The Black Building Revisited

Basement suite of Black Building now home to an escape room
I sauntered through the general public levels of Fargo's Black Building the other day. It has been a while since I visited the old digs of HCC and Bertrossa's. As of 2018, the building is going through some more renovations and restorations thanks in part to the Kilbourne Group.
The first 2 floors plus the basement collectively had been known as Elm Tree Square since before I was born I suspect (1972 to be exact). A faux Victorian style still permeates the basement area. Now missing are the fountain and a tenant for the cafeteria that Bertrossa's previously held. When on, the fountain was very noisy. One of the local escape rooms take up most of the basement suites: https://puzzledescaperooms.com/. I think also saw a psychic parlor- but that may be one of the escape room stages. A dozen years ago I did a concert here for a coffee shop that was hoping to revive its fortunes in the Elm Tree environs.
HCC rented space in the basement from around 2002 until maybe 2003. The suite was rather weird for holding meetings as the south side of the suite had a low ceiling. It made anyone who was speaking or playing look incredibly large. The pastor at the time was over 6 feet tall and would usually speak from nearly the front row of chairs. However it was a large open space that included a storage closet. I was glad when we moved out to Main Ave and got more head room.
An old lonely piano also sat in the basement. I was surprised it still was around. The piano now resides on the 2nd floor mezzanine.
On the ground level there was not much until the 2003 reno that breathed newer life into the building for a time. In the rear there was a suite from which Popcorn Bud produced his popcorn.
One of my short films- The Crippled Cougar Caper- features quite a bit of the Black Building. I made over a decade ago as an extra for the web series "Intramural Glory." You should check it out.
I wonder what Kilbourne will do with the Elm Tree Square portion. Previous owners have really not done a whole lot to drag that space out of the 1970s. Also the way the space is diced up makes it a hard sell to multiple tenants. There is just not that much exposure and not a huge draw to it downtown at least since Bertrossa's went under.  My guess is that rents must be lower. The building's exterior has tremendous appeal. 

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