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Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Several newspaper articles on hotels in Eagan. - 12/23/20001 Fo \-DE"i rGINS I///I9ME®I No. 2.153E UPC 10334 smaad.com • Made In USA 00 SFI MIF a SR,I TI f i�000CT ' UNE OURN e9-K- 1 Z - Z. - ?Poo In. by Dan Gearino Staff Writer In recent years, the number of hotels in Eagan has increased . dramatically, prompting city officials and hotel owners to ask whether the market has become saturat=: ed. . .- A recently completed study directed by the Eagan Economic Development Commission determined that the demand for hotel rooms is still growing. The current hotel capacity in Eagan is 1,482 rooms in 14 hotels, compared to 925 rooms.:' in nine hotels in 1999 =The .;study concluded that; most Eagan hotel visitors are, ows nc is not saturate in town for business with local corporations. The number of these types of visits is expected to . increase in the next five years, the study stated. The study was conducted by outside analyst • Compass- International. .. • The City Council is particu larly interested in 'market demand for a hotelin the Cedarvale area, which is the subject of a redevelopment plan. A hotel had been consid- ered for the area, but such plans may be shelved' after the study, which determined that corporate: demand fora hotel in I the-:location must exist.: there. before a hotel will be viable A more Viable location for a new hotel- would .be the area' around -the_ intersection of Highway 55 and; Highway 149,, the study said, which is near several large corporate :facili ties. The rapid growth in the number of hotel rooms hasled to lower occupancy rates. According to the study, the average rate for Eagan hotels has gone from 76.9 percent in 1997 to the approximately .60 • percent in 2000. However, rates are 'expected. to rebound from 2001 to 2005. Ann. Carlon, executive .director. of . the_ Eagan. Convention ' and Visitors Bureau (CVB), is pleased that the study.. anticipates rising occupancy rates and demand See Hotel, 23A • Hotel/Continued for more hotel rooms. This is especially good news consider- ing that three more hotels have been approved by the City Council in the last two years and have not yet begun construction, she said. The CVB has long been aware that business travellers are the backbone of the city's hospi- tality industry, leading to the CVB to market to recreational travellers going to destinations like the Mall of America, Carlon said. The study states there has been a significant decrease in Mall of America visitors staying in Eagan. This is one of the few parts of the study with which Carlon disagrees. Carlon said the mall remains the number one' attraction for recreational, weekend travellers. While the visitors to the mall staying in Eagan have levelled off, there has not been a signifi- cant decrease, she said. According to Carlon, top recreationaldraws for Eagan hotel customers after the mall include the Minnesota Zoo, col- lege or professional sporting events in Minneapolis and St. Paul and museums and other attractions in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Crime and hotels 110 percent increase. In 1999, calls. increased 13 percent despite only a 5 percent increase in occupancy. In the first six months of 2000, calls are up 30 percent despite no appreciable increase in occupancy. Police believe that hotels aren't following state statutes • when registering guests. They're not checking driver's licenses and recording vehicle license plates, the study stated. The Eagan police plan to con- tinue the hotel safety program and will offer another class for hotel employees in 2001, Ruby said; finance-commerce.com Jus Friday I July 31, 2015 Finance & Commerce 3 Eagan Residence Inn becomes Sonesta ES BY ANNE BRETTS Special to Finance & Commerce 3040 Eagandale Place, Eagan The 120-unit Residence Inn extended stay hotel at 3040 Eagandale Place in Ea- gan now is known as Sonesta ES Suites Minneapolis -St. Paul. The change is the result of an $11.5 million deal executed July 23, the day Sonesta International Hotels Corp. announced it was adding nine hotels to the 16 it already manages under the relatively new brand. In the Local transaction, HPT IHG-2 Properties Trust, an entity of Hospital- ity Properties Trust in Newton, Massa- chusetts, bought the Eagan hotel from W2007 Equity Inns Realty, LLC, an en- tity related to the Irving Texas, office of New York -based Goldman Sachs. Hospitality Properties Trust, a real estate investment trust, today owns 292 hotels and owns or leases 184 travel centers throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. In 2012 HPT acquired Sonesta International Hotels, which manages hotels under several brands, including Sonesta ES. The Son- esta website for Eagan shows room rates ranging from $139 to $189 per night. There are nine Residence Inn proper- ties in Minnesota, seven in the Twin Cit- ies and one each in Rochester and Duluth. The sale price works out to $95,833 per room. The hotel, which opened in 1988, is south of Lone Oak Road and west of Interstate 35E. The seller bought SUBMITI ED F'HOTO: COSTAR The 120-unit Residence Inn extended stay hotel at 3040 Eagandale Place in Eagan picked up a new owner and name this month, as it became part of the Sonesta ES collection. the property in 1994 for $9.25 million, as part of a portfolio, according to North - star MLS records. Dakota County val- ues the real estate at $3.91 million for tax purposes. Company officials couldn't be immedi- ately reached for comment and haven't announced any renovations or changes to the Eagan property. The other new Sonesta ES locations include Tucson, Arizona; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Omaha, Nebraska; Princeton/Monmouth Junction and Somers Point, New Jersey; Cincinnati, Ohio; Oklahoma City and Burlington, Vermont. All of the company's locations are profiled at Sonesta.com/growth. Purchase price: $11.5 million Price per room: $95,833 Property ID: 10-22526-01-001, 10- 22526-01-101 Date of deed: 7-23-15 ECRV released: 7-28-15 Note to readers: Check out other hotel sales at F&C's online Hotel Development and Sales Tracker at finance-commerce.com. Finance & Commerce finance-commerce.com - U.S. economy posts solid 2.3% � BY MARTIN CRUTSINGER Associated Press - WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy posted a solid rebound in the April -June quarter after a harsh winter, led by a surge in consumer spending and a recovery in foreign trade that bode well for the rest of the year. It also ended up squeezing out some growth in the first quarter, reversing an earlier estimate that the economy shrank at the start of the year. The Commerce Department said ,Thursday that the gross domestic product, the economy's total output of goods and services, grew .at'a 2.3 percent annual rate in the second quarter. The government also said GDP in the January -March peri- od grew 0.6 percent instead of shrinking at a 0.2 percent pace. The latest results mirror a familiar pattern over the last few years. The econ- omy has consistently underperformed in the first quarter and then revved up in the spring and 'summer. The uneven mo- mentum has contributed to overall tepid growth since the Great Recession officially ended in June 2009. It's been the