The URL can be used to link to this page

Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Information on the background and plans for redevelopment of Cedarvale Mall. 85 pages. - 1/1/1999FO LDEK IN I SMEAD1 No. 2-153L UPC 10334 smead.com • Made In USA 0 FIRTSSVCILIKMINNSP"LICT WE SFIIM Martin Des Lauriers 1031 Cliff Road • Eagan, MN 55123 • 612-454-1790 J /9P illy , fYrG(rr'', G /75 ?-a /0" , / 2 ,r �' ,e), /7t /ivei 5 e Feew_5 A/5 kirk � yl /4r4 5 ; 7/e, Mr :ea`;5 Cheri' awe s'lr /ro✓! piQ /,2 ' /4 £-a »ci2) k'aI'( f�e x' e e 6 S?`M6) Pvyrnrn 9 retie� 7GO B/ c � fi31 Ae,,e j ,;eel/ Sheil , )( - er co e eiv 12/a,ii 5/6✓e ; Cl/4r/ ? Chi e: #//s el/0 /0 e`4)Iek !/ A ✓9 �'�c " 1��^ f Urn d-eiZa.rlty, ( 1fine < 1(i_;e CGU,1 !laY faro d /it arke7� mn fel 3' edei-a / vu !I e y )rl/fa / 1 t -e d t r icK504 1 Yed h JI( /'c' er Pee "lQr b-/S ,i-'tQ kt, i e,1 -e y, T i S f i c, B/ 13 4fny fi )'T5 Sfd,"e I el prif Kl''yt3 J Page I 1 of 11 Version: 7.5.557 / Virus Database. 270.12.11/2089 - Re10.0.011013.11537R:007d6f4b E.3282.1379789180 V:10ee.24.1.16.1.1.US S: kr\ \),N1,,m (i77)VA4-- L' Suftday, May 24, 2009 America Online: Deslaurie3 pi -)/c frit Kcfd:r., f7e � a soco 1, G,e S tb rk fig ior a T rk�l�ct � ue MarN�� 13 cop�iti+F� I-1 �� mwhEciJ 1 Yr) cY_Lc/,) /-6ag(9 r--1/ b „Lk of, to iA,1 c — kc(0° -749 - GU-ke.r_< eA-) CkIX) , 1-lirdioA, qa-4) c�> • Cr[-&L p(ktth_tr_ fWQ5z.y- ___ecLed5 Ot6(,_ I I d) /71 _ - 1 `K\IG6m() Irt,Aik (idd° • .-t71,$) 1::- ow. bukt6 i f6L-#- exy-1. awr 114 &a ut & ."..y.t/.. ,, Eit3mi.).4 i 10 a a 1 Y n 1 4(Avii 8 aj &g1/- cJ &&10-kj _5 aus (ax_R 6 • - &eiik Fr fl , \4_0_, -y caxtlo ao,2_a ChuirA 1 . . . , ', . .. . . . . .... l' ] i, _ 1 . , N INSIDE THE MALL Roberts's drug (then Snyder drug) a gift shop next to Roberts's drug owned by Bob VanderAarde Coast to Coast hardware (then a women's fitness place owned by Bob VanderAarde) the video games along the wall next to Coast to Coast the original Mikes Shoe Repair in the corner on the north side behind Sewalds jewelers Sewalds jewelers Mikes Shoe Repair on the south side of the mall Nedveds flowers Cedarvale barbers An insurance agent behind the barber shop The Book End (then an electrolysis place) Musicville Charlie's Choo Choo train shop Trail TV the pet store (name?) Tiki Goddess hair salon Den of Wolf martial arts Burtons frame shop Peoples Natural Gas Storkville US Swim & Fitness (then Bally Total fitness) the fountain downstairs General sports Native Tan (then Tan Me) Cedrics tailors (then Gregs tailors then Cedarvale tailors then Cedarvale tailors upstairs) a health food store in the old General Sports Adventure World travel a storage area for CAA equipment Ben Franklin (then Grand Slam with a t-shirt place behind Grand Slam) Mags clothing store The Clothes tree ABC Kiddie Shop Hals men's wear Mpls Contact and Lens Gails doll shop Sears outlet Thomas fabrics Unicorn gift shop (then a quilting store then an insurance agent? then Yeasty Boy home brewing then a flower shop) McGlynns bakery Applebaums (then RC Dicks and then the alternative school) Extra Special A plus sized womens store TCF Bank (then the Tobak Shack) Hallmark dry cleaners Cedrics clothing Stride Rite Shoes? Fashion Footwear was there a dance studio run by a former Miss Minnesota? Star massage John Allen's, a candy and gift shop The snack bar with California burgers (yummy) Creative hand gift shoppe OUTSIDE THE MALL Cedarvale Lanes with the Spare Time Lounge (then Fitzs) Mr. donut (then another unknown named donut shop) McDonalds Home Juice (then a kosher poultry place?) Associated Citrus Enterprises in the old school house on Gold Trail and Beau-d-rue was an accountant (Larry Haugen?) and a motorcycle shop in the garage (noelski's) Country Club Market (then an indoor paint ball place then storage for all American recreation) Rax roast beef (then a gas station that burned down) Perkins (then Jensen's) a bank on the east side of Rahn(Minnesota Federal?) Valley National Bank on the west side of Rahn (then Mid America Bank, Minnesota Bank, Shelard Bank Firstar Bank of Eagan, Firstar) the offices south of the bank (J.E. Paranto real estate, Dr. Myasocka a dentist, Dr. Paymar the eye doctor, Attorney's Paul Hauge, George Hoey(who became a judge in Dakota County an accountant, others?) Cedarvale Liquors (then Sids, then big Top & then Big Deal) under the apartments was Mr. D's pizza (then Broadway pizza, then several Asian restaurants) Tom Thumb One Hour Martinizing dry cleaners a bike shop was there a United Store? the drivers license place a dance studio the Millwork Barn a photography studio Bjorkstad roofing Gleason's gym Joos Electrical Eagan Pet Clinic Burnet reality Twin City testing the "big hill" for sliding in the winter a Photohut in the old building was (Harold's, Shaddock dairy, a church, a furniture store, a video store Eugene's games, and if you talk with real original residents they can tell you about the dance hall above Shaddock dairy) Su Su Ling (then House of Wing) Colonial car wash Hal's Texaco gas station (then a Sinclair gas station then Rudy's auto repair) a Standard gas station in the south west corner of Nichols and Cedar Pahl's fruit and veg stand north on Cedar a Phillips 66 station on the north east corner of Nichols and Cedar (then the U-Haul) Superior auto body Kennedy Transmission (then Larsen's auto repair) Kinney's shoe store (then Sherwin Williams) the Wiener King (then the first Dominos pizza) Country Kitchen (then Mediterranean Cruise) Crown Auto (then the performance car shop?) Champion Auto parts (then a Schwinn bike dealer) Sara's laundry Gambles B & B Hardware -B & B stood for Brunett & Bass - Gambles was originally more of a general store that sold everything including snowmobiles - Gambles was also the first post office in the area (then Ace Hardware) A&W (then Eagan Tap then a small engine repair shop) Pizza Hut (then a Russian market) Mr. Steak (then a child care) Jerry Lewis theater (then Disco Trec then AVVR electronic stuff?) Baskin Robbins a carpet store an insurance agency Ficocellos hair the giant slide out back If you want to go farther down south of Old Cedar, how about the original Jerry's with nursery and hockey stuff the Acorn daycare Union 76 Q gas Brooks Superette (then an engine building place?) Making Magic head shop a waterbed store Trail TV S h ()‘-a) bS I/// I SMEAD1 No. 2-153L UPC 10334 smead.com • Made In USA licYc%) • 0 Fib@t llii14* SFI ;SRC " Fo DER BNS JIll SMEAD'I KEEPING YOU ORGANIZED No. 10334 2-153L 0 SUSTAINA&E mut RECYCLED IINITITIATIVE CONTENT 10% Certified Rb.r Sourcing POST -CONSUMER www.fiprogr.m.org a or MADE IN USA GET ORGANIZED AT SMEAD.COM ,w.mriSun com By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers. Pledging a commitment to "fair and equitable" treatment for property owners in the Cedarvale area, the Eagan. City Council cleared the way for a $2.64 mil- lion project designed to help traffic flow in the area. For Jeff Hall, who has lived on the' cor- ner of the intersection of Silver Bell and Beau d'Rue Drive for more than 20 years, the project means he will lose -his home.. "When you take our property, I under- stand we're going to have to pick up .and move," Hall said. "With the time frame we are dealing with now, .it sounds like we have four, five, possibly six months. That's not that long of a time. I just want a fair shake from the city of Eagan. I don't want a fight." Under the plan unanimously ap- proved by the council Feb. 6, Cedarvale Boulevard will be diverted southeast and aligned with Silver Bell's intersection with Beau d'Rue Drive. Additional changes to the roads in the area and the addition of trailways will require some businesses and homes to be. removed. Following Hall's comments, Mayor Pat Awada assured him and others in the au- dience that the city would treat every- body fairly during the process. "I know that it's very tough and I know how you feel," Awada said. "The city will do everything possible to ensure you come out of this process content." Construction in the area is slated to begin in 2002, but the timeline for the projectshows acquisition of property Ste: e2-zoo Apple Valley/Rosemount;Eagan Sun• CurrentlWednesday'Feb 14 2001 Under the plan unanimously approved by the council Feb. 6, Cedarvale Boulevardwill be diverted southeast and aligned with Silver Bell's intersection with Beau d'Rue Drive. Additional changesto the roads in the area and the addition of trailways .will require some businesses and homes to be removed. could begin as soon as July 2001. A traffic analysis conducted by SRF. Consulting Group showed .intersections at Silver Bell Road and Beau D' Rue Drive and at Silver Bell Road and High- way 13 are extremely congested, accord- ing to SRF engineer Matt Hanson. Theredesign of the intersections in the area is intended to maximize the dis- tance between the new intersection and the intersection of Highway 13 and Silver Bell Road, Hanson said. Those changes will allow for more vehicles to line up at the stoplights at Highway 13. The plans also call for traffic signals at the new intersection, concrete medians and turn lanes, all in hopes of better channeling traffic and increasing traffic capacity in the area. The changes would allow for the area to handleanticipated traffic levels through at least 2020, Hanson said. The - cost of the $2,639,000 project will be cov- ered partially by the city's major street fund. The city will also assess properties in the area and defer those assessments until after the council accepts a complete redevelopment plan. In response to concerns voiced by sev- eral residents and business owners in the area, Public Works Director Tom Colbert said part of the acquisition cost the city will pay for a property includes relocation assistance. "That will be discussed on an individ- ual basis with each property owner," Col- bert said. "During the process we take into con- sideration the cost of relocating in addi- tion to the valuation of the property it- self" Awada said she understood the con- cerns of property .owners in the Cedar - vale area. She said that any redevelop- ment in the area hinges on the realign- ment plan to fix the traffic flow. "This area is a shining star of Eagan that has been crumbling for years," Awada said. "We've tried a patchwork of fixes in the past, but for one reason or an- other; -they did not work: Now we have a plan , that. we .,think will :work. and . will make Cedarvale 'that shining Star',once again." Eagan resident Doris Dahline;. who _. lives'on Alder Lane a block away from the . . future new intersection, suggested a one- way ring road circling the Cedarvale''area would improve traffic flow at less cost and less disturbance. .. Her suggestion would usethe current roads and make Cedarvale Boulevard and Beau d'Rue Drive into one-way roads. Traffic' could turn onto Cedarvale Boulevard from Silver Bell Road, circle around the Cedarvale Mall and then re- turn to Silver Bell Road on Beau d'Rue. "This waywe would save 189,649 square feet of easements and rights of way that would need to be acquired," Dahline said. "It reduces the need to take property, would cost less and would pro- vide the traffic flow." Hanson said traffic engineers at SRF had reviewed Dahline's plan and found several areas where the plan wouldn't work as well as the realignment plan. One-way roads generally increase travel time and can be confusing to peo- ple not used to the area, he said. In addi- tion, for any future redevelopment to have a chance to succeed, it is vital to maximize the distance between Highway 13 and the first intersection in the area, he said. "That is the key to improving traffic flow in the area," Colbert said. "This pro- posal is about the most we can squeeze out of this area in terms of operational ef- ficiency." FAV MAR. 11, 2000 -ThC0vI - 02-000 7 �;,. Tea ,r- s http:www.t,hisweek-online.com !{ VOLUME 22, NO. 2 Eagan mulls over Cedarvale redevelopment by Dan Gearino Staff Writer , The proposed redevelop- ment of Eagan's Cedarvale area took a step forward Monday afternoon, as the Eagan City Council held a special meeting to discuss the social and finan- cial implications of the project. The social implications were partially made clear by the turnout. About a dozen resi- dents of the Cedarvale neigh- borhood arrived, expressing fears that the redevelopment will mean the demolition of their homes. Before the meet- ing, city staff answered resi- dents' questions and repeatedly reassured them that nothing about the project had been finalized. Cedarvale lies on the south- east corner of the intersection of Cedar Avenue and Highway 13. In the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s, the area was a thriv- ing retail strip, with the 131,000 square -foot Cedarvale . Mall, two grocery stores and a variety of restaurants and specialty shops. Cedarvale began to fade as a town center when the Cedar Avenue freeway was built in 1980. The old Cedar Avenue, which is the current Nichols Road, was adjacent to Cedarvale. The Cedar Avenue freeway is higher off the ground and further west than old Cedar, meaning that Cedarvale is now barely visible and not easily accessible to dri- vers on the freeway. Cedarvale's fade was further quickened by increased compe- tition from booming retail strips such as Eagan Town Centre, Cliff Lake Center and down- town Apple Valley. The study of a possible rede- velopment of the Cedar - Highway 13 area was commis- sioned by the Eagan City Council Nov. 16. The plan as it now stands calls for a mixture of apartments, single-family homes, offices and retail. Current Cedarvale businesses such as Cedarvale Lanes bowl- ing alley and Jensen's Supper Club could stay in their current locations. The Cedarvale Mall building, along with several surrounding buildings would be razed. The project has been dubbed "Village Plaza." The heart of the current design is a walkable retail strip surrounding an "urban greenway." The offices, apartments and houses nearby would provide many_ of the cus- tomers for the retail facilities. Several nearby roads would be re-routed to facilitate better access to the development. Silver Bell Road will change the most, as its intersection with See Meeting, 20A Al and Alma Birr sit on the front steps of their house on Silver Bell Road in Eagan. The pro- posed Cedarvale redevelopment calls for the Birr's house to be razed. Photo by Dan Gearino Retired couple among those who could be displaced by Cedarvale redevelopment by Dan Gearino Staff Writer Eagan retirees Al and Alma Birr sat in the front row at the Eagan City Council's special meeting Monday, taking spe- cial interest in the plans for the redevelopment of the Cedarvale area. On the large map of the proposed project, the Cedarvale Mall and other buildings are gone, replaced by new apartments, retail and offices. Although it wasn't the focal point of the plan, the Birrs remained focused on the reconfiguration of Silver Bell Road on the east side of the development, a reconfigura- tion that will mean the demoli- tion of their home of 38 years. Al is a retired chemist in his mid-70s and Alma is a retired teacher and factory worker in her mid-60s. The day after the special meeting, Al stands on his front step and points to his gravel driveway, saying that he got the gravel from the gravel pit that was on the site of Cedarvale Mall before there was a Cedarvale Mall; He points to Silver Bell and says he remembers when it was a dirt road. Now Silver Bell Road is the main access point for Cedarvale Mall and the home of McDonalds and a gas sta- tion. The Birrs say that the See House, 20A i'LLSwee- - 03-1,1 — jo-o House/Continued McDonalds was a mixed bless- ing, adding that the two trees in their front yard were plantedto block the view of the golden arches. Despite this, two of the Birrs' children worked at McDonalds. Alma Birr laughs and says she never had to worry about them getting home safely. The gas station, which arrived last year, has been a less ambiguous neighbor,according ao: the Birrs., Al ,doesn't mince words when expressing,:his dis- =taste"for the all=hours,traffic that:_. the'station brings Henames off • all the:gas stations within a;mile or:two and asks why there was.a need for another one. Al• . and Alma both are sad_at, the idea of leaving their home. • "It's not that our house is that fancy, but it's home," Alma. said::: According to Alma, .the house was perfect for raising their family and now perfect for their retirement, with few stairs and an extra large garage to store their RV. Alma says she realizes that with skyrocketing land prices, getting another house in Eagan may bedifficult. :.;Alma alto has some_practical questions `about the city's pro' posed redevelopment .of her neighborhood question,how they.,'-ll- enough `people to,fmove >�n_ make it ;worth, ;what• spending," she, says AI is clearly less accepting of the redevelopment He _bitterly. asks why. in the,world the city: would put apartments up right next to Cedar Avenue and right under frequent airport traffic While: the Birrs may not -like many aspects`of the redevelop;; ment plan, they do agree that the Cedarvalearea-'has declined: Alma saidishe used to send her kids to buy'grocenes for dinner at one of Cedarval'e's two" gro eery; stores `and Cedarvales used to be her'pnme shopping desti nation r The Birrs may need to ^leave' their house:sometime this year: Alma already refers to'`it in the, past tense:.: , "It was nice `while it 'lasted; she sa►d::... Meeting/Continued Cedarvale Boulevard will be moved south. This change will likely require the razing ;of at least three homes that arecur- rently on Silver Bell Road. "::speaker;,:. at Monday sspecial;meetingwas Greg' Ingraham, a- landscape 'architect who has been hired_by the ;.:city as , a =consultant. rigraham -has consulted, _with several other metro area ;com- munities 'tin redeveloptncnt efforts,an`d spoke of the difficul ties`tnherentto redevelopment;: He said; redevelopment":pro-. jects • need to :balance the needs of current business.owners,and omeowners1agamst