The building, located at 216 N. 12th St., was demolished in 2018. It had been purchased by the St. Olaf Lutheran Church Foundation with the purpose of controlling the block for the church, according to Mel Schroeder, president of the Foundation.

The building was sometimes referred to as the “old bottling plant.”

Some remember it at one point being the 7-Up plant.

“I remember it as a 7-Up bottling plant. My aunt worked there,” Sharon DeBruin said on social media. “I remember seeing the bottles go by on the conveyor belt.”

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
The old bottling plant, as it is sometimes referred to, was located at 216 N. 12th St. It’s since been demolished.

In 1984, the building was occupied by Colonial Heating and Sheet Metal Inc.

The St. Olaf Lutheran Church Foundation purchased the property from Colonial Heating and Sheet Metal in 2009.

The foundation rented the building out for a few years until it was decided the structure needed a new roof, Schroeder said.

The building sat empty for three years before the decision was made to tear it down.

“We decided it needed a new roof, electrical, plumbing, everything needed upgrading,” Schroeder said. “It was decided the building was to a point where a lot of money would have to be spent to make it rentable, so the decision was to demolish the building.”

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Pepsi-Cola was stamped into the mosaic tile at the old bottling plant, north of downtown Fort Dodge.

Nels Pederson Construction, of Badger, was awarded the contract for demolition.

Ownership of the 21,000-square-foot property has since been transferred to St. Olaf Lutheran Church, which is different than the St. Olaf Lutheran Church Foundation.

Plans for the space have not yet been revealed.

“The church foundation wanted to control the block for possible expansion of the church,” Schroeder said. “The church will decide how to use that land.”

About two years ago, the St. Olaf Lutheran Church Foundation bought the Minerva Apartments, which are located southeast of the church. That building was also razed and is now green space.

“The purpose of buying both of those buildings is to control the whole block,” Schroeder reiterated.