slowest recovery since World War II. Revised GDP figures for the past three years released by the government Thurs- day reveal that the economy's already -mod- est growth since 2011 was even weaker than thought. Economists, however, are hopeful about the rest of 2015. They expect overall GDP AP PHOTO: LYNNE SLAD Natasha Portuondo, center, sifts flour over baskets June 5 as she and Adina Roble right, make bread at Zak the Baker'in Miami. The U.S. economy posted a solid " rebound in the April -June quarter after a'harsh winter, the Commerce Department said'Thursday, led by a surge in consumer spending and a recovery in foreign trad that bode well for the rest of the,year. growth to continue strengthening in the second half of this year to around- 3 per- cent, ,as consumer spending benefits from sizable employment gains. The upbeat outlook explains why the Federal Reserve appears on track to start raising interest rates this year. . ._ On Wednesday, the Fed noted that the job market, housing and consumer spe ing have . all improved. But it kept a rate at a record low near zero, where remained since 2008: The Fed said it needs to see some more gains in the market and feel reasonably confident t low inflation will move back to its 2 perc target rate. j Congress -passes 3-rnonth. highway, transit aid patch BY JOAN LOWY. Associated Press I nBrief Schafer Richardson kicks ,.J' off first Rochester- project Schafer Richardson said Thursday it broke ground on Eastwood Ridge, a 209-unit mul- *FIG ' t h 8 u.d.,r,0.00 7...1Urfb.{.4_,- YYNCh2.01 1%tkii ttag{ oc1 61 I Joanna Foote From: Frank Weingart [bweing08@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, May 01, 2009 9:47 AM To: Joanna Foote Subject: Re: Terrace Motel Hi Joanna: The motel is still there. Today it is called the Budget Host Inn, 2745 Highway 55, Eagan, MN 55121. I remember spending a Fourth of July there in 1973 with my future wife so we could paint the motel. They used to charge $14 a night for a room. Across the street at the time was another motel, The Airliner which featured a Piper Cub airplane on the roof. Today there is a large building that houses a number of businesses. Regards: Frank Weingart On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 3:54 PM, Joanna Foote <JFoote@cityofeagan.com> wrote: Hi Mr. Weingart, Thank you so much for sharing these photos --the Historical Society has nothing similar. We so appreciate you sharing your photos and family history with us. Can you please send me the specific location information for the Motel so I can be sure to reflect it correctly with the photo documentation. Sincerely, Joanna Foote Communications Coordinator/Historical Society Liaison From: Frank Weingart [fweing(alcomcast.net] Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 3:50 PM To: Historical Society Subject: Terrace Motel My wife, Cindy Grandparents, Gerhard and Carmen Evenson built and ran the Terrace Motel on Hwy. 55. I am attaching a few photos of the beginnings of this motel. Sincerely: Frank Weingart 4044 Deerwood Place Eagan 1 Joanna Foote From: Frank Weingart [fweing@comcast.net] Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 3:51 PM To: Historical Society Subject: Terrace Motel Attachments: Terrace Motel 1966.jpg; Original Terrace Motel October 1964.jpg; Original Terrace Motel sign 1964.jpg; Gerhard Evenson owner of Terraqce Motel 1967.jpg My wife, Cindy Grandparents, Gerhard and Carmen Evenson built and ran the Terrace Motel on Hwy. 55. I am attaching a few photos of the beginnings of this motel. Sincerely: Frank Weingart 4044 Deerwood Place Eagan i 'Fo LI) 5'• ...N DS IN I SMEAD1 No. 2-153L UPC 10334 amsad.com • Made In USA 0 laBUS®NA!{�pIRTWI SFI MSR,„PiaiaanS New.hotel. fills need for conference center in ci Additional.160 roorns <%in city,concems fellow 6 c.' hotel manager By Jodi L. Wallin 4-k. Sun Newspapers " It's big.— 55,000 square feet. It . has _ water — 27,000 square , feet in its indoor water park: It - boasts 250 seats in its conference room plus 10,000 'square feet of • restaurant space. And city -offi- cials 'say it's long over due: - - It is the -new RainTree Hotel. - , and Water Park._ The council , "- unanimously passed its prelimi- nary development plan .at the Aug. 3 meeting: _ "The city has been waiting for a full service hotel like this with large banquet and conference fa- cilities for a long time," said Mayor -Pat. Awada. "It's' some- thing that is very needed, espe- cially in -the northern part of -the city . • - "I'm very supportive of this and happy to see it come in,"" she said. - Despite the council support, One man is not happy. • The manager of one of the first hotels in Eagan voiced his concerns about a saturated Mar- ' ket in the hotel industry within the city limits. When -he began in 1983 there was no competition; n but: there were not as -many pea° ple living in the' -area, either. In- terstate 35E was . not open and he new .Cedar-.Av.enue: bridge liadri't been built across the Min- tesota River. --.People • still thought of Eagan as a -farm own, not:a metropolitan suburb f the Twin Cities. - • HOTEL: To Pa : 21A 01- 5% ' MANUFACTURI NEW WE HAVE Location! • 1.BIk. So: & 1 M. ' 900 W. 80th HOURS... Mon. thra Thurs: 9-9 . c Fri. & Sat 10-5 . Sun: 12-5 Let Our Cornrow, 'Rosa Camille Wiluiins Our lnspiralion J One -level townhome Iiviru attached:: garage and.priv entrance .- ra:Maintenance free NI -Clubhouse with computer e-mail access Upgrades available with o Villas Plus 614/154.45 Ask abo FREE Semi :Handy -Stone® Retaining Wall'Units See our extensive 2 acres •Retaining Wall Materials ' Washe •Interlocking Pavers : •Water • Boulders ' "- Bird 8 . Edging Waterf Stepping Stones • • Rock' Patio Stone Fount Oakdale H 36 1/2 u' (651) iA unn, general manager of the Best n Yankee Square Inn; told the coun- was not opposed to competition; but the•market cannot sustain continuing ditions in the hotel industry There have en Four new hotels approved or are in the ocess of construction in Eagan during the last year, including.RainTree: • However, council members said -that- RairiTree offers- something Eagan. needs - a conference centerthat can house' 250. Councilmember Bea. Blomquist had . suggested that RairiTree enlarge the con- ' ference facilities' in' the form of a motion: That was best left to the private develop; ers, decided the council. • -The 160 rooms housed on six -floors had Dunn .concerned. Adding 160 rooms to the roughly 1,500 rooms that are avail- able in. Eagan will add toalready drop- ping occupancy rates, Dunn said. While Councilmember Peggy'Carlson. - shared her. concerns about saturating the market in the future,'she said she did'not think that the addition of RainTree was . pushing the market to;thatpoint: The tear-. : ing.down of hotels near the airport leaves 1,100' fewer rooms available in the:area, and Eagan is nearby to pick up that influx of overnight.guests. With many hotels offer limited services,. Carlson said the services offered•by. RainTree are needed. Carlson also was concerned about the parking area. Covering 47,000 square . feet and providing 234 stalls; Carlson questioned if that was enough to accom- modate parking for the users of the water park and -the conference center in- addV tion to the hotel guests. "We don't have to treat each facility as sep- arate, they do overlap," said Bob Sieger of Sieger Architects. The water park is for the. guests and many of the conference attendees- will either be guest's or will be attending dur- ing the day:while guests are generally there • at night. "We're comfortable with that num= ber based on'experience and the dual use be tween the' conference center and -when-the hotel. is needing parking stalls, Sieger said. Anohher issue was that 75 percent of the land planned for development is.covered by: trees, and the original plan called' for the loss of 143 significant trees: Following a rec- ommendation ;from the Advisory Planing' • Commission, the .council directed Sieger to come up with a revised tree preservation • plan to comply with city ordinances. A final plan will besubmitted to the coun- cil pext month. Sieger Architects hopes to break ground on the project in November: The water park is• scheduled for ground • _.breaking in the spring of 2000 with comple- tion of thefacility expected at the end of 2000. Lisa Barthel Lisa, Marie Barthel (Beeler) 31, of Apple Valley died Aug.