a potential realer public good, adding that the way to ,nsvigatc conce> ns:of.. current business owners and homeowners!is a steady:flow.,of • information,_ so that; stakehold- ers are notsurpnsed.by change:^ "The3 worst thingrfor a busi'= ness: ", is Jbeing x surpassed;'.? Ingr• aham Ingraham's comments about trying to avoid surprises' elicited some sour} looks from t he;audi ence-'Bforethe meeting,; sever al -audience members <com- .plainto staff thateither,they. or their neighbors had not • received;: .;notification of 'the planned redevelopment • Assistant:. City;Administrator Jamie Verbruggesaid-tFiat'every. `resident of the proposed project area ;was mailed notification`,of the. special meeting; In addition; notifFation of the meeting was to several local papers and':or :the city -Web site.;,: The rest .of thespecial . meet- ing . speakers 'spoke ,of the :legal and financial implications of the redevelopment. The common message was that there must be market demand for the types of housing, office and retail space theproject will bring. If the redevelopment is filled with res- idential :and: business -tenants, the:$15420 million price. tag., will' eventually be defrayed, by' new..": property:.taxes Upon .seeing ,this . economic. . picture, 'Mayor, -Pat: Awada "I m Happy that there are some:'' preliminary estimates that 'this:. could, •.pay for •itself ' if "done Council Member Bea Blomquist said that 'she'is gener • ally•=pleased :with - the' project plan, but_ is somewhat concerned. about whether retail can survive,: in .the area.: A 'city. planner':. told Blomqu►st that'retail would be=.' the last phase =of the" project;,,: only. going in: after surrounding:: apartmentsrand offices had been constructed to: provide' business, - for the reta►l Council `Member Peggy; Carlson: said she, really likes the. plan However; ;:she did express concern that a .teen center r included in ,early drafts,of -the'. plan might not`;be appropriate.: • for..the-area`because its is,so far. away _from most'of 'thepopul'a-' :; L _ . Lion in'tagan: , The special:;meetmg ran over,: its scheduled aline 'and` had.to' adjourn ibefore'there was much _` council or public comment °on ` the plan. Another, more open-='4` ended special mehed u'led for:TUesday, April <I1 ' r 5 L` If the project is approved; early• .stages mence'as soon'as this summer.:';'-: Gum) m Pagea. Jim .Prosser of Ehlers":& Associates, the' city's project'management consul ant; said ,the`: effort `.will now include using : the feedback "gathered from the pen house and'all-other:feedback'to im- prove'the plane In addition; having dis agreement over the:: plan is expected, he said .almost want it to be=controver- sial;"`Prosser''said: ""That way it highlights the •areas of most concern and you are betterableto address those concerns. You are simply not goingto bp able to Please every, in- terest in the area, especially since there are many diverging interests .in the area." With development goals in place, the redevelopment effort will nowturn to- ward gauging the interest of developers ww mnSiin.com•=-' •-• • I ang part in the process -Once devel "There has to be ways :to do it and "There isno public street to access the ers are approved, they,,will:help tohform make it,work," she said k"I've got to beu pr8perty right now," ty=Administrator 'a more specific community: development lieve :that if<wetbrought:,somethmg hke .,' �om`Hedges^said :``It's a necessit ato ad t plan to. guide, the changes.; Part of that of . that.to the` people,; theywould want to live dress: this•nowin order:'for�.the commui i- ,::fort will include studies to determine the there Those•: are the�kind of community ty park and: the communit center t `financial feasibilit f differento tions.- t yo YP g. � Y o be - :. - P a Arran ements that we:need to:get m � . ready, to open on _time " - Councilmember Peggy :Carlson ques :.:this:plan" boned'°:wh .the "Villa .Plaza" . _..,,, .. 4'. . " Th y:Councilalso granted:'itsfinal' Y "Village, concept,: Prosser: said developers consulted on` .approval1to;the‘2001 GeneralFun . which•would have included housing: units ' the Village'Plaza:coricept`for the ede'vel et`an ` d Bud- ..,: built .above the retail strip; was: done' opinent'said that combi ration of � n. g d property tax levy '' "s away with in plan refinements, The: plan and retail'is often a housing A homeowner whose house Ovation f a hard sell to; both buss at the 20'00 average` valuation of" :now :calls for more office space in that ` nesses and: residents. However, he -also: $144,800:was likely to see the county's area. •saidthat'since the City Council has the'` valuation;' of, his or, :her home 'rise to: Carlson and other council members said that during their recenttrip to the National... League of Cities 'meeting in Boston they saw. such housing units work well . "Weare looking for something ex= tremely unique_ here and we need some thing historic," Carlson said. "I liked the uniqueness of the Village Plaza concept and I...am dismayed that I. have not been seeing it in the plan lately." , Blomquist echoed Carlson's com- ments. final say onthe plan, it could -change the .concept to include.the Village Plazafea ture' `These developers are saying it`usual- ly doesn't work," he said. That's not to. say that if you' choose;to do it, -it wouldn't be successful. It could work out after it's all done:" - 'In otherbusiness, the. City Council set a Jan. 16 public hearing on the proposal to construct the Central Parkway road into the new central park and future com- munity center. $157,100 in 2001: Using the 'average Eagan valuation from above, a homeowner whose house is now valued at:$157,100 wouldexpect to pay $543. The same: homeowner .would have paid around $464 in 2000. The 2001 budget shows general fund revenues and expenditures of .nearly $19.3 million. Those figures' represent a $1.08 mil- lion, or 5:9-percent, increase each for both general fund expenditures and rev- enues over the 2000 levels. SRFC.onsulting to: determine what;changes needed to: improve flow, access ` By'Joshua:-Nichols Sun Newspapers The Eagan City Council tookthe next step in addressing traffic flow concerns in the proposed Cedarvale redevelopment area :by authorizing a study of potential changes to the area's streets. The decision to hire SRF Consulting Goup Inc. to perform the feasibility study was approved unanimously by the coun- cil during its June 5 meeting. SRF Consulting will study the traffic tv offfeyt 0 6- i 4 flow to determine what the Silver Bell Road-Cedarvale Boulevard -Beau .d'Rue Drive intersections' capacities are now and what would happen with suggested; changes. Underthe concept drawn up by the task force that studied the area, the cur- rent intersection would be moved south and aligned with Silver BelI's intersec- tion with. Beau d'Rue Drive. In its report to the City Council, the task force wrote that by moving thein- tersection farther from Highway 13, traf- fic "flow would improve by allowing more room for traffic to line up from the high- way.. 'After that study, SRF Consulting will make a report on'what changes would be needed to improve traffic flow and im- Z0o0 Apple:Valley/Rosemount, Eagan SurhCurrentMlednesday ;June .14 2000 21 A riIe;traffic study prove access. Overall redevelopment plans for the area would eventuallyraze the 34-year-. old Cedarvale mall. Replacing it would be "Village; Plaza," a complex oftwo, lines of offices and retail shops: running: east to west with a landscapedwalkway through the middle. A large "anchor" building is hoped for at the west end of the development, pos- sibly a hotel and conference center. Light rail, a bus transfer station .and a park and ride could be considered during the final phases of development. Eagan Public Works Director Tom Col- bert warns that there may be no prefect solution for the area's traffic problems. "Sometime we are going to have to weigh everything and it might not be per- fect; but well have to -ask ourselves is it something we can live with to see this re- development go forward," he said. • The traffic feasibility report will take about 60 days to complete. Once" the re- sults are in, Colbert said the City:Coun- cil would most likely present the plan to the public for feedbackduring a hearing. �� o,5 5 „ . a, ob ba.ob w: a,.b o �v S� •K 0 P Pam' -� m 4. i_j i_ b N: P� c p 'b w G �D m o CD = c_ zs m. P c-1- , <* rq - cn m CD o 0 a y' G rr p p pN '-ti u,, 0 q a',p'''o� n� c°qn.. o-+m.c �.oa o.p_.,' 'd:o m p, • CD � o w3 °� p �* tF : d m m m p o G, b w m cD m o 0 H °C • �+ 1 o ,_ : . co p '- uu a . .--. , . cfq ti .•s -' V1 M •ti' P.+ v. o.. N : 0 . e •• phH o C. po cDcm, : n p. "ti p 'm o 6 P p, w �t o 'b 'm 0 'o .CD p :C .� c� b w • �p.o..P'p.�.p� p... p,�•p'Cr y c m m.. bCDcD mCD-o m•p.ZEc .m h.n'b m .0 :,a, ate p;a� w.c f�t�p`8 �cDn c. G:hn,,.a5 — p�... 0 ••CD .• caD.fi.p. R m 00 'p 6.t�K ,. E4p'fifi� p . cp* � , . o. m 4. CD p' CD c, a, cpr co r, "'CO CD • n CD °C 0 cr 22A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrenttNednesday, Dec. 6, 2000 www.mnSun.com Plans From Page lA More than 60 people signed in at the open house, he said. Feedback gathered from the 'open house will be presented to the City Council during its Tuesday, Dec 19, meeting. The 'council also -will review the concept 'revisions and provide guidance to the process, Verbrugge said.:. : ing over the past several months with - The :large :.turnout,'. combined ,with developers and,; market specialists to thelow number of written comnientsreview the Village;. Plaza, redevelop - received from people attending the ment concept. open house, could-mean,.peopleare OK ;The meetings have been an attempt withthe-plan, he said to•.understand:what-the current com- "I think it indicates -that eo le : , . mercial :and - markets -will .bear, P P are housing fairly comfortable with -where things 'and`what impact market condition_ s b d are; ri ht.now;'_Verbrugge said:="As,we; could: have' on -the Cedarvale'area Before -the plans can. move 'too :far ready for presentation' to the':council=in?. get • to, something.`more concretepeople` :This information: will. help:. the coun- forward though; the city wants to en late January=or February:, will •be -better-able'to express their: cil'`:establish:goals..for�.the:redevelop siire problems' with- congested`-intersec "Thai; traffic feasibility: stu% thoughts and opinions.- ,.:.. merit tions in the Cedarvale.area._can be ad -probably thelinchpiniof,what wa Overall. redevelopment plans^for the .The revised plans :suggest:a single- dressed :sufficiently -plan will go,". Verbrugge area would eventually raze the 34- year-old Cedarvale Mall. Replacing it would be Village Plaza, a complex of two lines of offices . and retail shops running east to westwith a landscaped walkway through the middle. A large "anchor" building is hoped for at the west end of the development, possibly a hotel and conference center. Light rail, a bus transfer. station and a park and•ride.could be considered dur- ing the final :phases.of.development. City staff and project consultant Ehlers and Associates. have been meet- • story office building instead of a "com- munity center" building originally pro- posed. The revisions also warn that be- fore Cedarvale Mall could be replaced with the Village Plaza, other aspects of the plan would have to be in place. "Right now there is uncertainty and that is causing more angst -amongst the business owners and -residents than anything else," Verbrugge said. Although the council . will not'take any formal action on the. redevelop- ment plan Dec. 19, if council members indicate they are happy with. the way '. the process -is going, it could help move the project into its riext stage:: That next stage involves recruiting developers to.help make the plan are 'We'll -have. to: discuss. the plan with them and try get them interested in taking part in'it,-' Ver brugge:sai A traffic analysis conducted by SRF Consulting Group supported these con- cerns. The analysis showed intersec- tions at Silver Bell Road and Beau D' Rue Drive and :at Silver Bell Road and Highway 13 are extremely congested. Under the concept drawn up by the task force that studied the area, the in- tersection would - he moved south and aligned with Silver Bell's intersection. with Beau d'Rue_Drive. . . In its report to: the council, the task . force wrote that by moving the` inter section farther from Highway 13, traf- fic flow would improve by allowing more: room' for ATaffic. to .lineup :from the. highway : The `council :directe'd. the Public Works::Department`to-evaluate there- alignment and` improvement'• of the'in -tersection,4at Beau -D'-:Rue Drive,Yand Silver <Bell Road That-study'should'bi 5um.06- -i-Qdl ?,sday; June 27, 2001 www.mnSun.com H �RY sEFOR THE 4t. 0 I I / • ' h'Q "volt RAINBOW PLAY SYSTEMS "The Swingset Store"' 900 West 80th St. 494 to Lyndale So. tum tight on 79th St 1 block on Iett. • Bloomington 9-9 • Saturda "9.6 • Sunda : 10=6 Clips for hair® ient evening and weekend hours. site at www.greatclips.com i� Great,Clips for hair,- L Y ,rs • Perms not included 91 ©1998 GREAT CLIPS, INC. Minneapolis 4503 France Ave. S. 612-922-2818 fS it All! Cedarvale Mall's days are numbered in redevelopment Plan will remove mall to make way complex. - . Mayor Pat Awada said the transit sta- tion would be an important asset for;the area, especially for those who would live in the new housing developments:within the area. _ .. "Transportation will be provided for It's official. Eagan's Cedarvale Mall, the area through the transit station and which once loaned its name to the area that will make it easier for people to.come near the intersection of Highway 13 and and go from the Cedar Grove area," Silver Bell Road, will one day follow the Awada said. "It will have at least a bus area's name into retirement. station and if light rail were to ever come As part of the Cedar Grove Redevel- down to Eagan, which is looking unlike- opment Area plan, Cedarvale Mall will be ly, then that's where it would go.". . torn down for redevelopment that will in- The city is still working out details of elude various projects, including a hotel, the redevelopment plan, which has been office buildings, affordable housing for in discussions for more than two years. senior citizens and more. Existing businesses and homeowners in In March the Eagan City Council re- the area who will be moved will either be named the Cedarvale area the Cedar relocated in the area or elsewhere. with Grove Redevelopment Area to establish the assistance of the city, Assistant City an identity tying into the long-estab- Administrator Jamie Verbrugge said.. lished residential area of the same The city plans to use tax -increment fi- name. nancing to fund the redevelopment pro - The plan, agreed on by consensus June gram. During its June.19 meeting, the 18 by the City Council, acting as the Eco- City Council approved , a public hearing nomic Development Authority, and the for Tuesday, Aug. 21;.to discuss the es - Economic Development Commission, tablishment.of the project area and the also calls for demolishing about 20 other proposed"Cedar Grove• Redevelopment businesses in the area as well as up to 10 Tax Increment Financing District Num- homes. ber 1." • The city already is working on prelim- Last month the Economic Develop- inary deals with developers to revitalize went Authority approved a contract with the area. In addition, the City Council is SRF Consulting Group Inc. for an Alter- working with Mark Ulfers of the Dakota native Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) County Community Development for the Cedar Grove Redevelopment Agency, to bring senior housing into the '—Area. in preparing for the potential .de - redevelopment area. That housing would veloi went of the Cedar Grove Redevel- be in addition to an agreement already in opment Area, city staff evaluated envi- place for a town home development in the ronmental reviews . that might , ;be. re - Cedar Grove area and other possible fu- . quired for parts or all of a redevelopment ture agreements the city is seeking to project. After reviewing the size, scope, and potential future land uses inthe provide more housing and offices. The development plan agreed to last _ area, the city decided to. go with the Al - week calls for various' other features to be ternative Urban AreawrdegReview ; built in the area over the next five to six -. The AUAR', is a lengthylprocess that years. Those features include a transit will be conducted over the next nine,toil�2 station, a hotel for the -southeast corner months. As',;the city_reviews'fedevelop- of Highway 77 and Highway13, offices on . ment programs submitted . recently for the north side of Highway 13, including the area, "staff and consultants will'esti- an office building providing more than mate redevelopment build-out,.densities 15,000 square feet between Tesseract and traffic projections to meet•-tlere- School and the Silver Bell Plaza office quirements of the AUAR. for hotel, offices, housing, retail By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers . GIRL SCOUT, Girl Scouts seeking volunteer leaders imately Addit other Gi is availa tun, I - I t -2oo ...... . . Councilan City 1approves ofthe buildings found suhqtindard e area4,: ' tsltibtittilgtiut, g.b.--.5;iist:::iiii0otAiidriSr--,,2siepic;.--,q1 entire,projectriaeatiinatedld'iCO revitalization �f area ' Josh4allichpls - -Sun NeWspapiery • - Eagan's long planned vision of a re- birth for the :CedarvaleMali area took another step toward reality Oct.