By Tim Krohn
Free Press Staff Writer
MANKATO
May 10, 2008 01:37 am
—
The sun is back, even though the roof is still on.
Before the downtown Mankato Place was enclosed as a mall during urban renewal in the 1970s, the sun shined down on the storefronts.
Now the largest solar collection system in southern Minnesota has been installed on Mankato Place. Besides the more traditional solar panels that provide electricity, several of the offices and the commons area have new high-tech skylights that provide enough light to often eliminate the need for other lighting.
“As our electric bills continue to climb, it just makes sense,” said Gordon Awsumb of Awsumb & Associates, who redeveloped the 18,000-square-foot mall as it went from a retail mall to office and entertainment center.
For complete story, see the Saturday, May 10, print edition of The Free Press or sign onto our e-edition.
Click here to access Free Press e-edition
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Photos
Bayard Black of Mankato Place checks the new skylights on the downtown mall’s roof (with electrical-generating solar panels in the background). The high-tech skylights automatically track the sun to get maximum light into offices below. Pat Christman