Cliff Buchan
News Editor

A major change could be in the picture for the Northland Mall shopping complex and land south of SW 11th Ave.

Itís still very preliminary but representatives of two key business entities went before the Forest Lake Economic Development Authority Board Monday to share a concept plan that is three years in the making.

It involves a major redevelopment of most of the enclosed mall, relocation of Winnick Supply, Inc., 92 SW 11th Ave. and the construction of a new home for Marketplace Foods, now at 935 S. Lake St., on the current Winnick site.

The EDA received its first official report of the business plan from John F. Nelson, a representative of the grocery store ownership, and Timothy W. Igo, who spoke on behalf of Richard Schrier, owner of Northland Mall.

The two representatives said the plan is going public after several years of planning and discussions with current land owners. They said the plan was an opportunity to bring needed improvements to the area south of 11th Avenue and could eventually trigger redevelopment to the south of Northland Mall.

The men said Mondayís visit was a chance to present the preliminary plan and inform the city of the likely need of city and EDA assistance. That could come in form of a new site and relocation expenses for Winnick Supply, the men said.

A development agreement would be required in the planning process, Nelson said.

The EDA, with four of five members at the table Monday, agreed to further study the proposal. Members Rick Ashbach and Bob Morehead said they were eager to hear more about the redevelopment plan.

Members agreed that a business plan generated by land owners was the ideal way for a project to get legs and proceed.

ìThese are just ideas, concepts,î Nelson said in his report to the EDA.

By way of a 4-0 vote, the EDA instructed staff to begin work on the development plan with additional reports to come back to the board.

What is proposed

The plan floated Monday would bring a major change to the land and properties south of 11th Ave.

Nelson said Winnick Supply, Inc. owner Ben Winnick has been contacted regarding the plan and is willing to negotiate a move.

The corner lot would be the site for the construction of a 65,000 square foot grocery store to replace the existing store. Marketplace Foods is owned by Johanneson Companies of Bemidji.

Under the redevelopment plan, the current Winnick parcel and mall site would be commonly joined as one site.

The mall would see major changes. The existing health club on the south end of the mall would be retained but the balance of the enclosed mall would be razed with a new strip mall constructed in its place.

No major changes are planned to the Northland Plaza complex and Lakes 5 Cinema to the south of the mall, Nelson said.

Igo, the mall representative, said all attempts would be made to phase construction in order to retain existing mall businesses.

No time table for the project has been set, the two men said.

Winnickís view

In an interview on Tuesday, Ben Winnick, owner of Winnick Supply, said he was willing to hear proposals and negotiate a move. He confirmed he has had contacts with the representatives of the Northland Mall ownership and Nelson.

ìProgress is progress,î Winnick said. ìWe donít belong at the corner we are at for the future of Forest Lake.î

Winnick said he is willing to hear proposals.

Two potential relocation sites on city-owned land east of US-61 and south of 202nd St. and in the new industrial park land west of US-61 near the airport could be used.

ìIím stuck in the middle point,î he said. ìI know this is a valuable corner.

ìI donít want it (a relocation) to cost me money or to make a profit. Iím willing to negotiate.î

The business owner said the redevelopment plan comes at a time that is moving forward with an expansion plan of his own. He is now preparing drawings for a 20,000 square foot warehouse he plans to build this year.

ìI do have a need for expansion,î Winnick said.

Visioning

The Northland Mall plan came at the close of a 90 minute workshop and meeting that resulted in an EDA decision to begin a new visioning process to collect ideas and direction for a new development plan in area of the downtown where current landowners will be invited to join in the process.

By May, the EDA hopes to devote one of its two regular monthly meetings to the visioning process. The board meets at 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday each month.

Planner Bill Sanders said the existing downtown plan has been in place for about eight years and in need of an update now that the two major commercial projects in the downtown have been completed.

North end parking lot improvements and the redevelopment of Lakeside Park will cap the downtown work this summer.

Sanders said the two most likely land parcels that could be targets for redevelopment are the Stock Lumber property and the Houle Feed Mill property.

EDA President Terry Smith said he is in discussion with the Houle family and will continue to carry word to the Houles regarding the planning process.

On behalf of the downtown, Smith encouraged the EDA to look at completing efforts to update sidewalks, curbs and street lights in the downtown. The work, he said, could spur more private development.

As part of its planning, the EDA will look at the US-61 corridor from SW 2nd Ave. to NW 2nd Ave.

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Forest Lake Times
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Forest Lake, MN 55025
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