- 2 when the Eagan City Council voted to establish a tax-increment.financing district in the area. • The city hopes :establishing the 130- . acre TIF district will attract developers to the area to helPreVitalizaWhat it is re- ferrine,td as the Cedar QrOve;Redevel opMent Area." • • To set uP the area as a TIF district, property inspections had to show:that at least'half of the buildings in the area are substandard. -According to City Adminis- trator Tom. -Hedg0,. the area met that qualification with mere than 60 percent rocess" said Jim ProssknfkEtilka::and up to $250miiiion with up to $51 5 mi Aigociatea, the 'City's" manage- 1ion in tax increnfttt�ptovideassis- ment oonsultant-“Establishing theneed: tance with developmentcosta-sucheade-, for .the redevelopment was the first step , installation .and 'other and that started as far back as 1999 with items necessary for redevelopment pro - the task force effort." - ::ects to go ahead.'I" • ,, 4 That Cedar/Highway 13: Redevelop; -`,The district would generate the tax in-;4 ment Task- Force was niade7up of resi- ':.crernent by taking the additional 'taxes dents arid-Cedarvale-area business own- brought in from the new development ers. After a series of meetings, it eventu- - over a..25year period and_using it to pay J.:. ally proposed the "Village Plaza" redevel--, for development' costs. 'Instead of going opment plan, which evolved into the cur- onto the tax rolls, the money would in - rent project. stead be directed back into the redevel- The establishment of the. -district opment area. That also means that al - came more than a month after it was though the tax dollars would be going originally postponed to allow for the com- from the city into the project, there would pletion of the property inspections. The be no increase in tax rates because of the city had -originally scheduled the public project, Prosser said. hearing on the district for Aug. 21, but Each project agreement in the district with more than 90 buildings needing to -would be constructed based on the be inspected in the area, not all the in- demonstrated needs of the developer, formation was available by that time. said Assistant City Administrator Jamie The city already is working on prelim- Verbrugge. To qualify for TIF dollars, each developer would have to show that the projeCt*WOUld7nOthejahle-frtoot,for- ward -The CityCouncil is working with the Dakota CountyCommunity l? eye op niPnt AgetiCST."041iiik-'senior housinginto the redeelPpinerit. area. That -housing, would be in'addition to an aeenienf al- rea4Y in plaCe. for -a townhouse, develop- ment in the Cedar Grove area and Other., possible future agreeMezitg the ,city is seeking to provide more-housing-and-of- fices. The development -plan calls for vari- ous other features to be built in the area' over the next five to.six years. Those fea- tures include a transit station, a hotel for the southeast corner of Highway-77 and Highway 13, offices on the north side of Highway 13; including an office building providing more than 15,000 square feet between Tesseract School and the Silver Bell Plaza office complex. CEDARVALE: To Page 18A • '�' meet .which "couldr•include a rent tenants are nervo�u t,,;,g ,. g P• - develop• .. at it couldbe hoods • ci .• " dings. affordable housing to demolish the. mall and; l} 4 t 'Awada said because ttieTIF,dollars If we:dont do TIF, it will continue to hotel; for c >juil. g > come'hard ;to convince them to•stay if the., forSomor f,the burin more oin� to be.torn down.. would be •' going to,_help'niake it easier for -. go downhill. We are obviously not going :: E i•e com= redevelopment to;occur rather tlien�going, to .please everyone, but we wanted to Some. n ,the business owners given the mall,igaventually g g attended the hearing: to their Eagan resident Elaine. y n the areas ble With-the it -the suc- area is �c :: pl�hed to the city council°that by looking directly into the"redevelopment�projects work As as possible with the�busi- to°provide TIF dollars to such>proposed. • themsug�, the addition64. is �tshe'point d to cessful esses leffort." developments as housing described` as ing g s been'a long aims since there 4een,::.any =development d"own Atief0 M .,•,... Fitzgerald said "It's''basically stagnate ta: Valle ,TransitAuthor This is a good plan to ensure it doesn t The Mmrieso y Y lication� for:fed- the"other way and start detenoFating _: it =has submitted an app who s oke°for Cedar-1- ra. erah:fundmg do help.with costs fora pro- , r Jim Thomas,ent' �com lained.�that, the P .. osed park=and ride and transit station;;. Mali :b . _ left with what support to forming the TIF d t t Hugh Fitzgerald, owner of Cedarvale Lanes,. which will remain after the redevelop- efforts with'Shelter Corp and the Dako ur}�' townhouses m the aeveiupluelib y P ans, the city is�gettmg involved an the` to County" Communit Develo ment A nc to provide affordable ge y senior hous . ing.and.:other• mid level. housing m the' - area Council' members agreed that the bot= . • tomline for them: in forming• the •TIF dis t rct wasahat they feltthe area. needs a .. kick-start if it is going to be a vital part ofEagan once again �' �. was •.•to +revitalize'. :..The <mam purpose - "r ''Coiincas to ber2Meg he " ma1Ls owners are •sing: the' area," said, in the:_redepelopmerit area As part o t . � _" • .. - - - �• -. � "' . uld become a tough sell m the.years be- , , _ " �, hcommer,-, . .Tilley, wvho was=a •"member ,of ��the.�task Ced'ar`;Grove'Redeveloprnent Area .plan,- co. • • ... . ,,i . force before,shewas elected�to:the Colin- _ le Mall vvill�:be torn own for re- foreahe mall is redeyeloped He said iaunrs -, al tThey want t to still be .neighbor=. •; _ Cedarva .... - _- s re ardor . ousmg business , Eagan Mayor P,at,_ walla has- stated in the ;pastythe city" hould not =be actively involved in the , ousmg market, whether that housing lie ordable l ousing=or otherrkmds of hous at's a huge stretch;" Awa ...e onlyway to do a TIF di tract and no£ usin : would be :to have n all be:`: uo� ho •" g `commercial The; neighb'orhoods'have;:; i Eagan's Cedarvale bowling alley keeps on rolling Despite demolition in anticipation of redevelopment, Cedarvale by Stacy Ackerman SPECIAL TO THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Cedarvale Lanes has been recognized by the city of Eagan as a landmark in the city's Ce- dar Grove area, celebrating 30 years in business on Aug. 29 in a part of town where much has been demolished by the city due to plans for revitalization. Cedarvale recently held a community -wide anniversary party, which was attended by nearly 500 people. Cedarvale Lanes and its ad- joining restaurant, Fitz's Bar & Grill, along with Jensen's Sup- per Club, are the only remaining businesses in the former down- town Eagan. The two businesses are to remain anchors to the new downtown. When it opened in 1979, the bowling alley was owned and operated by four bankers who owned the land and the majority of businesses in the Cedar Grove area. To get the business going, the founders opened an office on the hill by the liquor store where people could come in and reg- ister for league bowling, which was growing vastly in popularity at the time. Just one year into the busi- ness, league bowling was so popular that Cedarvale added eight more lanes, bringing the total to its current 32. That same year digital scoring was added, something relatively advanced Photo by Rick Orndorf Eagan's Cedarvale Lanes has been a com- munity fixture for more than 30 years and hosting families and groups such as children from Woodcrest Church's youth group. for 1980. Cedarvale Lanes opened with a small lounge area called Spare Time, but that space was quickly outgrown. In 1990, the lounge was gutted and became Fitz's Bar & Grill, the same full - Lanes remainsa landmark Photo by Rick 0rndorf The youth group from Eagan's Woodcrest Church spent a day bowling at Cedarvale Lanes on Aug. 31. The bowling alley has been a fixture in Eagan since 1979 and celebrated its 30 year anniversary on Aug. 29. service restaurant and bar that stands there today. Fitz's sales have grown more than 100 per- cent over the last two decades. In 2002, the original owners retired, and a new group of four owners took over the establish- ment. The current owners have been involved with the business for several years and were share- holders in the organization prior to taking over. The current owners are Brent Prentice, president, who has managed the bowling alley for 16 years; Sharon Hanson, vice president, who was originally hired as a bookkeeper and to sign up league bowlers in 1979, and Gregg Zafft and Wade Bar - See Cedarvale, 11A by Erin Johnson THISWEEKNEWSPAPERS' The body of; a missing 23-year old..canoeist was recovered at 6;18 a:m..Sun- day from Bur. Qaks,Pondin northeast Eagan. The man was ,, identified as : Kevin ' Merrill Tranby 'Jr.. of Wa- terloo, Iowa. Authorities had ' been searching for a man who was . last heard crying for help while canoeing on an • • iss nJ :man Comes •o..an :e_ an's. body recovered from Bur Oaks .Pond Eagan ` pond the . previous by • the Dakota County Wednesday.night. Witnesses called police at around 10:30 p.m. Aug. 26 to report a man yelling. for help from his canoe on Bur Oaks Pond. When officers arrived, they found the canoeover- turned in the middle of the lake. Crews from the po- lice and fire departments searched the lake, assisted Sheriff's water rescue unit. A State Patrol helicopter also assisted in the . search, which continued until 2:20 a.nt Efforts resumed at 7 a.m. Thursday, but rescuers had been having trouble using sonar equipment. Erin. Johnson is at , eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc. com. Foland/from 1A gwear store in downtown 11 years ago. . ^�^ Minneapolis. ."I'm her mechanic. I Channel 4000 - Hometown - Will Cedarvale Mall be Eagan's phoenix? Page 1 of 2 news. ccimrr�unity u f on rtiif ,pt btic`safety semi --ohitUatieS :< tsiscors; Will Cedarvale Mall be Eagan's phoenix? Marie McNamara Sun Newspapers (Published: Tuesday, January 26, 1999) The Cedarvale Mall area is on the road to redevelopment. At its Jan. 19 meeting, the Eagan City Council, upon recommendation of the Cedarvale Task Force, appointed SRF Consulting Group to conduct a redevelopment study. The 1 E "ems' redevelopment area encompasses the mall and both bt-Zarchive sides of Highway 13, north of Cedar Avenue, �conttct use` including riverfront property and stores. The study will cost the city $87,655 and should be completed in six months. The study will include an in-depth analysis of the entire area including engineering, roads and the real estate market. SRF will rely heavily on input from neighborhood groups, business owners and city staff. SRF's proposal outlined at least 10 public meetings for this purpose. "The city's gone about this in the right way. It's a collaborative effort. Everyone will feel a sense of ownership," said Steve King, executive director of Dakota County Economic Development Partnership. The area has tremendous potential, because of its close proximity to the airport and the Mall of America, said King. Possibilities include a riverside park, high rises, a hotel, a park and ride, and if light rail comes through -- a transit station. The city has allocated $60,000 in block grant funding from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. If there are blighted buildings identified in the redevelopment study, the city will be able to acquire and raze the buildings, said Mike Ridley, senior planner. "The money will be on hand to assist with the redevelopment efforts," said Ridley. The shopping center, built in the late 1960s, is in need of rejuvenation, said King. "The power of retail has Other Papers: El_ God Would you like an e-mail when the Sun Current comes online? Just give us your address: Subscribe; http://www.wcco.com/community/sun/articles/ea/new/suneanew-990126-090539-495345.htm1 1/26/99 Channel 4000 - Hometown - Will Cedarvale Mall be Eagan's phoenix? Page 2 of 2 CUM Jll11wGU away 110111 I.GUa1Vale 10 Dagall s iUwu Centre," said King. Cedarvale Mall was hurt when the crossing of Highway 13 and Cedar Avenue became a clover leaf intersection. "Cedarvale is hard to get to because of Highway 13. It's difficult for businesses that aren't destination businesses," said Hugh Fitzgerald, owner of Cedarvale Lanes and a member of the Cedarvale Task Force. Business is still good for Cedarvale Lanes, but Fitzgerald expects that the rundown buildings near him could eventually affect his livelihood. Mark Parranto, owner of Delta Homes and a member of the Cedarvale Task Force, submitted a proposal to build town homes in the area about a year ago. Since then, he has been working with the city to assist the redevelopment effort. Parranto approves of the way the city is proceeding, especially since redevelopment is new territory for Eagan, a city for only 25 years. "If the city is spending the time, effort and money, they need to look at the whole picture," said Parranto. Parranto predicts that once the redevelopment plan is in place, developers will follow. To attract developers, the city is likely to designate tax increment financing (TIF) for the area. The area is eligible for this kind of financing and is awaiting designation by the city, said Ridley. This means the city will pay the developer's costs for land acquisition, site preparation and public facilities improvements. The additional property tax the new development incurs will repay the costs to the city in a short period of time. Moore L help e-road Sun Newspapers © 1999. Main Office: (612) 829-0797 http://www.wcco.com/community/sun/articles/ea/new/suneanew-990126-090539-495345.htm1 1/26/99 Sun Newspapers: Eagan Page 1 of 2 Controversy not necessary in Eagan (Published: Tuesday, January 26, 1999) To the editor: There has been quite a bit of news coverage and some letters to the editor about the city of Eagan, especially concerning elections and assessments. I would just like to say that I think Eagan is a great city and things have been going very well. There really is no need for all this controversy. The election process requires months of preparation. State law requires ballots printed and ready for absentee voting 30 days before the election. Dakota County prepares an up-to-date list of registered voters for Election Day. Polling places must be arranged and election judges recruited. The City Council's action, on Dec. 29, to cancel the Feb. 9 election was very timely. The printing of ballots could be canceled, judges and polling places could be notified before training and other preparations were scheduled. In 1965 we moved to Cedar Grove -- one of the old sections of Eagan -- and we have seen our city's growth. In 1965 our friends asked us, "Where is Eagan?" Now, people know Eagan and we are so proud to say we live here. Our parks and trails system is one of the best anywhere. I can walk my son's dogs, play in the park with grandchildren, or go for a bike ride down the trail -- all close to home. Our street was reconstructed and assessed in 1993. Each lot was assessed $2,000. The city of Eagan covered the remainder of the cost of this project. We have a definite improvement to our neighborhood now with a smooth street, concrete curbs and gutters. To maintain our city, our streets will be reconstructed as necessary. Our taxes are reasonable. The current assessment policy in the city of Eagan charges property owners for improvements benefiting their property, including street projects. This assessment policy is working. Technology continues to improve: Streets built today, in contrast with 25 to 30 years ago, are going to last longer. Everything wears over time. For example, we have replaced our roof once and soon it will need to be replaced again. Our Police Department is so professional and caring. Response time is minutes (from our own experience, they have come to our aid a few times). Traffic management, especially noticeable during special events such as the 4th of July, is done with excellence. Let's give our police officers a big thank you. We all want our city to be the best -- and we are willing to pay to make it happen. As a citizen of Eagan, please look around and notice our beauty. Yes, things change and will continue to change. When we consider all things, we can thank the people who have brought the city through all this development so well. Jerry Kivi, Eagan http://www.wcco.com/community/sun/articles/ea/nop/ 1/26/99 Council g es ipropSsed Cedarvale moratorium to task force for review By LORI HALL The Eagan City Council is delaying the drafting of a de- velopment moratorium in the Cedarvale/Highway 13 corridor area until a task force can re- view the perimeters of the study area. During a special afternoon meeting and at its regular meeting, both held March 16, the City Council spent consid- erable time discussing the de- tails of the proposed morato- rium. Issues 'discussed included the boundaries of the develop- ment ban, what properties it would affect, the length of time for the moratorium, flexi- bility, if properties can be sold under the moratorium and if certain areas can be excluded. A moratorium was proposed for the Cedarvale area because a six-month study of thearea is being conducted. The study will examine the potential for redevelopment and new devel- opments in the area. The mora- torium is expected to last until the study is completed. The study area was first pro- posed to cover the Cedarvale redevelopment area and' the area east of Highway 77 and north and west of Highway 13. However, •the west side of Highway 77 now may be in- cluded. The more the study, and morato rium were discussed; the broader the scope of both became. The boundaries of the moratorium and the study have expanded to include more than (See Moratorium, p.6A) Fth1cs:ftotwbr� STUDENTS 'FRO* -.the Shamrock School of Irish Step Dance strut their stuiff.'on stage during the Eagan. Go Bragh celebration. For., more photos from the event; see p.21A. Photo by Rick Orndorf . Moratorium (Continued from front page) the immediate Cedarvale area and Council 'Member:' .Peggy Carlson suggested - changing the name of the study. The council settled on the . new name of the Highway 13/Cedar study. The proposed moratorium would prevent any new devel- opment that has not already been approved by the city. If the council wishes, both busi- ness and residential properties that will be in- the moratorium area may be able to remodel, build additions and be put up for sale. The only real restric- 'tion for current properties is ,that they would not be able to subdivide and be sold. City Administrator . Tom Hedges said these issues are not yet set and the council has "quite a bit of latitude how re- strictive they want the morato- rium to be." Mayor Pat Awada brought up the issue of whether a building could be torn down and rebuilt under the moratorium and sug- gested a price limit on the pro- jects in the area. During the meeting, the council was still unclear on the details and the boundaries it 7 wanted to include _it', the mora- torium and was unable to re- solve any of the details except •for thename change. . "We are really going to have to put some hard, fast rules to- gether," said Council Member • Bea Blomquist. After several motions were made and failed to be passed, the council decided to give the project to the newly formed Cedarvale Task Force for its review and guidance. Council Member Sandra' - Masin said. she would like to give the task force a few meet- ings to discuss the proposed moratorium. "We are in the middle of a. six-month process. By the time we make a decision, the six months will be over," Awada warned the council. "We need more input. That is why we are struggling with this so hard," said Blomquist. . The Cedarvale Task Force will be conducting the study with the help of a consulting firm. The task force is ex- pected to report its findings on the proposed moratorium as early as the April 20 City Council meeting. By LORI HALL I/ 1 Appointments are made to Cedarvale Task Force The Eagan City Council appointed five residents to the _Cedarvale Task Force during its March 16 meet- ing: The task force, with the help of a consulting firm, will be conducting the Highway. 