Cass County officials are being asked to stop demolition of the county's old jail in Fargo, N.D. Preservationists say the jail and adjoining sheriff's residence have historic value. Some believe their true worth could be as a youth center and rehearsal hall for the growing number of young bands in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

	Some residents of Fargo, N.D. are fighting plans to tear down the old county jail. They say the building has historic value. They also say it would be a great place for a youth center. The cells and cell blocks would become rehearsal areas for bands and other artists. The cells would be soundproofed, but otherwise left intact, and artists could lock up their property when not in use. (MPR Photo/Bob Reha)

Cass County has been holding its bad guys in its jail in Fargo for almost 90 years. But when prisoners are transferred to a new jail this fall, the old facility will be torn down. County Commissioner Al Weiland says the old brownstone jail is showing its age. When he touches a wall with his shoe, bits and pieces of it crumble and fall.

"This...demonstrates the condition of the foundation," says Weiland. "If you can do that to the foundation, then you know it's not a solid foundation any more, and this is a big structure to hold up."

Weiland says that's just the beginning. The heating and cooling systems need to be replaced, and the cell blocks that house prisoners are small and overcrowded.

The buildings sit on a site needed for new courtrooms, holding cells and a maintenance shop.

"If we needed more space where would we go? You got a church there, you got a rather large condominium there...this is a law office....On the south side it's all residential, so we've got no place to go," he says.

Weiland says it's cheaper to level the buildings than to spend taxpayer dollars remodeling them.

	Cass County Commissioner Al Weiland says the county needs to tear down the jail and sheriff's residence, to build a new courthouse annex. Weiland says the walls are crumbling in some areas, as shown in this photo, and it would cost too much to replace the heating and cooling systems. (MPR Photo/Bob Reha)

"More than people's money, right now we need people to tell our elected officials, 'Hey, wait a second," says John Strand, a member of the "Save the Jail" citizen's group. Strand is publisher of a local arts paper. He says the building has value historically, but also as a home for young artists.

Strand says the old jail could be a place for young artists or musicians to rehearse and hone their skills - in sound-proofed cellblocks. He suggests using the money budgeted for demolishing the buildings as seed money for the project.

Strand says it's discouraging that a community that brags of producing musicians like Bobby Vee, Johnny Lang and Shannon Curfmann does little to help nurture young artists.

"We spend millions and millions...of dollars building big arenas for our athletic activities, but we don't even have a place for people like Johnny Lang to rehearse," he says.

Strand says the "Save the Jail" group has not explored what it would cost to operate a youth center. First, he says, it wants to save the building. He's optimistic that grant money and private donations would support the project. He says youth centers do exist in the city, but don't meet this particular need.

	Billy Delaney, 17, is the drummer in a band called, "Beef Jerks." He is active in the efforts to save the old jail, saying young musicians and artists in the community need a place to use. (MPR Photo/Bob Reha)

"But there's nothing like what we're talking about. There's nothing that will create rehearsal space and artist space for artists. There's nothing in the high schools that do this. There's nothing in any public facility that does this to my knowledge anywhere in the country. I believe what we're doing here could become a national example," Strand says.

Music is a big part of growing up in Fargo. Garage bands are commonplace. Strand estimates there are 140 such bands in town. Many of them are teenagers with no place to play or practice.

Billy Delaney is drummer for a band called "Beef Jerk." The band rehearses wherever it can. Today it's in the basement of a band member's home. Delaney, 17, realizes it's a long shot, but he wants to make music a career.

Delaney is active in efforts to save the old jail. He says even if the buildings come down, local officials need to address the issue of developing some kind of youth centers that kids will use.

"They should find out what the majority of the kids are interested in, and try and incorporate that into what they are doing...I can't imagine what they do there because nobody ever tells us anything," Delaney says.

"Save the Jail" supporters say they're looking at all possible avenues to stop demolition. County officials hope to start razing the old jail this fall.

Cass County Jail project