When the building was facing the threat of demolition, the third sector, 'Kurokabe,' a joint venture of Nagahama City and eight local private companies, was established in 1988, holding up the museum city concept to preserve and renovate the old buildings in the old town area.
その取り壊しの危機に際し、旧市街の古建築の保存と再生のための博物館都市構想を掲げた第三セクター（長浜市と地元民間企業8社が出資）「黒壁」が1988年に設立された。