13/Cedar study (formerly called the Cedar - vale redevelopment study) and will make recommenda- tions on the proposed .devel- opment moratorium for the same area. To balance the task force membership for wider repre- sentation, Council Member Peggy Carlson suggested some changes to the pro- posed task force. "To have a balance, - we need to have five residents, five businesses and five commissioners," said Carlson. CAC voluntepr The task force •will.include • representation from the Air- port Commission; the Eco- -` nomic Developrrieiit ..Com- mission, the Advisory Plan- ning, Commission, the Cedarvale Special Service District, area residents and the Advisory Parks Com mission. The commissions will make their own appoint-: ments to the task force arid the Cedarvale district busi= ness group made its own appointments.. At the meet- ing, the City Council sub- mitted ballots for the resi- dent positions on the board and quickly selected • five representatives. They are Margaret Schreiner, Ste- phen Wallick, Betty Bas- sett, Tom Ellingson and Mark Hansen. The taskforce will meet for the first time Tuesday, March 23. 'T:.._ -A. he ta,K•®ta, Co "fn;b1 -e.r 03 -°5- 1V‘ef ByLORI°H Th`er'Eagan ,. delaying the` dreifting of ;a= velopment moratorium in Cedarvale/Highway area a task forcehcan .ri:. view they erimeters o • iAj, study ,area DunngaYspe dal afternoon meet;ng and at "fitslregular meeting, both held March'`16, thethlaiiiiheif spent`consid=: erablerttme4,dtscusstng thede:' tailsproposed morato T rtu 1.-Issues:?dtscussed included the, boundaries of the develop`„ P ment: ban .what.,'`ro erties 'i -.P wouldA.affect, • the length ttmefor the moratorium"; flexi'' bilty, if properties can he'. sold under.:the moratorium and if Certain areas can be excluded. ' A,,moratorium. was proposed .} for, then Cedarvale area. because r, a six-month study of the .area is being conducted. The study will examine the potential for redevelopm`e'6 jnd new de"v,el opments in^the ;area The -Mora--•: toriurrr° is expected••to •las0unth the; study, is ,complete.d. .The study.,area;was first: pro-, posed, tot coyer,,the Cedarvale redeyelopment.,area and• the area,,east<,of Highway} 77-;and north.and;w,est of Highway. 13.; However, Fthe� ,west, side.,of- Highway ,77 know,,"may „beto : . om: The,f more; the study. and. moratonum : were • discussed;: he_ broader the . scope of...,both LORI HALL he Eagari, City_ Council appointed five residents , to the Cedarvale Task Force during ,its March :16,-meet mg e task force,. with the consulting firm, II e conducting , the r•. ' .. 13/Cedar` stud tghway - y ormerly ;called, .the- Cedar - vale redevelopment study) and :will" make'"recommenda- tions on the proposed devel- opment moratorium_ So!... the ` same area ;, ' To. balance the ,task force membership• for wider'repre- ` sentation, Council• Member Peggy' `Carlson ` suggested arvale r review ments arer,:ma 33. arvale : Task Force some --changes' to ;`the k pro =,posed.,task-force:_ • , To have., a balance, needs to.'.have : five .residents, five • businesses and five commissioners," said • became The boundaries of, the �moratonum and the study have expanded to`:include more than .the ,irrimediate cedar/ale, area and 'Council ;Member Peggy Carlson suggested ;changing the nme, f the study counci,al setIt. Pt -ori the .newThe Carlson. The task force willinclude representation from;the Air fr port Commission;lhe4' Ecd- nomic. Development .Com mission; they Aduisory Plan fir.' ning ' Commission, the Cedarvale .Special .Service District; area;residents and;•:, the -Advisory, Parks.` Com- mission t. The commissions.. will;_. make their •own:. ;appoint ments `to the-`taskforce '.and the Cedarvale':district• : busi= ness groupJMade: .Fits 4: own:: appointments:. AOthe ing, ;the `City !Council sub-. mitred .ballots'for ,the: dentposltions t;on .the«;board.... and quickly selected five representatives:, ,,,ITheyi6F'are Margaret - Schreiner, ; Ste- phen Wallick,. Betty Bas' .sett, ,,Tom °. E_ilingsoi wand +. Mark Hansen. . a.:*. '9 fdaitl ,t-A/-vg Eagan seeks Cedarvale. residents for task force By SARA THOMALLA-BLOOD and upcoming meetings:;:: Up to two representatives Eagan City Council members from Dakota County will also set guidelines for forming a serve on the task force: Lynn.: task force tohelp guide city Moratzka, a planner for. the... staff and consultants on the Dakota County Physical De Cedarvale area redevelopment velopment Department, and: a study at their Feb. 16 meeting. county commissioner. Now all they need are par- Although Eagan City Council ticipants. members won't officially serve In January the, council ap- as members of the task force,. proved the hiring of a consult- they have the option of attend ing team to help direct the re- ing thetask force meetings, development of the Cedarvale which will be held once.:'a community. The project, ex- month, said City Administrator_ pected to be completed within Tom Hedges. six months, will serve as the The city of Eagan is also basis for future reconstruction . looking for five residents to' and development. serve on the task force. The task force will consist of "Obviously, they'll have to approximately 20 members be interested in being involved who will represent the city, in the process of future rede- county, and Cedarvale busi- velopment... but there is nocri-,.. nesses and residents. 'file ten- teria (for applicants to meet). tative organization of the task They'll have to live in the force includes two representa- greater Cedarvale area and tives from the Economic De- have thoughts or .concerns.. re- velopment Commission, two garding the issues and be will- from the Advisory Planning ing to be part of the . process," Commission, and two from the said Hedges. Advisory Parks Commission. Residents interested •in being:" Each commission will pick its considered for the task force_ own representatives. • are asked to submit a letter to The Cedarvale Special Serv- Mayor Pat Awada and the. City ' ice District will also appoint Council in care of -<: Toin five members to serve on the Hedges, 3830 Pilot Knobs: task force. To ensure that Road, Eagan 55122, Questions Cedarvale business and prop- can be directed to Senior. erty owners have adequate and Planner -Mike Ridley ``or Assis diverse representation, the city tant City Administrator'Jamie_ also planned to canvass the Verbrugge at (65.1) 681 46"00 area with flyers last week to _ inform people of the task force (See Cedarvale, p:12A) Cedarvale..., (Continued) Letters should be submitted no later .than .early March. Hedges anticipates the ' City . Council will approve resident appointments to the task force. at its March 16 meeting. Cedarvale Mall to be torn down, area rebuilt City pursues senior housing, hotel and .../2001 Page 1 of 2 kNET STORY OPTIONS E-mail to a friend Print this article Today's Pioneer Press PioneerPlanet: front ...................................................................... News Columnists Business 'Sp.o..rts Entertainment Summer Guide Travel Living r Tech Health Water Cooler Special Reports Classified Ads Site index <ADVERTISEMENT> A CaR :FIND A CAREER bu F,IND.t H OME {. .-"TWir Citles�cc Published: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 Cedarvale Mall to be torn down, area rebuilt City pursues senior housing, hotel and offices in its place AMY SHERMAN STAFF WRITER Eagan's Cedarvale Mall, which was built in the 1960s, will be torn down to make way for redevelopment. About 20 other businesses and six to 10 homes also will be demolished. To revitalize the area, the city is pursuing an array of projects including senior citizen housing, a hotel and offices. After evaluating proposals from several developers, the city has decided to pursue preliminary agreements with two developers. That's in addition to an agreement the city already has with a developer to build more than 200 town homes in the Cedar Grove Redevelopment Area. The proposals are preliminary, so details could change. During the next couple of months, the city will pursue agreements for: - A park -and -ride transit station, 100 apartments for seniors and a 125-room hotel on the southeast corner of Cedar Avenue and Minnesota 13. The hotel would include a small indoor water park for hotel guests. - Two office/showrooms on the north side of Minnesota 13 at Kennebec Drive and Silver Bell Road that would total 175,000 square feet, and a 16,000-square-foot office building between the Tesseract School and Silver Bell Plaza. The City Council, acting in its capacity as the Economic Development Authority, and the Economic Development Commission reached consensus on the projects Monday. http://www.pioneerplanet.com/news/mtc_docs/69874.htm 6/20/2001 Cedarvale Mall to be torn down, area rebuilt City pursues senior housing, hotel and .../2001 Page 2 of 2 Search Recent Articles More Search Options bgo Newspaper Subscriptions Terms and Conditions Newspapers In Education 'r Help News Archives Feedback Advertising Information Back to Top City officials expect to discuss with developers additional proposals for housing and offices. For example, the city wants the Dakota County Community Development Agency to look for another site for affordable senior housing in or near the Cedar Grove area. City officials determined the site the CDA proposed would be better for office or retail. One of the City Council's goals this year is to work with the CDA to add affordable senior housing. Development of the town homes could start this fall while the entire area could take about five years to redevelop, Mayor Pat Awada said. The city has talked about redeveloping the area by the Cedarvale Mall for years, inviting residents and businesses to offer input. Once the retail center of Eagan, the area has deteriorated, in the view of city leaders and some residents. The 130-acre site includes the mall and the surrounding area between Minnesota 77 to Silver Bell Road, both north and south of Minnesota 13. Several details have yet to be worked out, such as who would pay to tear down the mall and whether the existing tenants would move into the new development or be relocated, said Jamie Verbrugge, assistant city administrator. The city plans to use tax increment financing, which involves using the increased tax revenue from the project to pay for costs associated with development. Amy Sherman, who covers Eagan, Inver Grove Heights and Rosemount, can be reached at asherman@Jpioneerpress.com or (651) 228-2174. 2001 PioneerPlanet / St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press / TwinCities.corn- All Rights Reserved copyright information http://www.pioneerplanet.com/news/mtc_docs/69874.htm 6/20/2001 0' JULY 26, 2001 �,p4TOL REPORT ses own money to nent staff salary ,I lillionaire senators who do so v •OMMER owner of the Milwaukee Bucks ess basketball team. ice's worth at least $112 irecent on, according tonancial � Rate's mil- Ws* most form. a surefire D d . staffer Dayton is not quite in that el ash class. The department -store ,, D_MSS, heir listed two major assets • r money to worth between $6 million and director $30 million. The freshman salary to over the 0-Mlnn., is r checks to a oN ?wivefeder- U1 she's not a 0 I}`ilris , sup- and only to C alifornia ,litive assis- "Once she becomes a U.S. c` le can work citizen, she will be added to the na mess. Senate payroll,' said Dayton re given spokesman Marc Kimball, ver -salaries, Democrat uses a tiny part o that to pay Seng Vang, a Laot- ian citizen, $28,000 in salary- Seng Vang, 21, who is Fimong, does outreach efforts in Minnesota's Asian commu- nity. The state is home to an estimated 60,000 Among, see - gad travel, sling on the O c Using per- -`J ry staffers is ry be disclosed o extra $36,1300 istant Arlene o f her $I04,000 OOry,soshe can • ritable rrespondence. adding that Seng Vang has applied for citizenship. "Because she's a young, tal- ented person and a tremen- dous asset to Minnesota's rap- idlyg Asian mmunit , we have made this temporary arrangement, because we didn't want to lose her and her talent," said Kim- ball. Vang's benefits are also being paid by Dayton, Kimball eel for 4 years l for said. for $4 Federal funds can't be used c,s. William to pay noncitizens unless they LOCAL NEWS SOUTH SUBURBAN EAGAN ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS Citv pursues deals to redo Cedarvale area Miller, a resident who lives a could come down as early as next year Hie ofa rests atom Cedar+�e• . - m go to 'Dim Centre, gals have favorably Either the SHERMAN -would negotiate with the Cliff Lake Center_All of new agar Pioneer Press m rand includes mall owner to buy the property. mall. Mayor Pat Awada There o are about 15 tenants in now, that's kind of the old right ed that the mall would be torn to tin now, thatis in need some Johnhewinder e Mali career down sometime in the next five the mall, which is close attention." If � redevelopment of some in e- was years, .and possibly next year. pelt occupied, said Gregg in all the proposed when s was a teen 'arson, who manages the mall proceeds doors in Any viable plan would. �� areas, about 40 properties, shelves and cleaningthe "Most If not all the tehappy nants and • his father's dkvgsl n the demolishing "It'syy frustrating" Van- down there are acre h homes, will be acquired.will 1970s.Sisaid. 'Tve got a great �� think i they if h homes, resiu Since then, V avee owned littlederAhere and they receive relocation andres assistance ffour l members have owned walebusiness their drutheas they would bye- businesses in the mall, want to tear >sn•nof whether to stay and continue to oper- Relocating would' be difficult - including aHallmarknd busi store, d It's Hat a q or ate." ff .y the males Cedarvale candy and cards business and the walk should be torn of with developers . led because the businesst but rather a 4u is blcel have to pay high Mali reacted city or the devel We lire BY AMYd removing the open is land of shiny now Grand Slam. `Ibe Vander- Aardes staCedarvaie.sho shortly after working ait t opened in 1965 — and hope to continue for years to come. How many years, however, is up in the air. After talking for years about redeveloping the area, �Y officials are pursuing agreements with developers for housing, a park -and -ride transit station, hotel and o The 130-acre site inchules the mail and the general area sn� U 77 d- frig it between Mines Silver. Bell Road, both north and south of Minnesota 13. One proposal that city oli- not, this summer,. final agree what the market views r feasi- could be reached in time for the elsewhere, which would result .