Twin Cities Reader from Minneapolis, Minnesota • 8

-s Tbe message should be gotta be in Minneapolis and then back the statepreferred Minneapolis project -TingPd 3 On 0 I WeVe got a good case tor you: bookcases reaay to uke home and assemble AM finishes easily wipe clean Plus you cart add doors drop-kds and extra shelves to make a functional free-standing wall unit Each bookcase: 30Vx 727i (16d are $20Unit extra) Door Ms extra understanding on our part is contingent on having the state designationM said Pei been conveyed to Wirth by various people that he has alienated a number of people in the city Pei said with a measure of understatement "and that if our proposal has any hope of success it would be better that he were not part of the deal" Wirth had angered the rfty by outbidding it with a cash offer for the Depot site when it was put on the market by the bankrupt Milwaukee railroad in 1981 and then declaring bankruptcy himself when he come up with the cash to pay for it delaying its development for two jrara lie came up with the cash just this past spring For whatever reason Wirth had been painted as flake by local newspapers and it is perhaps because of this that Ronnie Wcisman docs not want his role whatever that may be in the Depot WTC discussed Wcisman gave curt replies to questions about how he fit into the Depot scheme of things last week during an interview of Mr Pei declining to state what business he was in or where the 'money that he would be investing in the project comes from beyond the fact that it was his own No one in the MCDA or other city bureaus was able to identify Wcisman Pdwho in that interview last Wednesday identified Wcisman simply as Minneapolis resident" was surprised to be queried about Wcisman in a later phone interview understood that Mr Wcisman' is fairly well-known in Minneapolis" Pei replied adding that people stopped Wcisman in the street to say hello when they were walking around family has been in business in Minneapolis for many many years" While Pei credits Wcisman with the original idea to enter the Depot into the WTC competition he warns not to make a whole lot out of role Ncwsjgipcr stories indicate that Weisman is the grandson of Abe Weisman the founder of A Wcisman Company the tenth largest distributor of candy and tobacco in the world Abe bom in Rumania in 1 894 and known as Candyman" to customers and hundreds of St Louis Park Little Leaguers supported by fundraising sales "of his candy fold his company to Curt Carlson in 1976 for art undis- closed amount Carlson resold the company to Mintcr Bros Candy and Tobacco of Plymouth for another undisclosed amount in 1981 Following in his grandfather's footsteps Ronnie himself opened a food distribution business in November of 1982 Weisman Co that served supermarkets restaurants and drugstores The sale of that firm to Farmhouse Foods of Milwaukee was completed just last week new investment company js called Wcisman Investments: A source in the Wirth camp confirms that it was Wcisman who approached Wirth and also Wcisman who knew Duluth architect Thomas Vccchi who would be designing satellite WTC facility on Bayfront Landing Vccchi apparent lyknew someone Use who knew Pei and the development team came together That team includes IM- Pci and John Bur-' gee of Phillip Johnson as architects two of the gold medal winners of the American Institute of Architects notes Ting Pei who adds that his firm has recehed the contract for the renovation of the Louvre Museum It also includes the engineering firm that did the work for the Johnson Space Center for the telecommunications facility which Pei says will have the ultimate in high tech comunications Turner Construction and any number of hjgb power NcrYorkfimn- dal firms Pd himself says he has been involved in the WTC "movement" since 1977 induding work on the Marseilles Trade Center He also spent seven years as a tity planner for New atyrr Thoqgh a plan for the Depot WTC was drawn up by local Wirth associates Pd says that plan is inoperative and that be is working -pn a new plan in New York Though his company was'only brought into the project on November 10 he is enthusiastic I think die site is so right is that large enough and just ready to be plugged into downtown" he said He also'suggcsts that the city might be making a mistake if it were to -endorse only one site because the state might prefer an unendorsed Minneapolis site but not give it serious consideration because it felt the dty wasn't behind it its anxiety jo make sure the -World --Trade Center is in Minneapolis the dty wants to make sure going to back the right horse But they run the risk of backing the wrong says Pei VThc message should be gotta be in and then back the state-preferred Minneapolis project" Briefly the World Trade Center would be a one-stop shopping center where international businesspeople could have access to public and private trade organizations such as law 4 financial transportation and importexport firms It would also operate a range of services such as educational seminars and contain a -reference library a members dub exhibition spaipe and a telecommunications center Westbrook Rlalf: 5717 Xerxes Ave (near Brookdale) 561-6494 ABrriay Edina: 6950 York Ave 925-0311 Nicollet Mali 332-0109 Ridgedale Center 545-2802 Utplewood Uall 770-2330 mo hi iiocnesw Welcome to Lake Country where it's always a treat to warm your feet in leather-soled no-itch cotton ragg Acorn slippers Adults: $1750 Wool blend for kids: $1350 Stop and see us today: Vfe've got a whole store full of warm comfortable natural fabric dothes for men and wonren that will make short work of your holiday gift list SPECIAL HOUDAY HOURS: 10am-9pm M-Sat Noon-6pm Sun STUDENT OISCOUNT AIR BRUSHES Vr3? 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