A building that many had considered a major blemish on Duluth's downtown Superior Street is headed for revitalization.
The structure that housed the now-shuttered head shop Last Place On Earth has been sold to Titanium Partners, a year-old commercial real estate firm in town.
Managing Partner Brian Forcier said the building, at 120 E. Superior Street, will eventually house retail tenants on the Superior Street level. The two floors above it could be used for office, hospitality or multi-family housing. The basement garage, which has access on Michigan Street, is in good shape, he said.
"We're probably about 30 days from knowing exactly what we're going to do up there," he said.
The company purchased the 9,000 square foot property after it was forfeited to the federal government as part of the criminal prosecution of Last Place on Earth owner Jim Carlson, who was convicted of selling synthetic drugs last year and sentenced to more than 17 year in prison. The building has been vacant as Carlson appealed its forfeiture.
While the sale price of $70,000 may seem like a bargain, Forcier said, the building needs a lot of work. "It's been neglected ... for quite some time, so we've got a nice project ahead of us," he said.
The news comes as several other properties nearby are undergoing refurbishing in a stretch of the street that was recently designated the Historic Arts & Theatre District.
