A toast to city flexibility

The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.: You have to give credit for creativity and effort. It couldn’t have been easy creating and hoisting a 12-foot-tall martini on top of a three-story building.

But the rooftop display on top of the Wine Cafe doesn’t meet city code. Sure enough, someone noticed and complained. It’s not as if the overgrown cocktail wasn’t going to escape notice, including by competitors.

The city code basically defines advertising as displays that draw attention to a business and its purpose. It also forbids roof signs. The owner received a letter from the city of Mankato stating such and saying it had to be removed. The business owner said last week he wasn’t going to fight City Hall.

But here’s an extra olive in the glass: The city is not in fighting mode after all.

City staff is urging the building owner, Mike Baumann, to work with the City Center Partnership in coordination with the Twin Rivers Arts. As outlined by Community Development Director Paul Vogel, art pieces would be proposed and vetted by the community, landmark locations established and displays coordinated.

Translation: In the name of art, the rooftop piece probably gets to stay and may very well be accompanied by other whimsical pieces in the Old Town neighborhood.