Cliff Buchan
News EditorProperty at 280 W. Broadway Ave. owned by the Forest Lake Economic Development Authority is on the sale block.
Acting on a recommendation from Chip Robinson, EDA executive director, the board Monday voted 4-0 to sell the property.
The decision follows a change in plans by Washington County planners that have now earmarked the Northland Mall site on south US-61 as the favored site for a north county government center and transit hub.
When the EDA bought the building at 280 W. Broadway two years ago, it followed a consensus the Houle mill site would be considered for the new government center. The EDA property borders on the westerly side of the mill property.
But with Washington County looking at a larger area to accommodate a transit hub, the mill property fell out of favor.
Robinson said Monday it no longer makes sense for the EDA to retain ownership of the building. The governmental agency paid $225,000 for the building and it is being used rent-free by two future tenants of the downtown Park Place development, VerBout Tax and Financial Services and Forest Lakes Embroidery.
The two businesses plan to exit the building on W. Broadway late this year or early in 2004.
Robinson said any sale of the property would be tied to the two businesses being in a position to make their moves to Park Place.
The other plus to the sale, Robinson said, is the generation of EDA funds that will be needed for the county government project. In his recommendation Monday, Robinson said funds raised by the sale should be used on the Northland Mall redevelopment project.
City staff will handle all details for the sale. An appraisal of the property may be sought but that decision was left open on Monday. The last EDA appraisal on the property was nearly two years ago.
EDA Attorney David Hebert said a public hearing will be needed at the time of the sale.
In a related matter, Robinson said the EDA board can expect updates on the Northland Mall redevelopment project at its next meeting Monday, Nov. 24.
Robinson said staff meetings continue with county and city planners and private land owners.
As part of the county-city master plan for the area, Winnick Supply, Inc. and Dresel Trucking would be relocated to city-owned land south of 202nd St. and east of US-61. The Winnick property borders Northland Mall to the north and could be used for a housing project under the county plan.
The need for a transit hub would coordinate long range plans that eventually call for commuter rail service to Forest Lake along the Hardwood Creek Trail which is so designated as part of the Rush Line Corridor plan.
Other business
In other business Monday, the EDA board:
ïReviewed and accepted Hebertís findings of fact in the matter of the termination of the Lake Park Development development rights agreement. The local partnership has threatened legal action against the EDA following the EDA decision this fall to terminate the agreement that had been in place for more than two years.
ïHeard from Engineer Paul Hornby and Robinson regarding municipal parking lot improvements. With the EDA slated to review a park board plan for improvements at Lakeside Memorial Park, staff said a plan to do the park work in conjunction with north end parking lot improvements may be a way to save construction costs. A mid-summer project in 2004 is being considered.
ïHeard from Robinson that several potential developers have contacted the city regarding land availability in the industrial park on the airport site. The firms contacting the city are looking for 10-12 acre parcels to house plants that would be 100,000 square feet in size, Robinson said.
Top of Page
