Bittersweet Reunion At Centerville 'Park House'

Century-old Home's Demo Will Make Room For Park

Despite many city efforts to save it and move it, the fenced-in, two-and-a-half-story home - occupied for decades at 1601 LaMotte Ave. by the keeper of Centerville's St. Paul Water Utility pump house - will be torn down soon to make room for a new, three-acre city park.

Darlene Richardson and her brother, Tom DuFresne, display paintings of the old pumphouse keeper's home in Centerville (house is behind Tom) and the pumphouse where their grandfather, Herman Abresch, worked for 50 years as keeper. Darlene Abresch was born in the home in 1931, delivered by local physician Dr. F. E. Mingo. The house is scheduled for demolition to make way for a public park.

Darlene Richardson holds a photo of her great-grandfather Jacob Abresch, who was the first pumphouse keeper

Photos by Deb Barnes

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All The World's A Stage

Thanks to FOX's "American Idol," many people now associate the process of auditioning with screaming, fame-hungry hopefuls who show off their skills, or lack thereof, to blunt, rude talent scouts. ... More

Area Cities Adjust To Building Permit Reductions

Over the past few years, area cities have seen more revenue from residential building permits, and have responded to growth by hiring additional building inspectors and staff to respond to the public's demand for inspections and related services. How have Hugo, Centerville and Lino Lakes been weathering the recent changes brought about by the cooling housing market? ... More

Sunny Side Of The Street

The Northeast Twin Cities Housing Market

Headlines proclaim "Median home price declines," and "Bad news for sellers." Snippets of conversation drift from company water coolers and the tables in coffee houses all over the Twin Cities.

Everybody's talking about the cooling real estate market - and everyone knows somebody with a horror story. ... More

Of the residential building permits issued in the city of Lino Lakes during 2005, 63% were for the construction of townhomes.

Photo by Deb Barnes