“South House” Demolished After Two Decades of Debate in Jordan
By Nathan Peabody and Mike Franklin
The saga of Jordan’s long-vacant and controversial “South House” has officially come to an end. On Tuesday, April 29, the century-old Victorian structure at 419 Broadway Street South was demolished by order of the City of Jordan after years of code violations, failed redevelopment plans, and mounting safety concerns. Below is a timeline of developments from 2002 to today sourced from City of Jordan records, historic media reports, and commentary from social media.
2002 – Relocation to Broadway Street (Old Brewery Site)
The century-old Victorian house was moved to 419 Broadway Street South in 2002 by Gail Andersen, a local business owner and Jordan’s mayor. The house was originally built in the late 19th century by Mary Nicolin and Frank Leonard. It stood across the street from Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church for over 100 years. At the time of the move Andersen owned the adjacent historic brewery property and needed extra space – she relocated the house to use it as storage for antiques. The City of Jordan agreed to this move on a temporary basis: the understanding was that the structure would eventually be brought up to code by connecting it to city water and sewer utilities. At the time of the move, the house was simply placed on a new foundation without utility hookups.
Andersen lived in the Nicolin Mansion and completed some renovation to the home before moving it, but after the move it was never connected to water or sewer lines keeping it inhabitable. For years after 2002, the building sat vacant, essentially serving as a storage shed on the brewery grounds rather than a home.
2011 – Inherited by Barb Kochlin
Gail Andersen owned the brewery complex and the house until 2011, when her granddaughter Barb Kochlin acquired the properties. Kochlin, a real estate investor and property manager, now found herself responsible for the vacant “South House.” Over the next several years, the house remained empty and without utilities as its upkeep became increasingly challenging. Kochlin intended to turn the house into a multi-family residence but faced parking challenges and the need to provide direct access to Hwy 21.
Starting in 2017, city staff and the council began raising questions about the house’s future. Kochlin had multiple conversations with the city between 2017 and 2019 about what to do – including potentially selling it, moving it off-site again, or demolishing it to clear the lot. The property’s status became a frequent topic at City Council meetings, as the vacant house was deemed an eyesore in the downtown area. (It was even informally dubbed “the house on the hill” or the “free house” in local chatter, reflecting its idle presence.) Kochlin later noted her frustration, saying “The city says it’s ugly. I say it’s historic.” – highlighting a growing tension between her desire to preserve the old home and the city’s desire to address what it saw as blight.
2019 – “Free House” Offer, City Ultimatum, and Sale to a New Owner
In early 2019, the Jordan City Council’s patience ran out. The Council gave Kochlin a firm 90-day deadline to take action on the long-vacant house. Essentially, by that summer she needed to “sell it, renovate it, move it or demolish it”. City officials were pressing for a resolution because the structure had sat unfinished for roughly 17 years. This ultimatum came amid council meeting discussions that the house was neglectfully vacant and violating code expectations. The city made clear that if Kochlin did nothing, they would consider condemnation or require removal.
Facing the deadline, Kochlin made a final effort to save the house from demolition. She listed the Victorian home for sale, asking as little as $5,000 and even advertised it as “FREE” to anyone willing to relocate it off the property. In the spring of 2019 she put a sign in front of the house reading “Free House – Must Be Moved,” and posted the offer on Craigslist and social media. The story caught media attention: Many local papers including the Star Tribune and and even the British Daily Mail ran pieces on the “free historic house” in Jordan, noting the only catch was the new owner had to pay to move it. Kochlin explained that moving the large, four-bedroom house could cost tens of thousands of dollars, and that fixing it up would likely cost over $150,000 in renovations. A few interested parties did come forward, but ultimately no one took on the challenge of moving and restoring the house in the short timeframe Kochlin had.
With no viable takers to move the structure and the city’s deadline looming, Kochlin opted to sell the property outright. In June 2019, she reached an agreement to sell 419 Broadway St. S (including the house as-is) to Joshua Colonna in July 2019. Colonna, a developer with Red Brick LLC/Colonna Acquisitions appeared before the City Council and expressed his intent to renovate the building and bring it into compliance with city codes. It looked like things were back on track for the South House as Colonna, a Air Force Reserve member who was being deployed with his reserve unit, told the council he intended to repair the home's roof and clean up the property before deployment.