• 1, 1999. . She was born, Sept. 3, 1967,. in Shakopee, to Wayne and Ione Beeler. She grew up in Burnsville. Lisa Barthel and worked in customer - service: OBITUARIES She was born June"6, 1977, neapolis,'to James and Ardell • son. • - Survivors include her parents, Ja and Arden; 'sisters and brother -in -la Katie, Lisa. and Jeff Gustafson; .speci friend, -Shae Skeffington; and man friends.' Services were July 30 at Shepherd. of the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley. Burial was at Acacia Park'Ceme- . tery in Mendota Heights. Memorials are On Aug '16, 1997, she married Chad. preferred -:to N.C.-Little ;Memorial .Barthel in Lakeville, at Ritter Farm Park pice, 7019 Lynmar ;Lane," Edina, -MN on their horses Deseray Rose and Sandy 55435. - - • . Rose Arrangements were by:the Henry' • Preceding her indeath were her fa= W. Anderson. Mortuary in Apple. Val- .ther, Wayne: Beeler; and her grandpar- - ley. :: Survivors include her husband, Chad Barthel; ,mother, Ione Beeler; sister, Deborah ,Beeler; brothers add' "sisters -in -law, -Alan and Becky, Mike, Craig and Chris; nieces and nephews, 'Nicholas, Darrick, Jason, Stephanie; • Alan Jr., Sara Blaine Beeler, Jessica, Amy, .Heather, Chelsey and 'Casey; many other nieces, nephews, aunts: and uncles; beloved -animals, Deseray. .1- Rose, .Sandy Rose, and Pookey'- • .Mass of Christian Burial was Aug. 5 Marlm Loverud Marlin D. (Spike) Loverud, 78, of - Apple Valley died July 31; 1999: He was born Aug..15, 1920, in. Min- neapolis. Loverud was a retired naval commander: - - 'He was awarded the distinguished fly- ing cross in .WWII. His hobbies included `painting/watercolors. His artwork is displayed in area festi- The cause for this question- ing was the application by Oakview !LLC to build a four- story Cornfort Inn at the inter- section.of Lone Oak Road and Highway. 55. The council had previously approved a three - _story Red Roof Inn at.the same location to be built by the same — developet•, but the changes in the plan required a new vote. The Comfort Inn would be built in the area on the southeast corner oI' the intersection, an area that is currently an open field. The parking lot and drive- way for the hotel would be con- structed with future adjacent development in mind. Council Member Peggy Carlson used to live in the area near the proposed. development. "Although this business doesn't, abut homeowners, I'm concerned that the next one will;" Carlson said. • Despite Carlson's concerns, the area has been zoned for commercial development for years. .Other council members and staff commented that area residents expect the Lone Oak/Highway 55 area to become developed. One staff member said that residents with- in 350 feet of the development gan City Council has concernsabout hotels by Dan Gearino Sta/f Writer How much is too much when it comes 'to hotels in Eagan? This was the question asked by had been notified that the issue several Fagan City Council would he discussed by the coun- members_at the Feb. 1 meeting. cil. •No residents showed up to protest the hotel. Council Member Sandy Masin turned the discussion from the Comfort Inn proposal to hotels in general. "I'm getting really concerned about hotels," Masirt said. According to the Eagan Convention'and Visitors Bureau, there are currently: 14 hotels in Eagan with three more in the planning stages. In 1994, there were only four hotels. Police are concerned enough about crime related to the hotels that they recently started work- ing with hotel managers to help reduce drug dealing, prostitu- tion and other crimes that tend to occur in hotels. Linda Myre of the Eagan Police Department said that this relationship with hotel managers has led to sever- al arrests, including a drug arrest moratoriums on certain types of in the last month. ' development when over-satura- In addition to concerns about faun became a concern. crime, several on the council "There was no serious talk of expressed concern about over- a moratorium on hotel construc- saturating the hotel market. tion, but the council members Carlson said she thinks a hotel said that this should be a topic would be ideal at the proposed for future discussion. Cedarvale development, but The Comfort Inn develop - hotel developers might be Tess ment was approved in a 3-1 willing to locate there if Eagan vote, with Carlson casting the has more hotels than the market only dissenting -vote. Council can sustain. Member Paul Bakken was Council Member Bea absent because he was at Army Blomquist said that in the past, Reserves basic training. the City Council has placed r,te, Two Eagan motels to be demolished for business park AMY SHERMAN STAFF WRITER The eyesores known as the Airliner and Spruce Motels will become history this summer. Last week, the Eagan City Council voted to use tax -increment financing to demolish the buildings and remove the asbestos. The 2- acre area where the motels stand at 'Lawrence Avenue and Highway 55 'will be incorporated into an 80- acre business park being devel- oped by Wispark Corp. City officials don't know the cost for demolition because that project won't go out for bid until the fire department uses the struc- tures for drills this summer. Since little will be left of the buildings after they are burned, it is diffi- cult to predict the cost. It will cost about $9,500 for asbestos abatement. The Kor family currently owns thel motels' property, but Wispark expects to close on the sale with thel Eagan family next week. The Airliner Motel was built in 1959, and the Spruce was built the fol- lowing year. The motels became outdated and have been vacant for the past five years. The motels are in the Highway 55 redevelopment tax -increment financing district, a 90-acre area that generally encompasses the south side of Highway 55 between Lexington and Lone Oak roads. The north side of Highway 55, where the motels are located, is also part of that TIF district. The remainder of Wispark's land lies outside the TIF district. The only other developments in that district are three office and office -warehouse buildings built by Roseville Properties on the north- western corner of Highway 55 and Lone Oak Road. That developer plans to build an additional office building on the same