GRAND FORKS — A piece of Grand Forks history in the form of a vintage vehicle has found a new permanent home on the mezzanine floor of the Franklin-on-Forth building project under construction across from downtown City Hall.
The 1933 Franklin Olympic car was hoisted by crane on Tuesday, September 5, and placed in place as a “work of art” for the public to view and enjoy once the structure is completed, possibly in the fall of 2024. said developer John Miscavige. CEO of Northridge Construction, Grand Forks.
Miscavige said the car will be displayed “above the market forecourt” in a building specially created for this purpose.
“This is a homage to what was there originally,” said Grand Forks City Administrator Todd Ferland. “What they’re building there is really about the next 100 years of history right here in that corner of Grand Forks.”
“Northridge wanted to tie the development to the history of the original location, and the building’s name and the Franklin car were the perfect opportunity to do that,” said Brett Carlson, director of development for Northridge Construction. Told.
The new seven-story building is located on the site where the Franklin Automobile Dealership was operated by James W. Lyons for decades starting in the early 1900s. Lyons also sold other types of vehicles, but most of them were Franklins, said his grandson, John Lyons, of Grand Forks.
“It feels like the car has come home,” said Jani Vaughn of Grand Forks, granddaughter of James W. Lyons, who was present Tuesday with her brother John Lyons to place the car.
For John, a high school student in the 1960s, working on cars “was one of my hobbies,” he said. He spent several years replacing the upholstery, installing new tires, and painting it.
He took it several times to his school, the now-defunct St. James High School, and occasionally drove it at the annual Potato Bowl. After that, he said, he and his brother Jim “served and remained on a trailer at Lyons for probably 50 years.”
The car is “very unique,” says John. Franklin cars had air-cooled engines, most had water-cooled engines, but all motors were made of aluminum.
The Franklin Motor Company, based in Syracuse, New York, manufactured these vehicles from 1902 to 1934.
“It was a quality car,” John said, noting that 1933 was the last year his grandfather sold cars. Presumably, the Great Depression reduced sales of vehicles that were selling for more than other vehicles.
John said the 1933 model on display in the Franklin-on-Forth building was brought to Lyons’ business by its owner around 1962 for glass replacement. The owner didn’t want to pay for the construction, so “my dad bought it from him.”
On Tuesday, installation of the 4,800-pound 1933 Franklin into the building took just 30 to 60 minutes, but it required a great deal of planning and involvement from Northridge Construction and other companies. Miscavige said.
Sand Steel Building Company of Emerald, North Dakota, built the rig to lift the vehicles, and Wysan, a Hawley, Minn.-based precast services company, provided the crane to move the vehicles.
With the help of Northridge team members, locals helped prepare the exterior of the car for display.
Franklin-on-Forth is a “fantastic development,” Mr Miscavige said, noting his company plans to move its headquarters from the south end of the city to the building once completed.
For the Lyons brothers, selling the Lyons Auto building, which symbolizes the business they inherited from their father, James W. Lyons Jr., widely known as “Bud,” was “a very emotional decision.” Jani Vaughn said. “The car went with the building.”
The 125-year-old company, which went out of business in January 2019, started as a bicycle business, grew into a motorcycle business, eventually became a car dealership, and then a tire, gasoline, oil and glass factory. , and has grown into an auto parts business.
A few years ago, the building was sold and demolished to make way for the Franklin-on-Forth development by Miscavige and his company.
“We were optimistic that he would do something (to the car),” John Lyons said, and when he and Jani looked at the car’s placement on Tuesday, their hopes were proven. He said he was inside. Brother James Lyons of Grand Forks wasn’t able to see the milestone, but he was involved in the transition process from the beginning, Jani Vaughn said.
When completed, the Franklin-on-Forth project, which is an investment of nearly $40 million, will have two floors dedicated to commercial space for dining and offices, and 125 apartments on the remaining upper floors.
Mr Miscavige said the ground floor will boast an “urban market”.
Despite some challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the project “is a symbol of economic growth and development in our community, and that has never stopped in Grand Forks.” said Ferrand, noting that the project will help foster growth in North Force. street area.
The construction project is supported by a 20-year tax incentive from the city to promote downtown revitalization, and “has generated a lot of discussion and tremendous economic impact,” Ferrand said, adding that downtown Expressing confidence in the future of development.
Ultimately, Jani Vaughn said, “My family is very excited and looking forward to seeing this project completed.”