A Year After Jordan Flooding, Brewery Still Exposed To Elements

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - It's been nearly a year since flooding caused tens of millions of dollars of damage across southern Minnesota. Rain sent mud cascading into the back of the old Jordan brewery. Tenants had to move out, and a new brewery set to open for the first time in 80 years, was forced to find a new home.

"That's probably been the worst part, just waiting to see what can be done," co-owner Kevin Breeggemann said.

He took us for a tour inside. A rodent greeted us at the door.

"We can't do any work on it until the hill is stabilized," Breeggemann said. "We have a hard time securing the building. We've had animals getting in. We have raccoons getting in."

The heavy rains last June caused the hill the 150-year-old brewery is built into to flood into the back of the brewery building, pushing in walls. We were with Breeggemann and his business partner a day after the mudslide.

A year later, the back of an apartment remains exposed.

He said the damage to the building is repairable, but the question of whether the hill can be shored up so this doesn't happen again has yet to be answered.

And then there's this: "We've had quite a bit of vandalism in the building, which just kind of adds insult to injury. They've busted out all the windows on the solarium. They've kicked in all of the patio doors. They've spray-painted inside."

The future of the historic building seems to be held in time. Can it outlast vandals and Mother Nature?

"Every time we get a hard rain, I come down and check it," Breeggemann said. "Time is very critical because the hill is still considered an active slide."

Insurance did not cover the mudslide.

The future of the building is also dependent on a bill passing in the special session. Since it's on the National Register of Historic Places, money is earmarked to study whether the hillside can be shored up. That is the first step in a lengthy process that begins with securing the hill so repairs can be made.