- Bakken n said.l Member the 2002 eonst uetian seams said in charging higher prices to cus- B recently Whught oa from e Verbragge, assistant city tamers, co-owner Gary . Stein- • Jamie The �, said. All of their ctrsr - doa administrator. ched a h preliminali tamers Y not follow them u a • desire to redevelop the mall, butt' agreement with games, new location. a developer did Propose whichwill �g its town home "An wed busies - ink the u mallto the planning cam- you can move two blocks away In Auger, cityexpects to and it's hire another time zone," ' receive a revised concert from mission in A Cedarvale and it's said. "(Customers) TOLD Development for apart- In past decades, inents and commercial space on was the main shopping hub in are creatures of habit" the site that indudes the mail Eagan but residents and The pe�rpba k recentlye � nab devei- officials sayoem rpress.com or maw, "It'skind ofthe sluamnY part apartments of town down there. It's not the (651) 228-2174- for fewer apertce nice and more asknrg commercial space_ � Eagan," said Lisa - some can be reached at • it has deteriorated. Amer Sherman MINNEAPOLIS WEST ST. PAUL in 'ideas state's lit sentenced ton rave3�an<y Wei1thed federal GBL drug eas Jul 26 2001 7:38AM THE WALLACE GROUP No.7507 P. 1/2 WFAX COVER SHEET TO: Joanna Foote PHONE: 651-681-4604 City of Eagan FAX: 651-681-4612 FROM: Emily Felling PHONE: 651-452-9800 The Wallace Group FAX: 651-452-3504 RE: Clip -Pioneer Press Number of pages (including this cover sheet): 2 Dear Joanna: Here is a clip about the Cedarvale redevelopment. Sincerely, Emily 6514523504 => CITY OF EAGAN ,TEL=6516814612 07/26'01 08:24 4705225471.59 NVOd3 0 Ain <_ 2L94iL99L59=131' 12:91„ 00.LL/2L .,..,.o,,.w, ca....ea...... to share with others who are, have been or might be involved in an adoption. Earlier this fall, Alajado organized a group at Easter Lutheran Church in Eagan called "Adoption Miracles," open to anybody involved in the adoption process to socialize and learn from occasional guest speakers Shirley and her husband's two adopted children are Mealah, 8, from Brazil, and Santa, 3, an African American_ Shirley, a part-time .nurse, is white; her husband, a firefighter, is a Fdopino .immigrant. The family lives in Eagan. Shirley said she had little idea of the issues her adopted. childrenwould face because of their race. "I was surprised at how young children are when they realize they're different," she said. Geri March (center) is the adoptive mother of Carly (left) and Damlly (right). Photo by Rick Orndorf Mealahand Sarita have been stared at and been the subject of jokes from other kids, Shirley said Mealah's adoption was an adventure. Shirley and her hus- band travelled to Brazil and worked through government red tape and corruption for four. months before they were able to leave with their new daughter, Shirley said. Sarita's adoption was corn- - paratively routine, accom- plished without the travelling See Adoption, SA Uawra Lag? q n evrnu Center in Hastings. Truth -in -taxation hearings, which are held by all counties, cities and school districts in Minnesota, are scheduled so citizens can provide comments about the proposed budget to elected officials. At the Bounty's hearing, a short informational presentation is planned with the remainder of the hearing reserved for public reaction and comment On average, the county share of a homeowner's proper-. ty tax bill in Dakota County is about 25 percent; the rest conies film! the city,. school district and special taxing districts in the area where the homeowner lives. The County Board is con- sidering approving a property tax increase (4.3%) that is less than the expected growth from a combination of inflation and Cedarvale.:redevelopment: plan revised, mall by Dan Gemvro Staff Writer The plan to redevelop the Cedarvale area has undergone several major changes since it was first unveiled late last year. Residents of the area, both home and business owners, had the opportunity to scrutinize a new draft of the plan at an open house Nov. 28. The Cedarvale redevelop- ment plan was _ originally • dubbed "Village Plaza." The centerpiece of the plan was a walkable, tree -lined, mixed- use series of buildings to be built on the site of the current Cedarvale! Mall. With the new draft of the plan, there is no "Village Plaza," and city offi- cials are open to allowing the mall to stay, likely with a remodeL In the original plan, the areas immediately northeast and southeast of the interseo tion of Cedar Avenue and Highway 13 were to be higher density office space, with buildings as large as five floors. The new plan has more modest goals for these areas, envisioning one- or two-story office buildings. This change was a result of concerns about whether there was demand for so much office space, said Jamie Verbrugge, assistant city administrator. The heart of the project, the reconstruction of parts of Silver Bell Road, is largely unchanged. The current con- gestion at Silver Bell and Highway 13 is thought by city officials to be both a safety hazard and an impediment to area businesses. The recon- structed Silver Bellwould be wider with easier access from side roads. One thing that all drafts of the plan have in common is that homes will need to be in the county portion of proper- ty taxes paid in 2001. The increasing values 4 homes drives property tax le, els to some extent, too. Count officials estimate that a home typical value in Dakota County at. about $150,000, increased i - value this year by about 8.5 pe cent. The county's total pr< posed property tax levy is $99. / million, a-.4.5 percent increase over last year. About- one-thu of the county's total budg4 comes from local tax dollars. n The proposed budgi allows continuation of the at rent level of programs and sere `T ices, plus additional staff ft sheriff, county attorney, info mation technology and commu- nity services departments, budgetary setasides for a new Northern Service Center open- ing in West St. Paul in 2002 and Sae Tax. SA may stay razed to make room for the changes on Silver Bell. The occupants of several of these homes were in attendance at the open. house, held at Visio: Technologies in the Cedarval - area. m against (the redevelop- ment) no matter what," said Al, Birr, who has lived on Silve - Bell with his wife, Alrna, fo 38 years. The Birrs have been a fix - See Cedervalle, SA '2A bil ehtber 7; 46o ' UAK0171 C Otlr(7'lr'7fi�t1Nt= NVOVR RO Ally <= 2L9iL99LS9=131' 82:91, OO.LL/ZL Ceda'.Ontlnlled tune at meetings to discuss the redevelopment. Al is highly skeptical of the project, not only because it would mean the demolition of his house, but because he believes that there isn't adequate demand for the type of development planned for the area. The city of Eagan recently purchased the the house direct- ly south of the Birrs' home. Tax/Continued nity services departments, budgetary setasides for a new Northern Service Center open- ing in West St. Paulin 2002 and investments in efficiency with technology and preven- tion programs. The Board of Commissioners has scheduled a final vote on the county's proposed 2001 budget during its Dec. 12 meeting. •Ina related issue, the Dakota County Board of Commissioners wilt approve its proposed Capital Improvement Plan for 2001-05 at its regular meeting Tuesday, December 12 at 9 a.m. in the County Board Room on the third floor of the Administration Center in Hastings. State law requires a public bearing for the CIP to allow the The house, formerly owned by Fu and Marie Heu, has been unoccupied ever since Marie Hen was killed there Aug. 22. Fit Heu has been charged in connection with Marie's death. Area business owners at the. open house were less skeptical • than many of the homeowners, but still had many questions. Dan Sjolseth, owner of Superior Collision, questions whether he will need to relo- cate his business, and if so, public to comment on the long- range plan. The public hear- ing, held Nov. 28, resulted in no changes to the plan and nobody from the public com- mented on it. The CIP will be. sent to the state Department of Trade and Economic Development for review and approval after it has been approved by the County Board Dec. 12. A copy of the CIF was sent to cities in Dakota County for review and continent. The five-year CIP is reviewed and rewritten annual- ly, based on long-range plan- ning documents from the coun- ty, cities within the county, and other sources. The CIP is the primary tool for planning con- -struction of infrastructure — physical improvements within the county. It includes major additions or remodeling in county buildings, highways, parks and transportation sys- when. "(The city of Eagan's) heart is'in the right place, but there are so many unanswered ques- tions," he said. Many area business owners have participated in the plan- ning of the redevelopment, including .Hugh Fitzgerald; owner of Cedarvale Lanes. Fitzgerald said he is excited about the redevelopment, but wants to be sure that there will be easy access to his business terns; - In the next five years, the county proposes to spend $129 million on road projects, $2.4 million on transit and bike- ways, $13.3 million on parks improvements and $93.7 mil- lion in buildings. For the CIF projects in 2001, Iess than 15 percent of the cost comes from county property tax dollars. The county commits a small portion of its annual tax . levy authority for capital improvement projects and requires a local match for road or bikeway constniction proj- ects. The county also uses state, regional and federal funds, and user fees, to help pay for capital 'improvement projects. The county holds down costs whenever possible by developing partnerships with other levels of govern- ment to pay -for capital improvement projects. during any construction. Cedarvale Lanes is one of a handful of businesses that will Iikely remain in its current building during and after the redevelopment Front the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, Cedarvale was the retail center of Eagan, with the thriving Cedarvale Mail in the center and many businesses on surrounding streets. Cedarvale began to fade after the construction of the Adaption/Conhnued and emotional roller coaster ride, Shirley said. Farmington residents Geri - Mauch and her husband are the adoptive parents two special - needs - children — Danny, 10, who is legally blind with one prosthetic eye, mild cerebral palsyand mild Tourette's syn- drome; and Carly, 4; who was born with no eyes and brain damage, which makes it diffi- cult for her to walk and hinders her speech skills. Carly has two prosthetic eyes. - Geri regularly attends the Adoption Miracles group. "It's nice to be able to con- nect _with other people with adopted kids," she said. Geri describes herself and her husband as "yuppies" before they decided to adopt. Geri worked in insurance and her husband continues to work as a Cedar Avenue freeway in the early 1980s, which restricted access to the area. The Eagan City Council commissioned a study of a redevelopment of the area in November 1999 and has been refining the study ever since. The City Council will soon look at the updated plan and have the opportunity to suggest changes. None of the plans are final. - years, Geri said. Also, the chil- dren need near -constant medical attention. and tutoring. Like minority children, spe- cial -needs children are some- times made fun of by other kids. While the jokes are painful, Geri tries to make Light. Once, Danny came home from school hurt that a classmate had called him "four eyes" because he wears glasses. Geri joked that the classmate would have been more accurate to call. Danny "three „ eyes. Danny and Carly attend District 196 schools. Danny is a "mainstream" special -needs student, which weans he attends regular classes along with receiving some special tutoring. Carly participates in an early childhood education program for preschool -age, special -needs students. The Mauchs enjoy partici- pating in the Adoption Miracles Apr:17: 2000 2:52PN THE WALLACE GROUP Residents speak out on proposed Cedarvale redevelopment No:1681 P. 2/4 http://www.thisweek-online.com/2000/Apri1/14Cedarvale.htn Monday, Apr1117, 2000 Neves 1 Residents speak out on proposed Cedarvale redevelopment Sports I Posted 4/14/00 Classifieds i Bustnswe by Dan Gearino otrect' 1 Staff Writer Eagan residents had a chance to Voice opinions and ask questions about the Our Company proposed Cedarvale redevelopment at the April 11 special meeting of the Eagan City Council. The discussion was a continuation of a March 6 special meeting, where residents packed the aisles, but didn't get a chance to speak, The Cedarvale redevelopment has been dubbed "Village Plaza" by the city. If preliminary plans are approved by the council, the many homes and businesses in the area southeast of Cedar Avenue and Highway 13 would be replaced with a walkable, mixed -use development. Roads and other infrastructure would be changed to service the new buildings and alleviate traffic congestion. The council and city staff sat around tables in the front of the council chambers, with several speakers facing away from the audience. . City Administrator Tom Hedges opened the Cedarvale portion of the special meeting by describing the scope of the project. He said that area cities such as St. Louis Park and Hopkins have tried redevelopment projects, but never on a scale as large as Cedarvale. Looking at the size and the project and the fact that Eagan has never done a redevelopment before, Hedges cautioned the council and staff that an immense amount of work and strategic planning must be done. Greg Ingraham, a landscape architect who has been hired by the city as a consultant, then spoke about the zoning plan for the project. He said that the current plans for the project call for mixed -use zoning designations that are not in the city's zoning code. The Cedarvale project's mixed uses are stylistically most similar to a small-town downtown like Lakeville or a "new urbanist". development like Burnsville's planned Heart of the City. Ingraham also recommended that the city create a comprehensive plan specifically for the Cedarvale area outlining specific land uses within the area. This plan would be a subsection of the plan for the entire city. The plan and the zoning are two interdependent aspects of the land use, Ingraham said. "The comprehensive plan is the vision, The zoning is the day-to-day," he said. 1 of3 04/17/2000 9:16 AM 6514523504 => CITY OF EAGAN ,TEL=6516814612 04/17'00 15:45 Apr,17. 2000 2:52N THE WALLACE GROUP No.1681 P. 3/4 Residents speak out on proposed Cedarvale redevelopment http://www.thisweek-online.com/2000!Apri1/14Cedarvale.htii Senior City Planner Mike Ridley went a step beyond zoning and spoke of design standards. He said that the council had to find a happy medium between light standards that would allow developers to build nearly anything they want, and heavy standards, which would discourage developers from even building. Assistant City Administrator Jamie Verbrugge outlined some of the proposed re-routing of roads. He also told the council that the city should hire a consulting company because the project was too big for city staff to do alone. Before residents spoke, several council members voiced their opinions. Bea Blomquist said that current Cedarvale businesses need to be brought into the discussion. Sandy Masin said that area property owners should be in agreement about the project before there is any comprehensive plan. Mayor Pat Awada opened the floor to the audience, asking speakers to sit at the table with the council. Al Birr, whose home will be demolished under the plan, spoke from his chair in the front row. Birr, who is in his mid-70s, asked why the zoning for his land has been changed, Ridley responded that the zoning had not yet been changed and any maps with changed zoning were in the proposal stage. Birr would ask several more questions throughout the public comment period. Another Cedarvale-area homeowner walked up and sat at the council table and asked the question, "How are you going to get everybody in and out of there'?" He described how traffic was terrible in the area anyway and would Only get dramatically worse with a new development. He closed by reminding the council that the businesses currently in Cedarvale are failing because of lack of access, something that he said the current plan does not sufficiently improve upon. Public Works Director Tom Colbert said the city would likely do a traffic analysis to determine current and projected congestion in the area. He added that there were several methods in which the city could address bottlenecks and therefore make the development more viable. The next two speakers presented the view of businesses seeking workers. One worked in insurance and the other was a retired health-care worker. Both said that their respective business sectors need Eagan to have more moderate -income housing so that more who work in Eagan can afford to live there, something they said they hoped might come out of the Cedarvale project. One of the final speakers asked the council to try to avoid cutting down the mature trees in the Cedarvale area, Once the citizen comments were finished, the council held a brief discussion before voting to conduct the traffic study that Colbert had described and amending the city's comprehensive plan to include the new mixed -use zoning, 2 of 3 04/17/2000 9:16 AM 6514523504 -> CITY OF EAGAN ,TEL-6516814612 04/17'00 15:45 0 n re 7- „la/04 f,/ . Council"adopt moraton+ for Cedarvale Highwa By SARA THOMALLA-BLOOD Following a public hearing, the Eagan City Council ap- proved a moratorium for the Cedar Avenue and Highway 13 corridor May 4. During the April 20 meeting, the council directed City At- torney James Sheldon to draft the ordinance with conditions recommended by task force members. Those conditions in- clude: • No . building permit for the construction of any structure on undeveloped property .shall be issued; • No building permit for con- struction, reconstruction or al- teration for more than 90 per- cent of any existing• structure shall be issued; • No requests for rezoning or Comprehensive Guide Plan amendments shall be consid- ered or approved by the. Advi- sory Planning Commission or the City Council, and • The moratorium shall be limited to a time period of six months. Affected businesses, property owners and residents were noti- fied by- the city prior to the hearing. Property owners Roger Slater • and Greg Preusse asked if their undeveloped properties would be excluded from the morato- rium because they were not involved in the original mora torium 'discussions. The area where their properties are lo- cated was not originally part of. the study. Preusse said he is negotiating I a lease for one : of his:proper- ties, and a letter of intent- was being developed for another. "The moratorium could re- scind contact agreements," said Preusse after the hearing. "We're not talking 'little money here." Slater said his property has been on the market for a while. "When my Realtor receives inquiries, they're: dead. when they hear `moratorium;I'm not looking to .rezone :•I':want to build what fitsrn:' the --current zone," he Task -Force .:.Meni! er;:'"Betty Bassett urged the! council`"not toy accept exceptions s ' "If any group is taken out,, many more , gro'i psi, will- be taken out.. It's such a short. pe- riod for the moratonurp,' .said Bassett. Mayor Pat•Awada • said be- cause the • redevelopmetit. study is already: underway; :the mora- torium could last -as =little as six months.' "No one likes a moratorium on their land; but it will benefit the area in the long run;" said Awada. Following the ::.meeting,: Preusse said he plans to• appeal - to the task force to consider'his request to have his. property. withdrawn from the- ''morato- rium "I'm m asking for basic fairness I was brought"in late sr(intoY the discussion) not two ' weeks ago,"_ said Preusse. Women's club will install new of Moratorium (Continued from front page) vent new construction projects. or additions from interfering with zoning and land develop- ment proposals that may result from the Cedarvale redevel- opment study. The subcommit- tee consists of representatives from the City Council and the Advisory Planning Commis- sion. Although it appeared council members did not object to the idea of the moratorium, many expressed shock when city staff presented a map of where the subcommittee suggested to implement it. The map in- cluded the. immediate Cedar - vale area — the area surround - MP LLA BLOOD r redevelopmerit k �prolect ,.h he. ..workshop wilh-be held •March 1Ea ati.CitYL Council members.16 .at 4 30 , p m ::prior to that stopped short of directing City evening's City Councrl meet 5 Attorney Jim Sheldon to draft a .inThe su estion for the 'Mora gg. proposed'' .:. onum on devel <.fs-rr opment •for the Cedarvale re,- torrum came fromfthe Coinpre development "area during the ihensrve Guide Plan oses ate arch 2'_council: meeting Subcommittee foi, p rp {Instead, they_.opted Ito sched-, determining -.redevelopment =ule a>_workshop with-;Cedarvale':. opportunities The_mtent:of the ,business. _;:managers,,;;property moratorium would be ,to p _mowners and residents to discuss -P , oratorium; parameters' :.for. the (SQe-Moratorium,, ing the, :Cedarvale shopping center, north to, Silver Bell Road and south to Cedar Ave- nue — and extended north to Lone Oak Road. 