corner. Eagan rarely uses TIF; the city has only three TIF districts so far. Under TIF,. taxes on a new devel- opment are used for site improve- ments such as roads rather than being added to the city coffers. The city uses TIF only when a property is so blighted that no developer will build on it without financial assistance, according to Mayor Tom Egan. When the TIF district was formed two years ago, interest in the area grew. "All it took was a little assis- tance for it to become a very hot property because of the location," Egan said. Wispark is in the early stages of receiving approval from the city. The City Council signed off on a preliminary plan for the 35 east- ern acres last winter, but the council still needs to approve development plans for the rest of the site. By the fall, Wispark expects to get the go-ahead. Wispark's development will include eight or nine office show- room/warehouse buildings, accord- ing to Greg Miller, Wispark's regional director. Construction on one or two buildings will begin this summer, but Wispark can't begin developing the remainder of the site until the final plan has been passed. The park will be fin- ished within five years. When completed, the 100,000- square-foot buildings will be worth about $30 million. Miller said he has one tenant for a building, but would not disclose the name of the tenant. There is one glitch in the devel- opment process that can be blamed on Mother Nature. Wispark planned on calling the area Grand Oak Business Park because the site contained a 51- inch oak, but half of the 150-year- old tree was taken by a storm. Miller said his company might rethink the name. The development is Wispark's first venture into Dakota County. The upper Midwest company, which is a subsidiary of Milwaukee -based Wisconsin Energy Corp., is relatively new to the Twin Cities, opening a Minneapolis office a year ago. The company is also developing a busi- ness park in Shoreview. Amy Sherman covers Inver Grove Heights, Eagan and Rosemount for the Pioneer Press. Contact her at 228-2174 or asherman®pioneerpress.com . Suv, CLurr-en-i-4UAtt 2-14-) - --••--.._..,,..1 3O yM CITY BRIEFS Eagan landmark motel approved for demolition The former Airliner Motel, with its model airplane perched on top of the roof, welcomed visitors to Eagan along the Highway 55 corridor earlier this century. The motel has been vacant since fire destroyed it in October 1993. After as- bestos is removed, the motel will once again go up in flames as the Eagan Vol- unteer Fire 'Department uses the build- ing for a training session. Owners Phil and Ann Kor of Eagan are selling the property to Wispark Corp., which has plans to redevelop about 80 acres for offices and showrooms to be called Grand Oak Business Park. The closing date is June 25. The site is a portion of the Highway 55 Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district. Wispark gained approval from the City Council June 16 to use about $70,000 ofTIF financing for the demolition. Deadline for tree debris removal is June 29 Following the May 30 storm, Eagan city crews have been out inspecting homes and other structures for damage. Crews have been picking up tree debris at a rate averaging.250 truckloads per day, said Arnie Erhart, superintendent of streets and equipment. Any resident or Eagan business that still has tree debris to be removed by city crews must place it at the curbside by June 29. Any debris set out after that date will be the re- sponsibility of the home or business owner. a= _ council turns re el :developer. over • ta-r(—(5S� - By SARA THOMALLA-BLOOD . the southwest corner of Rahn v'L Cliff Road arid Rahn Way. City.> -. Council members ; The firm is also requesting a agreed Oct..:6 to forward a re=. planned development amend= quest to amendthe city's ment to allow construction of a Comprehensive. Guide Plan to . three-story, 89-unit extended the -Metropolitan Council in stay hotel on the property. order for a new hotel to locate The land is owned by Randy.. in Eagan. .•. Hedlund of Hedlund Engineer-: New Ulm Enterprises, Inc is ing, a partner of Rahn Ridge requesting `an amendment to Associates ' change .the,. land use designa- The .city's Comprehensive' tion;: from -..limited business_ to Guide Plan -was drafted in the commercial planned develop- late; 1970s: The . plan outlines ' ment for 2.42 acres located at land use districts and zoning'-- (See Hotel, from ounc' According to Mike: Ridley, the'. city's.- senior planner, whenever ' an amendment is requested, it must bes forwarded to the Metropolitan Council for review and comment: This is not the first time: the council heard the amendment request. During : its Sept.' 14 meetings the council required representatives- of -New Ulm Enterprises to meet: with' area - residents Oct. _ 1�., The city gaye_ • Hotel (Continued from front page) the developer a list of 60 nearby residents to invite to the meeting. Only 10 attended. The city received a petition containing 10 signatures of residents who are opposed to _- the land use change. In addi- tion, letters both for and against the landuse change were submitted to the city by residents and nearby- busi- nesses. Those in opposition said the land in question serves as. buffer zone between residential': and commercial areas. They. added they feel the new -Stay - bridge Suites Hotel is not nec- essary because there are al- ready two hotels in the vicin- ity. The Rev. Tim Ruden, pastor. of Cedar Ridge Church, wrote „ . a letter that listed six concerns..;. Ruden said he wonders if the hotel's parking lot will be ade- quately lit, and if -the hotel will be staffed 24 hours a day. He also said he. is uncomfort- able that the hotel's trash bin could be viewed from the church's main entrance. The request was also re- viewed by Eagan's Advisory Planning Commission. Mem- bers recommended denying the amendments 'because the pro- posed 89-unit hotel would be too close to the residential area. During the Oct. 6 meeting, Mayor Tom Egan asked if the meeting between .the developer and residents was successful. '"A lot has: happened since last Thursday (Oct: 1)," said Dale Klossner, who. organized the petition. "I don't see any- thing solid yet... but it's going in the right direction for my- self." :. Ruden 'said he felt it would be a good project, : but he won- dered how • wide the berm would be around the complex. He also requested that berming take place on the west side of the. hotel, which is.'adjacent to theFchurch. Ridley said during an Oct. 8 interview that the city requires berming around parking lots and . public: right-of-ways, but not between ,buildings. To date, Ridley said it has not been made clear where and to' what extent berming would be re- quired. Council Member Bea Blomquist asked ifthe berm would impact church property. "I know someday develop- ment would be there... but I don't think it will reduce future plans," said Ruden, adding the church could make accommo- dations for a growing congrega- tion, such as holding multiple worship services. Emmitt Erpelding, .with New Ulm Enterprises, requested the city approve the Comprehen- sive Guide . Plan Amendment .before sending it to the Met Council. He said the council could later make a final deci- sion by accepting or rejecting the latter amendment. City Council members de- cided toforego this step by forwarding it directly to the Met Council. The City 'Coun- cil also requested the devel- oper meet with neighbors again to resolve remaining issues. "I would like to see more in- volvement from the neigh- bors," said Egan. The City Council hopes to have the issue return on the Oct. 20 agenda. However, Ridley said the Met Council has the option to review the amendment in 10 or 90 days, and he did not expect a re- sponse in time for the Oct. 20 meeting. Concerns influence M0 hotel_ f b - � •fit Eagan City Council forwards Comprehensive 'Plan change,to Met Counci .