By the Closer Look Inspectors team · Facts checked October 2026 against the sources listed below · About our inspectors
In St. Peter, a commercial property inspection shows a buyer, owner or lender how the brick buildings along Minnesota Avenue stand today. The National Register nomination for the commercial district records that the 1998 tornado damaged some of its buildings and destroyed one property, and that many owners restored buildings afterward.
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Commercial buildings in and around St. Peter
Minnesota Avenue after the 1887 fire
St. Peter's National Register commercial district runs along Minnesota Avenue between Broadway and Grace Streets. Its nomination says the district was significantly altered in 1887 when a fire destroyed 30 buildings in a three-block area between Broadway and Nassau Streets, and that the majority of its properties were constructed after that fire. Most buildings are two- and three-story brick, and they densely fill the commercial blocks.
The nomination says upper stories held professional offices, residences, and lodge and meeting halls, and that some second floors housed printing offices and manufacturing. Main street facades carry ornament while side and rear walls display little decorative treatment, and a majority of the storefronts have been altered over time. Plain side walls, converted upper floors and remodeled storefronts are where water entry and past alterations are most likely to hide.
The 1998 tornado and what was repaired
On March 29, 1998, a tornado devastated St. Peter, according to the Minnesota Historical Society. The district nomination says the storm damaged some of the commercial buildings and destroyed one property, now a vacant lot in the 300 block of South Minnesota Avenue. It adds that many owners took the opportunity to restore their buildings to their historic appearance, and that most post-tornado repairs do not have an adverse effect on the integrity of the properties within the historic district.
Individual entries give examples. At one two-story building, the upper 16 feet of a west wall was repaired with salvage brick, and at the Nicollet House the severely damaged upper portion went through a substantial restoration effort. University of Minnesota Extension, quoting National Weather Service storm reports, lists damage to the hospital and churches and a roof torn off a library. The Historical Society adds that volunteers hoisted blue tarps over leaky roofs all over town and that many residents had to deal with contractors who did not follow through on construction commitments. Repairs made quickly, in volume, by many hands can vary in quality, so post-storm work deserves a close look.
The Nicollet County Bank and the Nicollet House
Two buildings documented in National Register forms show the local palette. The Nicollet County Bank is a two-story structure in red St. Louis brick with cream-colored Kasota limestone trim and foundation. The Nicollet House, built in 1873, is a three-story Italianate commercial building with brick walls, a stone foundation and a flat roof. Brick walls with stone trim, and flat roofs behind parapets, shed water only while their joints, flashing and coping stay sound.
Commercial buildings we inspect
Quick answers
Were Minnesota Avenue's commercial buildings repaired after the 1998 tornado?
Many were. The district nomination says the tornado damaged some buildings and destroyed one property, that many owners took the chance to restore buildings to their historic appearance, and that most post-tornado repairs do not have an adverse effect on the integrity of the properties within the historic district. Specific entries mention salvage brick on a wall and a substantial restoration of the Nicollet House. What was done, when and by whom differs from building to building.
Why do upper floors matter in a downtown brick block?
The nomination says upper stories held offices, residences, lodge halls and even manufacturing. Floors built for such uses may have been altered more than once, and the top floor sits directly under the roof, where leaks begin. Anyone planning to reuse upper floors benefits from knowing the real condition of the building above the storefront.
What can thermal imaging add for an older brick commercial block?
In an older block where roofs and wiring may have been repaired or replaced at different times, thermal imaging can help separate old work from new. Infrared pictures can show damp insulation under a membrane roof, warm or cold patches where walls are wet or poorly insulated, and electrical connections running hot. None of that is visible from the street.
Sources
- National Park Service: St. Peter Commercial Historic District (National Register registration form)
- National Park Service: Nicollet County Bank, St. Peter (National Register form)
- Minnesota Historical Society, MNopedia: St. Peter Tornado, 1998
- University of Minnesota Extension: 20 Year Anniversary of Historical March Tornado Outbreak
- National Park Service: NPGallery record, St. Peter Commercial Historic District
Nearby towns
Commercial property inspection in Minnesota and Iowa · Home inspection in St. Peter
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