawls since 1977.
The warehouse has a history with its unpredictable elevator, according to tenants. Nathan Begnaud, employee of Leather Works Minnesota, works out of the second floor, and says the elevator has been a reoccurring problem. The elevator broke down June 5, but was fixed relatively quickly before breaking down again two days later, he said. It remained out of service as of Friday afternoon.
Catherine Johnson climbs the stairs at Northern Warehouse Lofts in St. Paul’s Lowertown with her dog, Zachary, on Thursday, June 13, 2024. (Samantha Wurm / Pioneer Press)
It’s not entirely clear what is wrong with the elevator, said Catherine L. Johnson, who lives on the fifth floor and has had multiple reconstructive surgeries. Though in contact with building managers, she has received no definitive answer on when the elevator is estimated to be repaired. She said many of the tenants have been “cultural contributors” to the St. Paul community, and without a working elevator, they are unable to carry out their work.
Efforts to reach the staff of Artspace, the organization that manages the Northern Warehouse Lofts, were unsuccessful.
The elevator is up to date on inspection — the last one being in January — and, at least on paper, doesn’t appear to have any recurring deficiencies, according to a spokesperson for the city’s Department of Safety and Inspections. The modernized elevator was installed in 2008.
Another tenant said he lives on the fifth floor with his 86-year-old mother. On Monday, she had a mandatory doctor’s appointment and had no other choice but to climb up and down the five flights of stairs. Ever since, she’s been taking ibuprofen regularly to relieve her sore legs. At the end of this month, the pair plan to move, but they worry about the logistics if the elevator still isn’t working. He’s considering hiring professional movers, but understands that some movers charge extra for climbing stairs.
Marc Anderson, a local percussionist, said although it’s inconvenient, the broken elevator is just something “he has to roll with.” Anderson’s studio is on the second floor, but he’s still considering rigs to help him move instruments and has resorted to storing a sound bass and a gong in his girlfriend’s garage.
Jeff Morrison, a multi-media installation artist, said his art is composed of many large items. Since he’s on the sixth floor, he’s unable to move them. His parents, who are both in their 80s, and his sister, who’s had two knee replacements, were in town this past weekend, but weren’t able to see his studio.
Morrison said his gallery is dependent on showing his work. If the elevator is offline and he can’t move his art, then he has two options: cancel a show or hire a moving company. Both carry a financial burden, he said. Collectors of his art who may be elderly, disabled or have a lack of mobility can’t come upstairs to his studio.
The Northern Warehouse Lofts isn’t the only residential building in Lowertown that has struggled with the loss of its sole elevator. Located next door to the Northern and owned by Artspace, though managed by a separate company, the Tilsner Artist Lofts lost elevator access from May 22 through May 30. It was the latest in a long series of hiccups and breakdowns involving the building’s sole lift.
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