� •, Imo. ^-.l�__,��.5�.,r4��3-; :,-''. By Jon Fure Minnesota Sun Publications 'A three-story, extended -stay 0*. be built on Rah "' :' °yam'= nCliff Road (Y" the Hilton Gar=- den Inn, Green Mill Restaurant . and Holiday Inn Express Hotel ' and Suites. The Staybridge Suites hotel has been proposed by New.Ulm ''Enierp ises'" :ande` ToTgers`o"ii Properties, -the. developers and._:. ';;:operators-, of the •other- hotels in . '. ,. .that area. The hotel caters to ::people who :stay;;seven to nine days, and, it is designed to look more like'residential housing than a hotel. It'is'proposed to contain 89 units on 2.4 acres at the southwest corner : of Rahn - Cliff Road and Rahn Way. A group -of area residents had been opposed to; thehotel pro- ject, but after ,discussing con- cerns with the developers, some residents said at the Oct. 6.City Council meeting that they now support the proposal. The council'.,can approve the proposal only if the:land-use des-. igiiation is "changed from Limit- ed • Business to • Commercial Planned Development,•which re- quires ,an, amendment to the. Comprehensive Plan: Limited .Business designa- tion is intended for areas next to .; residential development =it limits the types: of use:;.vs OTEL: To P, nip October ' ightii g:the o,r )fence- Prevention' .Awareness .Nigtt= in±Ro e Rev. Pat Hall of St. John's;. ;Rosemou` imbers, who held softly glowing liight'sticks ke Cook' to Sun Publications ::teen -year -old Kevin. :way spent last Dec. 31 at a 1's home in St. Paul cele- :ig the arrival of 1998. win opted to celebrate with :ages he should have not iusr OLD E ly consumed for another DOES 'ears. OLD EN tter that night, Kevin got id the wheel of an automo- A short time later he Youth PI zed and died. not want is father, Tom, along with repeated bers of the Dakota County of the ye Y From ma and . pa motels tofull-service hotels 7/3 / 7 Eagan experiences giant: shif t in lodging industry over the years elav -1-3(-t1SS BySARA THOMALLA-BLOOD . stops were a minute indication `sS t f\,Cj 5 U of things to come — that build - Before the opening•of the in- ing a hotel in Eagan wasn't terstate system, Eagan's lodg such a bad idea, especially ing industry laid along the when one considers its proxim- well-beaten path of Highway ' ity to the Twin Cities and:''the 55 leading travelers and fami-. international airport. lies carried in station wagons Once the placement of I-35E north from the pastures and became a reality, the Federal into the big city of Minneapo- Land Co. (known today as lis. MFC Properties) bought large At that time, there were threetracts of land and..turned thern. motels in Eagan — the Air-, into Town Centre; and the :Yan- liner, the Spruce and the Ter-: kee Square Shopping -_Center.' racc. Gone today, the three. Restaurants, shops and, Rilti- i:4' . •mately, a grocery store, built), we had no corporate ho- quickly filled up the area. The tel. We weren't interstate final piece of the puzzle was a property, (so that wasn't) the full -service hotel. draw," recalled hotel general The Best Western Yankee manager Tim Dunn. Square Inn, located near Yan- Included in the amenities kee Doodle Road and. Wash- were airport shuttle services, ington Drive, opened in 1983. meeting rooms, and eventually 1-35E, which cuts behind the food services and an exercise hotel, opened two years later. room. "Although we were closer to "The hotel they built was 20,000 then than 70,000, we first class, and it still is. It had Unisys and the United brought tremendous service to States. Postal Service. More the community by providing ;than any reason (for being another level of lodging serv- ice here," said City Adminis- trator Tom Hedges. "We liter- ally moved from the mom and pop motel to a big -chain hotel in the mid-'80s." If we wait, will they . come? Despite having an edge on competition by being the only corporate hotel in the city, ,at- tracting customers wasn't easy, recalled Dunn. People felt Ea- (See Hotel, (p.6A) Current/Wednesday;'Oct: 14, 1998 1' TAKES TO GET ER ONALOW : PR NORWEST UUTY LOAN loian .decision in as littie as°o home equity loan. Not to mention 4 Hoiel: `Residents have a vested interest' From Page 1A Commercial Planned Development al . lows more types of uses, whic i do not al- ways work well next to resideritial'areas'. Mayor Tom Egan said the Staybridge Suite's proposal is an'exception'that''` would justify the change. "It's an excellent 'product-.itdoesn t;: take "a `rocket scientist • to "see that -it's`a class operation, ,with a lower intensity than `the' -existing `ffotels'or tlie" iestau' ant;",hesaid:•,"And` it is probably less-'- in' trusive.to' the neighbors than' an office building `: "But :ne'vertheles's, the' site calls , for."- Limited Business, which should generate less traffic than a hotel. The residents have a vested interest in protecting their property values, and I understand that." The proposal had been discussed at the Sept. 14 City Council meeting, and the council asked the developers to or- ganize an informational meeting with the residents and representatives of Cedar Ridge'Church. None of residents in that area attended the Sept. 14 meet- ing, but some had sent letters indicating their opposition. The proposal had also been discussed in August at an Eagan Advisory Planning Commission public hearing. Egan attended the informational meeting Oct. 1, and he said it has been hard to measure the extent of the opposi- tion from residents. .. "I was disappointed that the council deferred action until after [New Ulm En- terprises] held an informational meeting with the neighbors, and of the 60 to 70 personal invitations we sent out to resi- dences — residences, not residents — only about 10 people showed up, and I counted about six or seven people during the presentation at the [Oct::'6] council slr meeting. The interest level has been _lard to define." Aric Elsner was one of the residents . - who had been opposed to the develop ment at the Oct. 1 Meeting, but he -Said he and some other neighbors continued-:. to"discuss their concerns=with''an rchi tect. He said the neighbors can accept the . proposal if a berm' and other landscaping_,-. can be designed to provide a`buffer'he= tween the homes'and the hotel Cedar:Ridgex� =The Rev.'Tim'=Ruderi of hunch;also ndicatea support foi• "the .project if the developers will resolve his concerns,: such as:: including -the name, of 3 .: therlchurch on a`sign; keeping the front;. - desk staffed 24 hours, providing ade- quate lighting in the parking area and keeping the dumpster out of sight. Representatives of New Ulm Enter- prises agreed to the modifications, and Egan said•the developers earned support from the council by negotiating with the residents. "The