The concept is exciting. If the proposal unfolds as planners hope, a new arts center and nonprofit center would become neighbors in a downtown campus that already includes Blue Earth County’s historical Hubbard House.

An arts center is already in the works, with builder Tony Frentz buying the former First Church of Christ Scientist church at 523 S. Second St. He will renovate the building and divide it into studio space for artists and offices for Twin Rivers Center for the Arts, which will manage the space.

Frentz is taking on the project after being involved in the Envision 2020 community goal-setting process and becoming inspired by a trip local leaders made to Fort Collins, Col., a city that brought artists and cash to its downtown area.

An arts center in downtown that serves as a headquarters for numerous local groups has been on Mankato’s wish list for decades. Now it looks like a reality, and the community should enthusiastically embrace this move.

A day after the announcement about the arts center, the Mankato Area Foundation revealed plans to buy the YWCA’s historic Cray Mansion and then give it to the city for use as a nonprofit center. The YWCA has been trying to sell the mansion, which no longer fits its needs. The arrangement with the Mankato Area Foundation will allow the YWCA to stay in the mansion for up to 10 years if necessary as it seeks out a new location.

The Mankato City Council needs to decide whether it wants to be landlord of the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and spend public dollars on maintaining and operating the building. YWCA Executive Director Anne Ganey says the nonprofit has done much of the restoration to ensure the historic integrity of the mansion.

Even so, an old house takes a lot of care and upkeep, and the City Council has to determine whether the city should take on that responsibility. As Mankato Area Foundation President David Schooff said, the city would have to treat the mansion like a park, deciding what projects it wants to tackle.

No matter what the council ultimately decides, the fact such a unique proposal was put together by a variety of community leaders and has gotten this far is a promising sign. As far as these proposals are concerned, Envision 2020 transformed into Envision ASAP because action has been so swift. It’s invigorating to see community leaders recognize opportunities and put thought and muscle behind them in a timely fashion.

The council will be considering the Cray Mansion proposal at its Jan. 22 meeting.