A handful of volunteers from the Nudgers property rehab and restoration group rolled up their sleeves Monday and started in on their latest downtown acquisition: the commercial space at 1306 Second St. historically known as the Morgan building.
Fire destroyed an upstairs apartment and extensively damaged the rest of the structure Feb. 28, 2018, and the longtime owner of the property, former Perry Mayor Viivi Shirley of Waukee, made a gift of the building to the Nudgers.
“Thank you to our Perry icons, Viivi and Alan Shirley,” said Nudger Cheri Tice Scheib, “as Viivi gifted us this building, which is the apartment building that caught fire two years ago. We are thankful, and we really worked hard today accomplishing much!”
The Nudgers tore into the downstairs offices Monday, which were occupied at the time of the fire by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1149, which represents the interests of about 1,000 meat-processing laborers at Tyson Fresh Meats in Perry.
The Morgan building dates from 1906, according to Dallas County records.
Viivi Shirley was on hand to take her sentimental leave of the property. Face-masked and socially distanced Nudgers included Tice Schieb, Dirk Cavanaugh, Scott Coffman, Sandy Grubbs, Patricia Saulsbury Snyder and Kent Scheib.
“If you are interested in helping,” said Tice Scheib, “we may ask for your muscles very soon! Let me know here if you want to swing a hammer. By mid-October this building will look historic and beautiful once again!”