New Ulm and Torgerson group has been trying hard to be very accom- modating to those residents who -still ex- press concerns with the size = it's an at- tractive building, but it is big," he said. - "The city has to look at a broader per- spective than the residents' concerns,' like what this will do for the tax base, or • the need for a hotel like this. I cannot pre- judge whether the council will approve it — it has to be approved by a 4/5 vote but I got the impression approval is much more likely after all the work the devel- opers have done to get `residents' input." The council voted to forward the pro- posal to the Met Council, which is ex- pected to be returned in less than 90 days. The City Council will vote ori the final proposal after the Met comments on the Comprehensive Plan change. • 'Motel (Continued from front page). gan, was too far away and that the river hindered'access: Plus, Eagan wasn't on -the map like nearby Bloomington and its recognized 1-494 strip. If -people knew anything about Eagan, they knew it was a farm town, said Dunn. "It was not overnight. We didn't just open the doors and we were instantly 'filled.' We had to make people aware we were here," said Dunn. Eagan officials soon realized it had yet to tap into a lucra- tive industry — hotels. Realiz- ing one hotel was not enough, officials looked into attracting more corporate hotels. • Despite the city's location and its potential, developers weren't biting. Between 1980 and 1990, Ea- gan more than doubled its population. Industries catering to the community's needs quickly followed. Eagan offi- cials soon found themselves in the midst of a dilemma. Offi- cials wanted a full-scale hotel, but they also wanted restau- rants. Both would need on -sale liquor licenses. But the state only allocates a certain number of on -sale liq- uor licenses to cities based on that decade's census figures. What would happen if the city had to choose between two ap- plicants? OTELS ARE lining up in Eagan, as seen here near ijiff Road and I-35E. Currently there are 12 hotels and 1,500 rooms in the city. Photo by Rick Orndorf hotel rooms for family reunions and weddings. The airport de- cided to stay at its present lo- ,cation,•rand-The Mall of Amer, tca was hutlt. - This development trend is expected to continue with the, building of the convention cen- ter in St. Paul and the introduc- tion of a professional hockey team in that city. Eagan's hotel industry also enjoyed a spill -over market from Bloomington and other big hotel cities. "Sometimes you couldn't find a room in the cities within 200 miles," said Dunn. WheGthesE,aga�n: convention yarid�' �Visrtors== Bureau' '(CV,'B) ,. began in 1993, ':there were three hotels. The Eagan coun- cil passed a lodging tax, with those funds being used to pro- mote the hotel industry. "Why do we exist? We have a slogan: `To put heads in beds,'" said CVB Public Re- lations Director Sue Hegarty. By August 1997 there were SUMMER AIR CONDITIONING SALE! On Installed Jobs (wiring extra). 10 SEER Model CKCO24 'No payments and no interest for 6 months to qualified customers on the Carrier charge account. Account APR is 17.88%. Minimum finance charge is 8.50.. 651-460-8313 LOEGREN HEATING & AIR CONDRIONING 6 Months NO INTEREST NO PAYMENTS* kYzit -a�rrerp. • GISTOM MADE I1®O0R WEATHer New Mortgages and All Types of Refinance Call Kathy Macknick Mortgage Originator 651-306-1615 wei. SIGNAL MORTGAGE l°<<, 1270 Yankee Doodle Road, Eagan Although no .stockpiling of t" licenses .;occurred :nor were %.there . any' major: arguments, this issue became -a topic fre- quently. discussed by the .City Council. Ultimately; city staff went to elected representatives at the state • level three times during the 1990s'to see if they could get special legislation to in- crease the number of on -sale liquor licenses Eagan could receive. Special legislation was granted in 1994, 1996 and 1998. By law,;,the city's.population in 1990 allowed for 18. Special legislation:' raised that to 30. Currently;':.23;=licenses are is- sued. . "The law was -based on the 1990 census. We. were growing fast. By the time we reached the 2000 •census, we'd have been way behind population calculations, said city Fi- nance Director Gene VanOver- beke. The tides turn A series of `happy accidents happened almost simultane- ously, pushing the hotel indus- try in Eagan. The Cedar Bridge was built, relieving the Minne- sota River barrier. Corporate companies began relocating to Eagan, increasing the need for hotel rooms and conference space. The population contin- ued to rise, re.uiring additional eight hotels with atotal' of 92 rooms. Room Fates, ranged 'fro] $35, to $15.7 a night. Today • Today there,.; are • ;12 : hotel with a ,Combined" total .:of ar proximately. 1;500 rooms. Tw, more hotels are .currently undc construction. and another wa recently approved by the Cit: Council. A potential 16th hotc will be before •the City Counc; at. the • council's Aug. 3 meet ing. There are • economy hotel: and full -service hotels con; plete with suites. There are ex tended -stay hotels ,.and mid range, hotels. ' . "Hotels are , what drive th economy in Eagan," said 1-Ic garty, "because the renters ar temporary residents. -They bu. gasoline, eat out, need thei dry cleaning done." Hegarty said the average sta at an . extended -stay hotel i two months. "They weave themselves int. the community," • she said "They go to the grocery store: send flowers back home to : loved one, use rental cars. I they are business people, the: may use the print shop to gc things run off. ,It has a domin. effect on our economy." Dunn contends competition i fierce, and Yankee Square Ini has been remodeled a coupl, of times to keep up with th, trends. But it is also not un common for hotels to refer cus tomers to one another if one is booked for the night. Occupancy rates up througl 1998 have been strong. Al- though a specific,rnumh� was �YTiot(avai,Ca le'`��'inddstry�ryt}s�deFs d }' '"H`tl !"b T{.f'Stc.t«t-^I o sayFat's ;well a T,0:1lie••^hote' industry's average. • But with the good come: some bad. As the hotel industr' continues to grow, the Eagat Police Department is begin Wing to see a risc in three area of crime — narcotics, checl forgery/credit card fraud, ant prostitution. "It's a safc, anonymous aren: to operate in a; hotel," said Po lice Chief Patrick Geagan "They pay. cash for a -.room of the interstate. They use a prc paid cell phone." The chief recalled a recce incident where police made bust on three individuals fror Chicago staying in an Eaga hotel. Among the items seize• were a kilo of cocaine an $48,000 in cash, he said. Police are beginning to im plement a program modele, after their Crime Free Multi .11ousuig program. The prograr would allow a relationship t be built between hotel manat ers and the Police Departmen Managers and staff would h trained to recognize suspiciou activity. In addition, the Polic Department would help to bee up security in and around th hotel. "The Police Department i taking this very seriously. said Gcagan. "We don't wat to allow this type of activity t get a foothold on the city an hotel developments." The future The hotel being pitched t the council Aug. 3 is a $6 mii lion, six -story! stfucture. Build (See Note (Continued) ing • amenities Include 160 guest room suites, a confer- . ence center, a restaurant and a water recreational facility complete with waterslides. For many, this project would fulfill Eagan's definition of a full -service hotel. But for oth- ers, this may. supersaturate an already unsettled market. In 1999, hotels have been experiencing a softer market. Hegarty said it is due to the amount of families and insur- ance representatives involved in the .major storms of 1997 and 1998 to which the hotels catered. But Dunn believes it is a sign that the market is over -built. "We've certainly. faced a lot of competition over the years, but the occupancy levels are starting to, drop. We need to convince the city to step back and slow things down. We al- ready have more than enough i.. ,,.