'The majority of properties affected would be on the - western portion of Highway 13. Council members Peggy Carlson and Bea Blomquist questioned the need for extend- ing the moratorium to Lone Oak Road. "What is the purpose of in- cluding half of (Eagan's) in- dustrial area in this morato- rium? I think we would be sending so many mixed sig- nals," said Carlson, adding later, "If we go up past Yankee • Doodle Road, w,e',d.be....biting Becauseth - .---evelop .._ off more than we could chew." study is expected, to take six. Mayor Pat Awada said during months, both Awada and a March 3 telephone interview. Hedges said,: the ,moratorium that she was supportive of ex- should not":interfere with any tending the moratorium to new Cedarvale projects that Lone Oak Road: may come before the council. "I essentially believe as part "If any. (large) projects... of the Cedarvale study area come in, I would expect it to currently being developed, ex- take longer than the six months tending it along the river all the way up... is a logical exten- sion... because most of that is not developed or underdevel- oped," said Awada. City Administrator Tom Hedges said March 3 the Highway 13 portion north of Silver Bell Road is not in- cluded in the Cedarvale rede- velopment study. Extending the project north to Lone Oak Road would require additional funding, said Hedges. M.C. Gresser, who owns - a - business. on; .Yankee Doodle Road, questioned -the intent of plating :the northern portion in the moratorium: "I was: absolutely numb -::when (I heard)..ahis property would be : included;, ' in . the -morato- rium... it doesn't make ,:any sense.:If you. talk,-of.placing the immediate Cedarvale areajin the -moratorium) ,;you'll;;hear' no argument from; me... ,but. don't include' me and :my neighbors," said Gresser. Ultimately.the,council opted to consider ...a .development moratorium for the ..immediate Cedarvale.. area . at ,:the March 16 workshop;; and . to _drop the northern -portion:; Hedges. :saidrythecouncil:; and 'those in,.,-attendance:'::witt';ha've many:: questions!'.toconsidert`at the` workshop including %what types-=ofi•projects'Would' not be allowed'''duriii the ->moratorium .and: how to: determine :when -it would be lifted.. Both Awada and . Hedges said the' morato- .: rium would`:niost,:• likely Abe lifted. once- the redevelopment' study was completed. - With;•the.exception of„avari- ance request presented before the;;council, March from Ui Sion; Technologies, located at 3000 ,Sibley Memorial :High way, both,;Awada_ and Hedges. saidL they: were ; not aware of • any.,building Copy, addition; prof ects slated: forthe immediate Cedarvale area :while the pro- posed moratorium;. would �bemin.,„.; place. meri t to develop,'. said�Awada Following the workshops city Council members will have the option fo: `direct�Stieldon` to' draft the, proposed moratorium at the March-` •f6': meeting. Council members;. could then vote on the moratorium lan- guage by the 'April 6`meeting. C01/0--V re -a 03 - - 1919 Continuing study to be known as'Higl way, l3/Cedar study By -Yvonne Klinnert Sun Newspapers .Little by little, step by step the format for writing an agenda for the future of Ea- gan's Cedarvale area is being. set. The Eagan City Council hashed out more details March 16, starting with a late after -.- noon worksession, and,then con-.. tinuing at a City Council meet ing. For starters, the name of the study, has been changed to better reflect its scope. Neigh_ bors to Cedarvale Mall on Highway 13, especially those'. north of Highway 13 in the'.". Wuthering Heights area, were,;. surprised to find their homes'. and businesses as part of a study called the Greater From Page 1A It .was the moratorium proposal: that brought neighbors • from-',Wuthering' Heights to the March 16:worksession:,: 'They :live in: a residential .area. in• the northeast•: corner 'of the Highway 13 and ;Cedar:': Avenue .., interchange, ";along Wuthering Heights and Hazel roads::.' •The' neighbors had many questions about ,the need fora: moratorium;'' and. • what• iti would,:mean to their neighbor hood. A iiioratorium would be an interim or dinance-, said City Attorney. Janies Shel • don •.The idea is to protect the city's plan -ning process..;The ,city`rnust, establish a' need for the>sfudy; with the''idea of ex arrumng the planning tools for.the'area. The moratorium cannot • be arbitrary; Sheldon said,:.and usually:runs' for no riiore than ayear It could be extended'by the council for 'anotfie'`six-months after' • • the first'year :71Thecity has -had three moratoriums m the recent past.. Sheldon said: Each`wa.' used simply to'set parameters on':wlat the citywants'to•do with the•land: She1 -• • on dstressed that it is not a:zoningordi trance, but rather a protection for the' planmrig`process• "`Betty 'Bassett; a resident of :the Wuthering Heights neighborhood was the first.fo speak There are iriany issues; : • ahat touch the neighborhood;'she said:' Above all, there} is: no. land ':left 'in :the neighborhood on whicli'to build It'is ei ther built oii °or it'has such'poor ditions that nothing;could'be• hiiilt;ori it . The land..along the Minnesota River`;is controlled=by the Arn y Corpsof E igi veers; and there is aferi m the areat't• liat is'protected s "The moratorium could be handled by staki.; b#11aing=permits;,". Bassett' said;'A'moratonuin would hurt the`land values and stop •families from repairing . homes that'were damaged `by last sum mer's°storms y` Bassett also brought up the'`issue of whether the areawill some daybe part'of ' theplan to;bring light rail transit (LRT) y to Dakota County. Some preliminary plans suggest thatan LRT line could'run i across the Cedar Avenue • bridge ',to_ Eagan Cedarvale area.`The study_ area takes 'in the . malls: and then extends along the back of Cedarvale along. both sides•<of. Beau De Rue Drive. On the north side- of Highway 13, it takes -in the area west_of'Sil ver Bell Road to Cedar Avenue and north. to.,`,the Minnesota River: ' To reflect that much more than. the:.:'inimediate Cedar- vale.`area is being•studied, the area will now be referred to as the Highway 13/Cedar study area. More crucial is the continu- ing discussion of whether a de- velopment moratorium` should be placed on the area. while its future is being studied. For the past month, it has been sug- gested that a development ntoratorium be -placed on the area, to allow time for a study on the area's future. CEDARVALE: To Page 24A `We can't deny building permits or stop the process.'- - Pat Awada Eagan mayor withoutthe moratorium;• With a morato_, rium, the process can•be 'put on hold to' determine a:l'ong-term plan Other people 'from the::: neighborhood`; expressed concern about being, able -to: build onto their homes over the summer` or; to renovate their business, inthe: of Steve Fitzgerald from 'Cedarvale Lanes: , Others asked simply that their part of the neighborhood• be excluded- from the moratorium:: The rationale for including the'' neighborhood, Councilniember• `Paul Bakken said; is that whatever does hap- pen mthe -Highway 13/Cedar area will' have an effect on the people living in Wuthering Heights :; and it. may, : be `in their best interest -'to be`'part''of the process a- By: the end` of the=work"session',:the'• council' had agreed :that the task force that ha`s been; working on`the issue for the past several months= would bei-. given"the new information`:to discuss;. and asked to' provide` fiir`ther'recom= m endations 'regarding =the 'study would 'be stressed that 'as' much flexi bility:in the area as possible• is :needed' • during:the process; and'that if a urora` The cit needs to determine its plans a y'. first, Bassett'said 'and then determine: if a moratorium. is necessary ' • Councilmembe'r Peggy Carlson told he;group .that her Lone. Oak' neighbfewor n1 hood• was :under"a .moratorium a' ence,for the neighborhood:'Thearea'was' _ :h underdevelopmenfpressure and•a mora- torium allowed' -people 'in the: area to-.. , c catch their.breatli•'•.and figure out what.•ci was;best for their area, Carlsonsaid la • "`We can't�deny'building permits or stoptthe process," Mayor Pat Awada said: rn If someonewishes_t to develop a parcel or' h make changes to a piece of property,•the solve the issues that continue to'come up • council must'respond in a_ timely'fashion • during the disciissior of the area. years ago;.'and it :was 'a positive ,experi- torium were i iposed, it would :riot be for more than.' six' months:•:Also to'lie :explore'd is whether the :Wuthering Heights area can be excluded from the .moratorium At the council meeting, the council'for'-' malized`its plans from the worksession saying that the informati on' woldube passed on to the.Highway 13/Cedar study •: area�task forcefor a"recommendation` They agreed that ifthere were a mora m toriu, homeowners would need to' re tain the`ability to improve their property, and that business owners should be i1 lowed to :make improvement's` within a specified value While they_didn't wish to have a property owner;demolish a build rig and; rebuild it during a moratonim, council members also" said that they: did 't:wish ;to keep business owners :in -`the' rea from making necessary.' improve merits. Councilmem. er Bea.:Blmoguls t,'who' has voiced concerns' about the -`idea of a: `oratorium throughout the discussion;:. aid that:' she continued tobelieve-that we might have the 'cart before^'the arse.": Carlson responded by saying that'the urrent •process :,is:.strictly 'to' 'allow:='the' ty's attorney to` put :in= words •possible nguagefor a moratorium :Councilmember Sandra Masin said ay he .:riecessary• for< -the task:force ave more meetings to, consider .and: re- By.SARA THOMALLA-BLOOD Eagan City Council members voted 3-2 in favor of granting an interim use permit '(IUP) that would allow School Dis- trict 191 to expand existing facilities by 6,000 square feet at the Cedarvale Shopping A 17 r.-. Center, 3914 Sibley Memorial Highway. In 1998, the council -approved an IUP allowing, the school dis- trict to use 10,000 square feet of the shopping center as class- room space for seventh - (See Expansion, p.24A) Expansion (Continued from front page) could be at the site; - through 12th-grade students • The new IUP would be ter - involved in its special needs minated in 2003. program. Known as Vale Edu-. School representatives at the cation Center, the space serves meeting explained that needs anywhere from 36 and 50 stu- at the site "wax and wane," dents, with the intent of return- and they could not guarantee ing the students to mainstream that no more than 90 students classrooms. would be at the site at a given This permit, under conditions time. of the IUP, would terminate in Mayor Pat Awada said the 2008. council wanted to ensure the The expansion will allow the 40/50 split between the two school- district to consolidate age groups to ensure there its special needs program at weren't 90 12th graders at the one site Currently, students in site. hThe-: condition resulted akindergarten6through`-grade1- six { from concerns raised by ;the are housed at ` theCedar Eagana ;Police 'Department: School; =2140 ;Diffley' Road: Since° the Cedarvale ;Site 'This expansion "will bring ap` opened m September, `, officers proximately 40-.additional .stu- :chave responded to_16 calls, for dents to the site: -..• u ,., �� erv}ce, including: five assault . The'expanded%ite would re- reports and' two= criminal prop quire approximately $200,000 city damage reports in improvements. Sue Grissom, director of in The council voted, April 6 to dividualized student services d . said' during, an April 8 tele phone intervrew� that the:' site approve, the. expansion# base ing: good relationship with No more than 40xkindergar-' the.".department and e:that..: offi-. ten through sixth graders and cers are•not called to the scene = 50 seventh 'through•'12',graders 1.1r unlesskstaff'has 'done call if can.• =through'=academrce.4'f-rand b hav- .ioral intervention. `When ' they respond .� n .� l •1Y6a:. SY : L�'t typically for enrninal charges;''. .said Grissom. District representatives,::at' the meeting also • .found'`°the` 2003 'termination datet�afor=the'';new. IUP:'diff cult. ts, t' r : ? "Five yeas doesn t work for,,; us. We have to complete rental itnprovetnentsttn'order 'tIi . itei.:? lft wouldl-doubleralie (payments),°. and we can'•.t Oaf fordr`to spay `it; ;_said= Grissoiitu` +Gouncilr ,;;.members , ;Bea Bigniquist .andtS'andra<l:,Mash'•. - voted. against the motion -,�; i}rlf.they can=tKdive`, with sthe conditions rof� shdhening� _the lease;:; why± even do, this,?: cant ;vot'e cto Lappi•oue "this' causeay, it�,o wuld eliminate` the anyw,;' said Blomquist� During atelephone' interview, < ouricilr :.. Member.. if' Peggy:: ",Carlson said" she . wished • couneil's would14ave'.waited, six montti's� . u'nti1 ithe Highway 13/Ceda'r study is completed . • torvote on ahe' proposed�IUP ekity ,is 'currently consider ing, a'developriient:.rnoratotium for the` area • until the 'study is complete' Tlie"-city •rs+ also considering the,,Cedary,,ale"area, as a`poten tial,,,tax increment,.financing redevelopment district . 'If.the council,•creates-,such Ja. district, , ,,redevelopment 'strat- egy for,ahe area'. will be l;pro- duced. The,,impact.-off.redevel opment,:to,,the, Cedarvalec-een- ;ter, if:any ,:is :,unknown- at this ;time,' wrote ,City -PlannerBob Kirmis. in his; report;to the city_ "I wish' everyone would. ait sixmonths Insix;months.-we.'ll know;,what Elie plan is, said Carlson. `,If notliing;s',changes, hope they:. come ;back for. reconsideration'. because: ji,t is ,a good use.:•; Grissom said district; officials have not; yet had,, the:_: chance:; to review;, the councils decision and. could ., not comment, On . whether: they- canR live with- . the terms.: _Our;,goal w•as; to consolidate to,,.,one : site,' said 'Grissom., "but. •I'm".not; certain: ;what :the next,:moy.e'wilha e until we sit down and talk about it." by Dan Gearino Staff Writer Eagan residents had a chance to voice opinions and ask ques- . tions about the proposed Cedarvale redevelopment at the April 11 special meeting of the Eagan City Council. The discus- sion was a continuation of a March 6 special meeting, where residents packed the aisles, but didn't get a chance to speak. The Cedarvale redevelop- ment has been dubbed "Village Plaza" by the city. If preliminary plans are approved by the coun- cil, the many homes and busi- nesses in the area southeast of Cedar Avenue and Highway 13 would be replaced with a walk able, mixed -use development. Roads and other infrastructure would be changed to service the new buildings and alleviate traf- fic congestion. The council and city staff sat around tables in the front of the council chambers, with several speakers facing away from the audience. City Administrator Tom Hedges opened the Cedarvale portion of the special meeting by describing the scope of the project. He said that area cities such as St. Louis Park and Hopkins have tried redevelop- ment projects, but never on a scale as large as Cedarvale: Looking at the size and the pro- ject and the fact that Eagan has never done a redevelopment before, Hedges cautioned the. •council and staff •that an immense amount of work and strategic planning must be done. Greg Ingraham, a landscape architect who has been hired by the city as a consultant, then spoke about the zoning plan for the project. He said that the cur- rent plans for the project call for mixed -use zoning designations that are not in the city's zoning 1 I;c6 0, o-- i 5 S a o. s eak out- onproposed Cedarvale redevelopment Residentsp nesses need to be brought into the discussion. Sandy Masin said that area property owners should be in agreement about the project before there is any •• comprehensive plan. Mayor Pat Awada opened the floor to the audience, asking speakers to sit at the table with the council. Al Birr, whose home will be - 'demolished under the plan, spoke from his chair in the front row. Birr, who is in his mid-70s, asked why the zoning for his land has been changed. Ridley responded that the zoning had not yet been changed and any maps with changed zoning were . in the proposal stage. Birr would ask several more questions throughout the public code. The Cedarvale project's mixed uses are stylistically most