2020–2021 – Renovation Plans Stall and Code Violations
Through late 2019 and 2020, the property remained largely untouched and still uninhabitable. By January 2021, Colonna proposed to City staff to convert the structure into a mixed-use building – with an office space on the first floor and one or more apartment units on the second floor. This plan aimed to make the project financially viable by creating income-generating units, but it also meant significant upgrades were needed (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc.) and that zoning rules (in a commercial district) would come into play.
In March 2021, Jordan’s Planning Department sent Colonna a detailed project letter outlining everything required to bring the house up to code under his proposed office/residential plan. The letter covered planning and zoning processes, such as the need for a formal site plan review to add parking on the lot and a Conditional Use Permit to allow residential units in the commercial district. It also listed building code requirements: such as connecting the house to city water and sewer. The City’s building inspector and engineer raised specific concerns, including a rotting roof and water intrusion issues that would need repair, and uncertainty about whether the foundation was sound since it had never been officially signed off in 2002. The owner was also informed that architectural and engineering plans would be required for any structural or mechanical work. In short, the city laid out an extensive to-do list to transform the long-neglected house into a legal office/apartment building.
Colonna never formally responded to the city’s March 2021 project letter or submitted any permits after that guidance. The project appeared to stall. Meanwhile, the house’s condition continued to be a concern. Windows were broken, leaving it open to the elements and trespassers. In May 2021, Jordan’s code enforcement officer sent a violation letter to Colonna regarding the broken windows and other blight issues. The letter gave the owner a deadline (June 12, 2021) to replace or repair the damaged windows, citing the city’s public nuisance ordinance.
The June deadline expired on June 12th with no action taken by Colonna to fix the windows or secure the building. The city staff reported they had received no communication from the owner in response. By this time, the once-hopeful renovation plan had fallen through. Notably, around this same time the property was quietly listed for sale again – an indication that Colonna had given up on the project. The house remained an unsecured vacant structure, and the City Council’s updates in summer 2021 reflect growing frustration that yet another owner was failing to rehab the property. Council members openly discussed next steps since the building was still not code-compliant.
2022 – New Owners and Continued Neglect
By late 2021, the property was acquired by Dyllan William Tolzmann, a name that appears in later city records as the owner of record. It’s unclear from public documents whether this transfer was a private sale or other arrangement, as no price is listed in the Scott County Property Information. Regardless, by 2022 Tolzmann was the one responsible for the house. Unfortunately, this ownership change did not result in improvements to the building – the house remained vacant, unrepaired, and unoccupied as it had been for two decades. City officials continued to receive complaints from neighbors about the site’s appearance and safety. The grounds were overgrown, and the previously broken window remained an open entry point into the house, raising concerns about vagrants or curious teenagers getting inside. In City Hall, the consensus was growing that the “South House” was beyond saving in its current state.
Throughout 2022, Jordan’s building inspectors kept an eye on the property. The city’s Public Works and Police also occasionally checked that the house was secured. There were reports of small animals getting into the house and minor incidents (like scattered debris blowing out of the open areas). No major incidents (e.g. fire or structural collapse) occurred in 2022, but the potential for such problems contributed to the city’s mounting concern that the building was a hazard. On social media, local residents periodically commented on the situation – posts in Jordan community Facebook groups lamented that “that old house on Broadway still hasn’t been fixed”. Some residents urged the city to take it down “before someone gets hurt”, while history-minded folks hoped someone would yet step up to restore the unique Victorian structure. The fate of the South House remained a frequent talking point in town.
2023 – House Declared “Hazardous” and Unfit
In May 2023, after observing no improvement to the property, the City of Jordan took a decisive step. The City Building Official conducted a thorough inspection of the house at 419 Broadway. This inspection documented the extent of decay: a rotted, leaking roof, water damage throughout (due to years of rain infiltration), unstable front steps, and a sagging porch. Inside, there was debris strewn about and signs of prolonged moisture problems (mold, warped flooring). Critically, the inspector noted structural concerns – for example, parts of the foundation and support beams were suspect, possibly never properly secured when the house was moved in 2002. Following this evaluation, in May 2023 the building was officially declared “hazardous and unsafe” by the City’s Building Official. Under Minnesota law, a “hazardous building” is one that endangers health, safety, or welfare due to dilapidation or code non-compliance, and this house now clearly met that definition in the city’s eyes.