-•r 'cb _'i! ni. rooms.' The ;cities are ovc -built, and part of it is becau: of Eagan," said Dunn. . - Furthermore', a study cori pleted in 1997 by Compass 1 ternational Research and 1: formation Services . indicate that growth' and . demar through 2002, could allow 1 one-100-plus- room, full-servic hotel to be built every fi' years without:significantly ui dermining the. current businc base. Eagan.' has already e, ceeded that rate. Has the novelty of' staying i Eagan worn off? Both Hegari and Dunn say no. , • . "They prefer to come her( They can get to attraction more easily than other one: and we're closest to the airpor In Eagan we'.re away from th really heavy traffic.. We hav shopping and 'restaurants.. Pee ple desire to come here hi cause we're accessible," sai. Dunn. Eagan's Holiday Inn Express plans The Holiday Inn Express in Eagan will add 50 two -room suites, an exercise room, an- other conference room and coin laundry facilities. In addition to award -winning service, guests who stay in the new suites will enjoy a kitch- enette, in -room coffee makers, king-size bed, queen -size sleeper sofa, dining table and chairs, desk, iron and ironing board, recliners, two TVs, two telephones and two vanities. ' Some suites will also have pri- vate whirlpools. expansion aa; The ` larger conference wont will have a 65 minimum seat- ing capacity. 'Guests also will enjoy 'a complimentary break- fast buffet. The project is scheduled to be completed in March 1996. -• • . ByiSiieReggiirtr. • C011Cent StaffiWilthe :'•'• - O;h'OieleprePOsaleat oppOsite end:sofvelop al hoieVreciiiire&tic-Ciiiiipreliensive the:, city were: denied apprnvaI-bx..the guideplaniamendinent;MayorTomEgan, .EaganCitYCiiunCil'AilY.151'" : .,-"f.':'' '-'..,--' • andrcouncilimemberesaidkthetiiteshoul& ' : Residente:who,,liVeFoniPfn Oak DriVe,....:',"' remain: as: it: was intended. asi;w:Eimitedv in-southepyBagange.ve:thelouncil?*sp,e7.-E,StisinessirOca*ibir., :.- : ...• .. -. t .,,,'...;',.i.:,.....;•' ,;y:,.., t1014;gagamhas,a4Residence:InnbyMar--- dle:. Also; the motel, would, be located,t-,-, , J •-k• •_•-• .':-• titionTreque-4m.' gtlietthey mit allOwej3. 8.‘r":40-,t3;4',"IfthinliH, :faiii..effi-ce building. oirthiesiteari_'°.-4rioW,Icross:from,where..Homesteadlifil,_ - next toL1-.135EandIthielocationinakewitt: , .- :. • :::.• roonvinoternear„The.CrosOinge shoppir,ig..,,,i The, .._ ,iifiii„sunciragreedvirmanszit -:'But-.it ,w t to theplam. out; 24hour s , extended! stay! hi?tel/inoter. design app provedtin? recent months: EXtende&Stay• Ameriree and' Homesteadk Village. have been a roved; for.construction: addl..- -al. prime location; for prostitutiOnt4inik • .'-'siiisinoresuitiihret.lianemot,e11,-7EgarisEud&f„:t4igepylineito?huild., • n, • CS .1 sant'. market saturation that. drug distributamr,-, wrote Pike With- '•,-:_ centei-V1167; ISCa. .ti.on;.. acrosst from Dairyy-s; the.. Atp!ep., and Holiday him Bkpress;. il.r. lie;tt'.7'':::.. =owl y;fdeniedt„amendine*,regnest : ---,• :„:piede„counblici!,memlrs.objec,. t : ...t. ..--..:, tWeezkalrreeldenti'aF arefel4ncF, the com.;;;kihnit.5'dia--„ ....,,,:e4.,- ig,,..„1k4iii,_:-..... gLili,...1e :.'"._.,,!:a,Yer, hotel.._. .,--......1t,Wago PP safety;...,4,, - :;•,, ••• . ,, iii•iiiiitlrCeiiter4.:Nb brand name had... . ;":12k-us''th&-n- council tiearog ' -,.• -.-- ,,,,te, , . . _ ta+5:-- -4414.:Stii'diOPtas;:didilnot.Oarettip.provide24, Iilgetedi,fClittlieproposedilietel', accordj.iikt;cv:ii*for4rtlyters•:**Tilto*B.t4diflplu:#4 lioli,:tCjitciter servi ce,suat asthe.Bisi.„ Bali— cl,#edhinit?...thetdegielblier:,' ;--,'A,.''.: ..';':lietelrolitlnetiteiElieliiii cit:Sniare ...; .13 "ie!-fiiirilbes ,. Because there, is,, lesa. new, stay-mot.cial;., clam. , . , - . ...-..,•.. ,.--.4, , ..,--•,.,,,,,•!,,,,.....,....1„... teri .....,_ ... 1_ ,._,..... r:InT114cl'anim'S;J:trns'd*IeiYieC173OPmmril:P4144idixigC°Ininis_iftheli:tH"';''-. D-,11. iitiBijkal-:,,„.Thek,Rrizesen _ • Xtend • Duane Pikeresearched the. potential for taY hotels, . . • _• •cnminah activity; hotele without; hour: service staff!: - "Without24-hour managemen res dents oCthet motel: would be: forcedijoy., calLthepolicet for; even: minor.. incidentik that: management would normally,lian4 1 ,ank2e3.4„..oversixpex "tatior.diiicr • thavel,beeir,provided-Witli vetoperepleadedthein case persons- tafr whe, commit•. 'these crimes woulik be,able to, conduct . their business without worrying; about. management calling,t police or- making_.: them'-leavet: . Council, members( agreed. but the • counciltaPprovei o _ :epnce acento: e o _ _ , entryitlireughlockeddoorsi. • - , f..); • t tiuttliet6o4Ciltthouglit,oth-eiwii3' t-StudinPhiewouldhavebeentthethird-F.:- .nifv;,,Bieventioni-• .Officer , • - HOTELS- ToTagp 12A-: IS 411. • Despite residents' concerns, council approves two -hotel plan By ANN BRUCCIANI LYON The Eagan City Council gave the preliminary go-ahead Aug. 20 for a controversial plan to construct two, four-story hotels in Eagan. Honey Tree LTD plans to construct a Comfort Suites ho- tel and conference center and the Sleep Inn west of Nicols Road and bounded on the north, west and south by Erin Drive. After listening to the con- cerns of residents of an adja- cent housing development at a previous council meeting, the City Council asked Honey ree LTD to alter the devel- pment to make it less obtru- sive. Honey Tree LTD com- plied and modified its original plans. The changes included: • A reduction in the devel- opment's breadth from three lots to two lots, which resulted from the elimination of a pre- viously planned Country Kitchen restaurant • A reduction in the build- ings' height from five stories to four stories, a difference of ap- proximately 13 inches • A reduction in the size of the conference center from 4,355 square feet to 3,740 square feet Furthermore, the developer agreed to use shorter, 30-foot light standards and to shield lighting on the east side of the development so that it is de- e t mize the effect on property owners. The developer also agreed to change its signage, using one pylon sign instead of two. Despite Honey Tree LTD's alterations and savvy pro - family, pro -neighborhood pres- entation, residents pleaded with council members to op- pose the development. "We're looking for something that will serve our needs and we, feel that these hotels offer no benefit to us," said resident Cindy Childs, who also stated that she and her neighbors are not opposed to development of the site but are opposed to the type of development being proposed. Childs added her concerns that decreases in property val- ues and in safety for neighbor- hood children would occur if the development was approved. When a resident questioned the council about whether zon- ing changes were made to fa- vor the Honey Tree LTD de- velopment, Mayor Tom Egan clarified that no changes had been made. He explained that hotels were a permitted use under the community shopping center (CSC) zoning classifi- cation. In a final appeal, resident Roxie Soderholm spoke out against the development: "We may not have corporate back- ing, it may just be our weekly paychecks, but we are quality eo . le tr We are concerned about this (development). As our City Council, we ask you to, at the very least, put a cap on this until some of this stuff is ironed out." In response to the residents' statements, Council Member Shawn Hunter said, "We serve 50,000 people including the businesses and the health of the entire community is what we have to take into considera- tion. Part of that health is the health of the business commu- nity and the health of the trav- eling public ... relatives who come to the community and want to stay in (it). The asser- tion (is) that hotels are some- how inherently evil and that guests are evil and don't care. I just don't buy that argument at all." Hunter then presented infor- mation about Eagan's hotel room rates and the decreases in room availability before stating that the development is "obviously a needed service." He also stated the economic benefits of having travelers spend their dollars at Eagan businesses. Despite the facts the council presented about the benefits of hotel industry, including an estimated traffic reduction of 6,000 daily trips to and from a hotel versus an office building and a mall, the development's neighboring residents were dis- satisfied with the 5-0 vote. I am interested: For myself Name Address you told rvp' our Mom (� about Carefree Living, good for you. Even better for her. Learn more about this dignified, affordable alternative to nursing home care. Ca11 or write today: Carefree Living of Burnsville NEW ADDITION! March 19% 892-5559 Eee a� Assisted Living Suites Please! Send me more information about Carefree Living Assisted Living Suites. For someone else City State Zip Daytime Phone Mail to: Carefree Living of Burnsville 600 Nicollet Boulevard Burnsville, MN 55337 MOBILE HOME SALES 14160 HIGHWAY 65 NE. 803 HIGHWAY 48 HAM LAKE, MINNESOTA 55303 HINCKLEY, MINNESOTA 55037 612-754-3200 320-384-0917 _ CHE$T BEAUTIFUL HOMES Starting As / 50 Low As Per Sq. Ft. o-r • a-S C-f ATARWEu OPTION �\ ETM�WEIL • 8 Financial Institutions • Dream Kitchen • Ceramic Foyer • 8ft.DryWall • 1 g.Inr'h F�au+a Similar scenarios used in 'two armed robberies By BRENDA HAUGEN Eagan police are investigat- ing two armedrobberies that may be related. The first occurred at 3 p.m. ,Aug. 10 at Snyder Drug in the Cedarvale Mall. According to Sgt. Jim McDonald, a man en- tered the business, approached the clerk and produced an eight -inch meat cleaver. The suspect told the clerk to open the register. After she did, the man reached into the till and took about $400, which he kept in his hands as he walked out of the store, McDonald said. "The man ran in a northeast direction outside of the busi- ness. He may have been driv- ing a gray Nissan Pathfinder with a partial license plate of 561, McDonald said. The sus- pect is believed to have been alone in the vehicle. The second incident hap- pened at 12:10 a.m. Aug. 15 at Yankee Square- Inn, 3450 Washington Drive. A clerk was alone in the lobby with her back to the doors when she felt a presence, McDonald said. A man 'then put his leather -gloved hand over her mouth, McDonald said. The suspect showed the clerk a long butcher knife, and he and the clerk walked behind the counter, according to McDonald. The man told the clerk to open the register, which she did, and he took the entire drawer and put it in 'a black knapsack, McDonald said. The suspectasked if there was other money lying around, and the clerk gave him rolled coins, according to McDonald. The suspect took the woman to the office before he left, and she was able to call police from there. Neither of the clerks was in- jured in the two incidents, McDonald said. The suspect in the Snyder Drug robbery is described as a black man in his early 20s. He had short, black hair, brown eyes, was 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-9, 140 to 150 pounds. He was wearing a navy blue t-shirt and jeans and had no glasses or facial hair. The - suspect in the Yankee Square Inn robbery is described as a black man with a slender build, 5-foot-9, brown eyes and a bald or shaved head. He was wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt. With the similar descriptions and the similar scenarios of the crimes, police believe they may be looking for one sus- pect. "We've got no reason to be- lieve they're any different," McDonald said. The investigation is continu- ing. Anyone with information may call the. Eagan Police De- partment tipline at 686-1111. ity Council approves Eagan's 15th. hotel The Eagan City Council approved a proposal to construct the city's 15th hotel during its Jan. 4 meeting. The six -story, 87-room hotel will be on 1.7 acres north of Corporate Center Drive and east of Pilot Knob Road, adjacent to the Holiday Inn Select property. The site was originally planned for a 4,500 square foot restaurant. However, the placement of the Lone Oak Cafe inside the Holiday Inn Select makes the construction of another restaurant not economical- ly feasible. The new hotel and the Holiday Inn Select will be share the same owner but will be franchised under different flags. —Lori Hall" Hotels: Public safety concerns council From Page lA David Schmid, real estate manager for Studio Plus, said although lobby hours would be restricted, a manage- ment representative would be on the premises 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Their guest profile is a full-time employee traveling alone on assignment, Schmid said. Michelle Foster, senior director of real estate for Opus who is developing Eagan Promenade, said the location originally was designed enti ly for retail. It was at the urging of the council that a hotel was sought for the site, Foster said The council did not waver. "Maybe we're imagining the worst, but we're trying to protect against the worst happening," said City Administrator Tom Hedges. Last week's council vote is not the end of the line for hotel proposals in Eagan. On July 22, there was a public hearing sched- uled by the advisory planning commission regarding a 100-room Hilton Garden Inn at 1975 Rahncliff Court. Model Hours: Mon-Fri�1.7: Sat/Sun 1-5 1) F E, G P ®N- D Model Phone: 612-431-3232 TilsenbiltHOR1eS Gentrourly Affordable Tornhomt Living. MN Builders Licence #1637. * Prices subject to change $3000 in aPeions available Jar a limited time. Other incentives do nut apply. Daily speciaQs SUNDAY: Two for One Burger Night MONDAY: Pizza Meal Deal - $14.95 1 11E .T IJ'' Fo‘..DEE2, SecriNS Courtesy Mrs. Paul Liebelt 1931--Robert E. Tiinze with shotgun and jackrabbit. ( - • Courtesy Mrs. Paul Liebelt May 31, 1930--Joseph McCarthy. The photograph was taken in the backyard of the Dixie Inn. Joseph and his wife Lillian nee TeTendre lived next door. The car is a 1925-26 Puick four -door sedan, a really fine -running car.