The inspector’s report (later used as evidence) found that the house was structurally unsound and unfit for habitation. It highlighted the lack of utilities and the fact that the home had been vacant for over 20 years. Additionally, security issues were noted: the inspection found signs that people had been entering the building – footprints and trash inside suggested that trespassers were getting in through the broken rear window. This raised safety alarms, as an abandoned house in unsafe condition can attract accidents or unlawful activity. Photographs taken in May 2023 by the city showed the broken window, interior damage, and general disrepair.
After the May 2023 hazardous building determination, Jordan city staff attempted to contact Tolzmann and inform him of the urgent code violations. However, records indicate there was little to no response from the owner at this stage. This lack of action set the stage for the city to take legal action. By late 2023, the consensus was that the only viable path forward was for the city to condemn the building and proceed with demolition if the owner wouldn’t or couldn’t fix it.
2024 – Condemnation and Demolition Proceedings
On July 17, 2024, after months of procedure, the Jordan City Council passed Resolution No. 07-56-2024 declaring the building at 419 Broadway St. S a hazardous structure and ordering remedial action. In this formal resolution, the Council recounted the history: the house was moved onto the lot in 2002 and never properly connected to utilities or approved; it has stood vacant ever since, with worsening deterioration. The resolution detailed the building’s dilapidated conditions – including a “rotted roof, failing stairs, [a] dilapidated shed, chronic water issues from the roof and attic, and debris throughout the house”. It also cited the May 2023 inspection that deemed the house unsafe, noting that the condition had not improved since then. Based on these findings, the Council officially found that the structure constituted a “Hazardous Building” under Minnesota law. The resolution effectively meant the city would move to abate the hazard – i.e., have the house either repaired or demolished.
Following the resolution, the city initiated legal steps to enforce removal of the building. In Minnesota, a city typically must get a court order to demolish a structure if the owner doesn’t voluntarily comply. Jordan city officials, through the City Attorney, filed documents in Scott County District Court in mid-2024 seeking a judgment to allow the city to raze the building at 419 Broadway. Notices were drafted to inform Dyllan Tolzmann (the owner of record) of the action. When direct service of these notices proved difficult (it’s not clear if the owner was unresponsive or hard to locate), the city resorted to publishing the legal notice in the local newspaper. Throughout August and September 2024, a public notice ran in the Jordan-area legal newspaper (the Henderson Independent) summarizing Resolution 07-56-2024 and notifying interested parties of the pending hazardous building action. This notice reiterated that the house had been declared hazardous and that the city intended to demolish or remove the structure if the owner did not do so.
There is no public record of the owner making repairs or overtly contesting the city’s actions during this time. By late 2024, the situation had become a matter of public safety, and there was broad agreement on the Council that the house needed to come down. Some community members who had once hoped to see the house saved had to concede defeat at this stage. On social media, commenters expressed a mix of sadness and relief when the city’s condemnation plans became known – “It’s a shame it came to this, but after 20+ years something had to be done,” wrote one Jordan resident on Facebook, while another simply cheered “Good riddance – that eyesore has been a hazard for too long.” The long saga was nearing its end.
2025 – Demolition and Community Reactions
On April 29th, the City of Jordan completed demolition of the South House. With court approval in hand, the city arranged for a contractor to raze the structure (using either city funds with the cost to be assessed to the property). City Council agendas in April 2025 began to address what would come after the house was gone – one council resolution in April discussed a variance to expand a parking lot drive aisle on that lot (419 Broadway), suggesting the site would be repurposed for additional downtown parking or other use once cleared. Jim Cramond the owner of Strains of the Earth submitted an offer to purchase the house and is now shown as the owner in Scott County records. The City of Jordan entered into an Assessment Agreement with Cramond where the City will assess Cramond for the demolition and redevelopment of the property as a private business parking lot for Strains with the aisle width variance that was just awarded for the parking lot.
With the house gone, 419 Broadway Street South will enter a new chapter. The lot’s future use (be it parking, redevelopment, or green space) will be shaped by decisions in 2025 and beyond. The “South House” saga, however, highlights the tension between historic preservation and public safety: a well-intentioned attempt to save a vintage home became a long-running headache as ownership changes, financial hurdles, and strict codes made restoration difficult. The Jordan City Council’s records are filled with years of discussions on this issue, reflecting community concerns and the city’s gradual shift from hope to enforcement. As one council member quipped during a meeting, “This house has been on our agenda more times than I can count.”