similar to a small-town down- town like Lakeville or a "new urbanist" development like Burnsville's planned Heart of - the City. . Ingraham also recommended that the city create a comprehen- sive plan specifically for the Cedarvale area outlining specif- ic land uses within the area. This plan would be a subsection of the plan for the entire city. The plan and the zoning are two interdependent aspects of the land use, Ingraham said. "The comprehensive plan is the vision. The zoning is the day-to-day," he said. Senior City Planner Mike Ridley went a step beyond zon- ing and spoke of design stan- dards. He said that the council had to Lind a happy medium between light standards that would allow developers to build nearly anything they want, and heavy standards, which would discourage developers from even building. Assistant City Administrator Jamie Verbrugge outlined some of the proposed re-routing of roads. He also told the council that the city should hire a con- sulting company because the project was too big for city staff to do alone. • Before residents spoke, sev- eral council members voiced their opinions. Bea Blomquist said that current Cedarvale busi- Cedarvage/Continued mine current and projected con- gestion in the area. He added that there were several methods in which the city could address bottlenecks and therefore make the development more viable. The next two speakers pre- sented the view of businesses seeking workers. One worked in insurance and the other was a retired health-care worker. Both said that their respective busi- ness sectors need Eagan to have more moderate -income housing so that more who work in Eagan comment period.. Another Cedarvale-area homeowner walked up and sat at the council table andasked the question, "How are you going to get everybody in and out of. there?" He described.how traffic was terrible in the area anyway and would only get dramatically worse with a new development. He closed by reminding the council that the businesses cur- rently in Cedarvale are failing because of lack of access, some- thing that he said the current plan does not sufficiently improve upon. Public Works. Director Tom Colbert said the city would like- ly do a traffic analysis to deter - See Cedarvale, 20A can afford to live there, some - .thing they said they. hoped might come out of the Cedarvale pro- ject. One of the final speakers asked the council to try to avoid cutting down the mature trees in the Cedarvale area. Once the citizen comments were finished, the council held a brief discussion before voting to conduct the traffic study that Colbert had described and amending the city's comprehen- sive plan . to include the, new mixed -use zoning. IVOV LO • LUUI I U 43PM I rlt YYHLLHGt tiNUUt' NEWS ,I y •AZ -f-r :2_0(IVO bH0 h' 4/4 WWW.TWINCITIES.COM • ST. PAIIL PIONEER PRESS while supple :hmans.com `:e Valley 770 Prairie Ceuta Dr., Ur Prairie W, of 169, Plymouth 0 20019achman's, lee. Shopping centers overpower Eagan's Cedarvale Mali BY MARA H. GOTTFRIED Pioneer Press The busiest shopping day of the year is no different than any other at the Cedarvale Mall: The halls are nearly empty, and it's quiet enough for those who are there to hear their own foot- steps. Under the shadows of Eagan's megalith shopping cen- ters and strip mails, many of the "ma and pa" variety stores at the Cedarvale Mall are strug- gling. And that struggle is most evident on the Friday after Thanksgiving, commonly known as the start of holiday shopping. About three miles away, parking lots at Town Centre and other shopping centers are packed. Those stores contrast sharply with the Cedarvale Mall At Wal-Mart, the aisles are jammed, children are crying and cash registers are dinging, Cedarvale wasn't always such a ghost town. It used to be the place to shop in the 1970s and early 1980s. Dave Diloia remembers the mall in its heyday. He started working at his father's shop, Mike's Shoe Repair Inc., when he was 14. It was 1968, and the mall, which was built in 1965, sparkled with the promise of success. • "This' was a busy mall back then,', said DiIoia, who now owns the store. "It was one of the biggest malls around, and we would have been packed on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Seeing this change over the years hasn't been easy." Many factor's have conspired against the mall's continued success. Its troubles started RICHARO MARSMALL PIONEER PRESS Unlike many other shopping malls on America's busiest shopping day, Cedarvale Mall in Eagan was as quiet as any other day On Friday. when the mall lost direct access to Minnesota 13. The old high- way used to go right by the mall, but construction about 20 years ago changed that. Then Wal-Mart and other franchises started popping up in Eagan, drawing some cus- tomers away from the small businesses at the mall. More recently, the Eagan City Coun- cil has discussed redeveloping the Cedarvale area. Mayor Pat Awada said the mall could be torn down in the next five years. 'Palk of the mall's future leaves customers confused,'said Gayle Mehus, owner of Gayle's Dolls. "I think people aren't coming here as much because they're not sure if we're already gone," said Mehus, who has seen her business decline 15 percent to 20 percent this year. "I tell my cus- tomers that I'm not leaving until I get my eviction notice." The small malt tends to be so empty that parents sometimes bring their children there so they can run around the hall- ways without bumping into peo- ple, said Suzanne Schmitt, owner of Burton's Frame Shop & Gallery Inc. "It's sad that it's become quiet here," she said. "There's no uniqueness in stores any- more. Everyone goes to the cookie cutter shops and forgets about us." Not everyone has forgotten about the mail Joe Monn of Eagan hadn't shopped there for about 10 years but stopped in again Friday. "I was curious about what was still here," he said "I want- ed to get started with my Christ- mas shopping, and I came here because I was looking for a place that reminded me of the way Eagan used to be." Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at mgottfried@pioneerpreu.com or (651) 228.5262. Sue Hegarty innesotarSun°Publications utstanding" is the way. or Tom Egan described the series of Outreach Meetings: r. conducted between the' city of °Y Eagan, Chamber of'Commerce. and members of the business corninunity this;past year " Beginning in; January, Chamber'sponsored five meet trigs regarding -issues that af- .'' feet Eagan businesses They re Gently came•together toeview; and to taik about the results Yankee Doodle Yankee Doodle Road re. ceived extensive upgrade last year in `preparation ;for` the' Eagan Promenade and other ew development Its was they arrest <road construction Ypi ject ever performed°by tfiecit T'ubhc Works" Director Toi ankeel Dooi countyroai, but due to` county workload and im:.e frame required, the ci' eed to:;perforn the work Colbertsaid drivers are still experiencing problems west of..; Pilot Knob Road at the signaled lnte`rsection of Washington Av enue and Yankee'Doodle Road. '� esponse to concerns, the r; county doubled the frequency of ,; the'signal changes but what is realiy'need`ed is ae double turn y. lane; Colbert said"However, '' ere is not sufficient room for; at solution he; added Business owners had e� pressed concerns regardin construction on Denmark Ay enue at Yankee Doodle, as wel :w kColbert said the `construction contractor was offered incen Ives for corripletmg the project '. earlyxbut didn't e do realize the interrup o businesses duringcon struction aril we tried to mir Cmize the pain," Colbert sai ransitneeds *moveRaway9 fromrthe infra Ystructure phase and into&rede velopmen-77 t, itwill be'important;;, four the Publ c Works Depart- o build capacity, -2(5 ( (1 1 E-t,_4-\ Chamber: Cedarvale discussed in March From Page 1 In March, those interested in dis- cussing the Cedarvale shopping district met at the Cedarvale Bowling Center. A task force was organized that later rec- ommended that the city create a Tax In- crement Financing (TIF) Redevelopment District in the area. A feasibility study is expected from the Dakota County Hous- ing and Redevelopment Authority in mid -January. Assistant City Administra- tor Jon Hohenstein said Cedarvale has suffered from poor road access and limit- ed visibility since Cedar Avenue was ex- tended across the Minnesota River into Eagan. A special services district, ap- proved in 1994, has helped to increase visibility and to provide improved main- tenance for the site. If the area is ap- proved as a TIF district, drastic changes could occur in its future. "TIF is not a surgical tool. It's a blunt instrument that we should approach with caution," Hohenstein said. Some business owners have suggested that redevelopment occur in conjunction with a regional trail system for the Min- nesota River Valley on the west side of Highway 13. Consideration also will be given to increasing the housing stock so there will be more of a consumer base in the area. One developer is proposing multi -housing units in place of several businesses behind the Cedarvale Mall. Transit needs Try to imagine a private trolley sys- tem that could transport commuters and shoppers through the Town Center and Eagan Promenade commercial/retail dis- trict, said Councilmember Sandra Masin. That's just one of the transit -re- lated topics business owners will explore in the coming year. Eagan is one of six member cities of the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA). Several services are offered to Eagan residents by the MVTA: inter -city transport, routes to the Mall of America, reverse commute from St. Paul to Ea- gan's industrial parks, and database ser- vices for carpool opportunities. Masin said the MVTA also has joined with Dakota County to discuss a community rail system. Business owners has said there is a need to provide bus service for second and third shift workers. "That's still a challenge," Masin said. Until service can be expanded to include those shifts of employees, the MVTA sug- gests that workers use the carpool option. After recently completing a media campaign, ridership on MVTA buses jumped 18 percent for service into St. Paul. In looking ahead, the MVTA hopes that more employers will recognize that transit services could increase the em- ployee base when hiring for a position. Bus officials also plan to continue youth education efforts and to make bus -riding coaches available to those who want to learn how best to ride the bus. Signage Some Eagan business owners wanted permission to erect signs along Inter- state 35E and county roads to help direct peopleto their businesses; such as hotels: . The city. has joined -with other:ties in •'drafting a proposal fordirectional sig- TheYear nage that will be presented to the Dako- ta County Board of Commissioners, said Eagan Planner Mike Ridley. In some instances, the state's Depart- ment of Transportation won't allow such signage, but Ridley said staff has gotten DOT officials to agree in some cases. Business owners also objected to the $150 signage fee and $650 escrow ac- count required by the city when a busi- ness wants to erect a sign. Ridley said most of the escrow funds are returned to the businesses if sign requests don't re- quire extensive city staff time. In re- sponse to the business owners' concerns, though, he suggested that a committee be formed to evaluate the city's sign code. Highway 13 No Outreach topic was as explosive as September's question: "How will the up- grade of Highway 13 affect your busi- ness?" Egan said business owners' com- ments were "brutally honest" but he praised the Outreach program for open- ing the lines of communication between the city and the business community. Due to the diligence of the Highway 13 businesses and the city staff, state DOT officials are committed to the project even though funding was not immediate- ly available, Colbert said. A consultant has been retained to seek funding for ex- panding Highway 13 to a full four -lane road. Otis Trujillo, owner ofLaFonda De Los Lobos restaurant, objected to the design of the road improvements because cus- tomers would no longer be allowed to make a left turn into his business from the northbound lane of Highway 13. Col- bert said he has been trying to convince the state that since the highway is sched- uled to be turned over to the county, if the county agrees to allow a left turn, so should the state. Colbert said his argu- ment is "meeting some resistance." In the same vein, the city is trying to obtain federal funding for road'improve- ments, but has been rejected because of inconsistency in the city's Comprehen- sive Guide Plan. Colbert said the com- prehensive guide will be updated and the city will re -apply for the federal ISTEA funds in 1999. The Chamber of Commerce compiled a list of other topics that business' owners want to discuss in future meetings with city officials. Possible issues for 1998 Outreach meetings include: pedestrian traffic/sidewalks, the proposed aquatic park, adult -use ordinance, a commercial trolley service, large development pro- posals, the comprehensive guide, the search for a city festival site, business/city government cooperation, and promotion of the city to the youth. Upcoming meetings for the Chamber include a "Get to know .your legislators" session at the Lost Spur Country Club Jan. .15.,and the Chamber's first "Busi- ness. After Hours" social;on Jan. 22. For' • --nmore; information' about.Chamber activ- :ties, caIi452-9872. '' Cedar Grove o ssc,\S INISMEADel KEEPING YOU ORGANIZED No. 10334 2-153L 1 SUSTAINABLE uw NEcyQ RY INITIATIVE CONTENT 10% C.rufwd Fiber Sowcinp POST-CONSUME.R ' .5fiyropnrn-0rp Ii • MADE IN USA GET ORGANIZED AT SMEAD.COM Photo by Erin Johnson The former Rudy's Automotive and Sinclair gas station, ' as well as the self -serve car wash behind it, will be torn down this fall to make way for the future Village at Cedar Grove. Cedar Grove will see more demolition this:: fall by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Several of the remaining vacant buildings in the Cedar Grove redevelopment area now owned by the city are scheduled to be torn down this fall. Nine total structures — in- cluding the "Cedarvale" pylon sign that marked the area for decades — are set to be bull- dozed between Labor Day and the end of October. The Community Develop- ment Agency will oversee the demolition. Properties to be razed include: • former Plourde Sales; • former Sherwin Williams; • former Superior Paint and Collision; • former Rudy's Automotive and Sinclair; • former Self Serve . Car Wash; • former office condomini- ums; • former Shell gas station; • former Eagan Tap; and, • Cedarvale pylon sign. • The existing laundromat and Mediterranean Cruise Cafe buildings will be demolished in a separate phase, possibly by the end of the year, Director of Community Development Jon Hohenstein said. The city will hold off on. demolishing the former credit union next to Jensen's Supper Club at this, point in case the building can be reused in the - new development, Hohenstein said. The demolition will make way for a. planned. urban vil- lage, to be located east of Ce- dar Avenue . along Highway 13. The project has hit some roadblocks in recent years 'as a result of the recession, a down -- turn in the housing market, and a court battle with some area businesses. Developer Doran Pratt submitted a final plan for the project to the city in June, but has asked the city to delay its review until the credit' ,market improves, according to thecity. The proposed -plan calls fdr a first phase of development that includes 150 units of se- nior housing,250 apartment units, two four-story hotels, a retail building, with three or four tenants, and a building for child care/commercial use. It also includes_ about .1.2 acres of park space. '..::... ' Plans for a second 'phase have yet to be determined, but city officials have said they would like to see more retail in- cluded in that phase. The three remaining busi- nesses that successfully sued the city to avoid eminent domain — U-Haul, Larson Automotive.. Repair Services, and Competi- tion Engines — are located: in the area planned for phase two..;` The city has since petitioned the Minnesota Supreme Court to hear the case. Erin Johnson is at eagan thisweelc@ecm-inc.com. - 2po Andy Blenkush/Sun Newspapers Working in nature About 20 residents volunteered their time Aug. 25 to help county workers plant a rain garden at Cedar Pond in Eagan. The project is transforming the pond from a storm water bath to a more nat- ural wetland. s 111 Council to tackle TIF in October • City Coilncil.continues: hearing until data is ready By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers A public hearing on th( Cedar Grove Redevelopmen Area and establishing a tax -in crement financing district' ti raise funds for the project wil come a little more than a mont] later than originally planned. The Eagan City Counci voted to continue the publi hearing on the issues to it Tuesday, Oct. 2, meeting, afte deciding during its Aug. 2 meeting there wasn't enough ir formation regarding the viabil: ty of the TIF district. "There are so many comp( nents here that we need for th process," Councilmember Pegg Carlson said. "We don't want t go through this process twice we don't have to." The Eagan City Council he been studying for more than tw years the possibility of redeye opment in what was former] known as the Cedarvale Area. The council unanimous] agreed to hold off on a publ hearing for the plan until a r view of each parcel for TIF qua ification was completed. Th; review also will look at how r cent changes to the tax-incr ment law will affect plans f the Cedar Grove Redevelo, ment Area. Consultants from Ehlers ai Associates, the city's proje management consultant,. said is typical that the public hes ing is held in advance of cot pleting all of the detail work parcel and district qualificatic However, council members sa they wanted to wait until th process was completed.' CEDAR: To Page 1 �TF,,;,�-�- ► Z - 0 7 - ZOO approves e • ar rove ous v approve a housing; development in the Cedar. Grove redevelop-. merit area. Delta Development; Inc: will build 230 townhomes and- vil- lagerhome units;'called :Nicols Ridge in the Cedar Grove TIF (Tax. Increment : Finance) dis- trict. The development will be located 'along Cedar Grove Parkway, just west of. Nicols Road. Nicols Ridge is . the first City The -\:Eagan 'Council,:major development approved Irn oted unanimously. Dee.; .2: to pp Nicols Ridge development will 'op- create approximately $4.3 mil- ment area. - lion dollars- for the city to rein - The units will be built in, vest as an incentive.: to spur three phases, with 88 of the future development in the area. - Units- projected to be ready by The Economic Development fall of,2003. The Cedar Grove: area was.Authority (EDA),, which. is designated a TIF district .in October 2001 • to stimulate development and economic growth on both sides of Highway 13 between Highway 77 and Silver Bell Road. According to the city, the for the Cedar Grove redeye made up of the:mayo'and city council members; !voted to approve the • project ;last month and agreed to provide approxi- mately $1.7 million in develop- ment assistance. The develop- ment assistance will go toward the costs of public,.improvement.. assessments and park and `trail dedication fees related to the 'project. The costsinitially. financed by the city will be paid back by tax increment. An additional $2.6 million will be :available to. assist future redevelopment projects or infra- structure improvements, like the- -'new intersection at Highway 13 and Silver Bell Road which is nearing completion.. Erin Johnson is at eagan;thzsweek@ecm=inc con. S \z-o5- 7).)02 2A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current WThursday, Dec. 5, 2002 ww w.mnSun.cc New housing set for Cedar Grove redevelop Agreement will give Eagan $4.3 million in TIF funding for further redevelopment - BY JOSHUA NIcxoLs Sun Newspapers With a housing development ap- proved Nov 19, Eagan has its first agree- ment in place forwhat it hopes will be a revitalization of the Cedar Grove area. Acting as the Eagan Economic Devel- opment Authority (EDA), the Eagan City Council voted unanimously to approve the development agreement with Delta Development Inc., during its Nov 19 meeting. "This is our first completed agree- ment for a project in Cedar Grove and it is very exciting, it certainly won't be the city's last" said Eagan Mayor Pat Awada in her role as head of the Economic De- velopment Authority. The development will be able to take advantage of the Cedar Grove Tax Incre- ment Financing (TIF) Redevelopment Area. In October 2001, the Cedar Grove area was designated a TIF district to stimu- late development and economic growth. The TIF district includes both sides of Highway 13 between Highway 77 and Sil- ver Bell Road. In tax increment financed projects, the city retains tax revenue generated by the project for up to 25 years. The devel- opment, called Nicols Ridge, will create a projected $4.3 million for the city to rein- vest as an incentive to spur future devel- opment in the area. The project will create 230 townhouse and village home units along Cedar Grove Parkway just west of Nicols Road. The agreement stipulates that Delta Development will build the owner -occu- pied units in three phases. Mark Par- ranto, vice president of Delta Develop- ment, told the EDA that he expects the first of 88 units to be available in fall 2003. According to the agreement, the EDA will provide approximately $1.7 million in development assistance.' Most of that assistance will. pay for the costs of public improvement assess- ments, as well as park and trail dedica- tion fees related to the project. The city plans to initially finance those costs to be paid back by tax increment. No direct cash subsidy will go to the developer. "The projected TIF revenues from this development are even higher than origi- nally estimated and will help spur even more redevelopment," Awada said. "In fact, we expect to have two additional de- velopment agreements in the next few months." An additional $2.6 million will be available to assist future redevelopment projects or infrastructure improve- ments, such as the new .intersection at Highway 13 and Silver Bell Road which is nearing completion. The Cedar Grove redevelopment area was formerly known as Cedarvale be- cause it surrounds the Cedarvale Mall. During Eagan's early years as a city, it was known as the city's downtown until development began elsewhere in the city and Eagan's center of activity moved out of the Cedarvale area. The city created the Greater Cedar - vale Redevelopment Study Area in 1999. A task force of residents, business own- ers and city commission members worked over nine months to draft a con- cept vision, the Village Plaza. The City Council studied the financial and market feasibility of the visionbe- fore adopting redevelopment goals in February 2001 and renamingmit the Cedar Grove-RedeAr velopment ea. Mewhile the city continues to work with =developers to bring new retail, housing and commercial uses to the ent area. The Eagan Economic DevelopmE Authority recently approved aprelil nary redevelopment agreement w. AMCON Construction to pursue a 25,( square foot retail center. at the corner Cedarvale Drive and Silvr Bell Road. The EDA is also working with sever developers to produce a senior housi site on the south corner of the sal newly reconstructed intersection. The Eagan City Council must also prove the Nicols Ridge agreement. It w scheduled to consider t'ne agreeme during its Dec. 2 meeting. BUSINESS LINE Steve Guenther haE been nam, chief operating officer b3 Quorum Li gation Services in Eagan A 21-year v eran of Quorum, Guenher former served as vice president of operation He is widely credited.forhis part in E panding Quorum's operations wort wide. "Steve brings a goad mix of bu, ness intelligence and ex►erience," sa Gene DePalma, presideit and CEO Quorum. MNSUN - News 014 Page 1 of 3 1 Select a Town: Select a Town .: Local News Local News Community Education Calendar Opinion Public Safety Seniors Obituaries Legals Election News Local Sports Sports News Sports Briefs Events/Scores MNSun Home Page Archive Classifieds Finance Calc Market Place:: Net Directory Nutrition Calc Weather Contact Us How to Advertise Jobs At Sun It • Sun Slots Special Sections Who's Who Part 2 Who's Who Bridal Guide Educational Excellence NET DIRECTory Dealing With Drugs Local Forecast Thursday, AI EAGAN OUN CtIOZ,79[11C? Veit Local News Eagan makes changes to Cedar Grove redevelopment traffic By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers (Created 4/10/02 9:01:02 AM) Several upset business owners and residents in the Cedar Grove redevelopment area around Cedarvale filed to the podium before the Eagan City Council asking them to do something. They came with tales of outrageous assessments and concerns about the growing costs of the improvements to the intersections around Silver Bell Road, Cedarvale Boulevard, Beau D' Rue Drive and Highway 13. After nearly three hours of discussion during its April 2 meeting, the council agreed with them and made several changes to the access reconfiguration plan for the redevelopment. The total estimated cost for changes to the intersections in the area was $10 million and a group of property owners along the roads had received notification of potential assessments based on that number. Resident Doris Dahline, who recently emerged from negotiations with the city to keep her house in the area, said her tax assessment would go up 362 percent based on those numbers for an increase from $13,177 to $50,350. "I just won my home, now I'm not sure if I can afford it," Dahline said. Public Works Director Tom Colbert said the notifications sent to residents and business owners were based on a "worst -case scenario" that combined all the elements of the street improvements in the area into one project. Part of the - NE http://mnsun.com/story.asp?city—Eagan&story=86667 4/11/2002 MNSUN - News Page 2 of 3 Hiroraaaie housing Forms In Memory Of Let It Be Known Sport Shots Stork Report Search The Web Powered by: James Thomas, a lawyer who represents Cedarvale Mall owners, said that notification showed a $1.2 million tax assessment for the mall, making it difficult to sell the mall as the owners are now trying to do. In the end, the City Council removed certain parts of the project and designated other funds to cover other parts of the project. That reduced the total potential tax assessment to $3.2 million. The plans call for Cedarvale Boulevard to be diverted southeast and aligned with Silver Bell Road's intersection with Beau D' Rue Drive. Additional changes would be made to the area, including streetscaping, additional trailways and a new traffic signal at the newly aligned intersection. The improvements to the access into the redevelopment area is designed to maximize the distance between Highway 13 and the new intersection to create enough room for turning and traffic stacking. The City Council originally approved the traffic changes for the area in February 2001, but state law requires a project to be bid and contracted within one year of city approval. Right of way acquisition costs of $3.4 million will be covered by the TIF district set up to spur redevelopment in the area while traffic signal costs of $693,000 were passed onto the city's streets fund. Proposed dual left turn lanes for the intersection of Highway 13 and Silver Bell Road were split out into a separate project so that the city could seek Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) funding. The $1.8 million potential widening of Highway 13 to six lanes was put off. Colbert said the city had sought $500,000 in MnDOT funding toward the $926,600 cost of the dual turn lanes on Highway 13 this past year but did not receive the funding. He said if the city wanted to again seek MnDOT funding, it would not find out until the spring of 2003 whether it would get that funding and would not be able to use the funds until July 2003. "If you want MnDOT funds, you have to wait until they are available," Colbert said. "If you don't want MnDOT funds, then they will let you go ahead with the privilege of improving their roadway." Rather than hold up the whole plan, which is scheduled to begin construction in July and be finished in November, council members agreed to again seek the funding before moving ahead with that part of the project. Despite being turned down for the funding by the committee that awards MnDOT funds, MnDOT still wants the dual turn lanes in the area because of current traffic levels, Colbert said. If the turn lanes do not go forward, MnDOT could refuse to sign off on the project or change the traffic signals on Highway 13 to give more "green time" to traffic on the highway at the expense of local traffic. "It's fair to characterize the dual turn lane improvements as a city-wide improvement, but there's not enough reasons to say it shouldn't be done now," Councilmember Paul Bakken said. "We'll have a poorly performing traffic system from the get -go." http://mnsun.com/story.asp?city=Eagan&story=86667 4/11/2002 MNSUN - News Page 3 of 3 Even though business owners were pleased with the reduction in potential assessments for the traffic improvements, some still had concerns about the way the Cedar Grove redevelopment process is moving forward. Hugh Fitzgerald, owner of Cedarvale Bowl, likened his situation to a patient getting anesthesia for surgery and hearing the doctors still "yukking it up" as they try to decide the best way to proceed. "I'm scared to death," Fitzgerald said. "I don't know how you are going to get out of the conundrum you are in, and I think you are in one, but I urge you to stop and think about how this is going to affect the businesses in the area." This site and its contents ©2000, 2001. Sun Newspapers - Main Office: 952-829-0797 webinfo@mnsun.com - Created and maintained by Quantum Digital Interactive jcorbo@quantumsite.corn http://mnsun.com/story.asp?city=Eagan&story=86667 4/ 11 /2002 $ 7TH Oct,18, 2001 &J Brandy 1,75 Liter �1 I Box Only $1.00U Final Cost$499 re -Alfresco led 420 iWhite Zinfandel �•PP 3OO :Sem.Chrd. ydDay • Gamey Bceu. erect • White Mertot it Noir • Zinfandel Canadian Mist $1199 ,75 Liter cehous 2-Pack 1 1 Bottles ;a. $549 Absolut Vodka $1599 Liter J. Grant's Scotch Liter arly Times Whiskey 1.75 Liter knaden 5-Liter Box Wises 1 '10 •,M64ee,$ 99 'tom, . a,rycwar .ua•e, * * * ►ur Meat Dept" 1 made )af 99 oz.) Korb wttb,3, Loon Groan* seer Your Farm Fresh `ay Poultry Now! r * ** ** *** *** lay (tun tiro �rccJy I;rr... $8.99 Wines 3uliIv F. Icyua, 1 Pm4 . $2.99 Gi9ce!�i II ;Ii�n Vrrelcl ; S:rc: .. $5.99 Cc.cS31.99 ISbIr, 6u$19.90 (36 Rw,. 4 LTFr .... . . $7.99 ! or M re $6.99 10: 02AMindoaTHE WALLACE GROUP a place fv. .- - Council Member Chris Cole- man, who favors the project, said the transit hub would be viable and noted that no other options for the site have been deeply discussed. "We've been talking about this site for three years," Cole- man said. N 1 EAGAN City approves Cedar Grove townhomes The City Council voted unan- imously in favor of a rezoning early Wednesday morning to allow the construction of about 229 townhomes east of Nicola Curiouslj ens aq inch items for gait home, hard & special fiends. Zywieo's Berrylend Farm's 16' , c E HAYRIDE.8, HOUSE OF HORROR Wed. thru Sign. — Oct 5th thru the 28th — Dusk 'di 10 p.m 4 minutes So. of 494 on Hwy 61 Haunting Hotline 651-459-3001 - www•berryiand.com Sponsored by: It & Marine Sports, Fury Motors & Oeslyners o&Trevor [make it happen] Over 50 programs in the areas of: • Business, Office, and Computers • Commercial and Residential Design • Health and Human Services • Trade, Industrial, and Technical • Transportation ▪ Visual Communication Pius OCTC provides educational services such as... • General Education Courses • Customized Training • Evening Courses • English as a Second Language No.8590 P. 3/3 Road anu dtuu,u of Bt...�,.a. Delta Homes Originally pro- posed building 269 toWnhornes at a density of about 10 units to an acre. The City Council asked that the density be reduced to about 9 units to an acre. The city will need to sign off on final plans before the homes can be built, but this is the first project in the Cedar Grove Redevelopment Area to reach this stage. The city is pursuing agreements with other develop- ers to build offices, retail build- ings, housing and a hotel in the 130-acre area around the Cedar - vale Mall. Several businesses and homes will be torn down. During the summer, the planning commission voted against the project, citing con- cerns about the density and the city's plans to use tax -increment financing to help build homes in the $200,000 to $2,50,000 range. The extra taxes generated from the new buildings in the TIP dis- trict will go back to paying development costs. The City Council recently criticized a different towniiome proposal, which includes some affordable rental units in anoth- er area of the city, because it was for 9 units to an acre. That developer has since reduced the number of units, and will bring a new proposal to the city Nov. 8 for 8 units to an acre. — Amy Sherman • Career Planning • Flextime Lab • On -Line Courses • Weekend Cottege • Student Support Services [Register Today. Classes Start 3anuary 7, 2002.] Cottage Information Night on December 6 • 6:30 p.m. ge5surs:°.,;i,r 1300 145th St. East • Rosemount, Minnesota • 1.877-YES•0CTC EDE www ilrtr,micecu.edu • email: admissions@dctc.mnscu.edu I EAGAN Sex offender is now fugitive A warrant has been issued fur the arrest of a sex offender living in Eagan who disap- peared. Milton Thomas didn't show up for a meeting with his proba- tion officer Tuesday. 'Thomas, 38, is now on fugitive status. Once he is taken into custody, be could be sent back to prison, said Mark Mehl, Dakota County probation officer Following the state's commu- nity notification law, Eagan police informed the neighbor- hood earlier this month that Thomas was expected to live in the 2700 block of Minnesota 55 only temporarily. Level -three offenders are determined to be at the highest risk for offending again. Thomas' criminal history includes sexual contact with teen-age female acquaintances. — Amy Sherman 50,/ ,-e cr\ -Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006 www.mnSun.com In the Community, With the Community, For the Community Cedar Grove looks for new developef Eagan City; Council votes to part ways with Shafer Richardson GRANT BOELTER • SUN NEWSPAPERS Eagan knows where it wants to devel- op its version of a downtown area, but -now the question -goes back to who is 'going to do the developing. As expected, the Eagan City.Couricil - ;-.voted Dec. "19 to part ways with: Shafer • Richardson, the ,company that original- -1y: signed' on . for the Cedar Grove Redevelopment ° Project, near the inter: . section of highways 77 and .13: It was revealed at a meeting in November that the developer estimated , a -budget shortfall of.up_to $3 million. for the project, and that it was unlikely to . • continue without a subsidy from the city. . Now the city will look for other: devel- opers to run with the project, where the city aims to mix business and residen- ' tial developmentto create a pedestrian - friendly. environment with easy access to Public 'transit. • The city has spent much of the last two years buying property in. -the dis- trict, including the Cedarvale Mall, and now owns 70 percent of the property . within the area. The city plans to sell the - - land to a developer who has a similar vision for the district:: ' •`. Now that its: agreeinent'is terminat- ed with. Shafer Richardson, the -city :can receive: offers from other develop- ers who may -wish to pick up the proj- ect. • i �- ..11:r. t. In the Cammunity, With the Community, For the Community. atwinteri. m $549* (Model odel 38515) • • Exclusive 141 cc R--Tek® engine • Throws snow up to 30 feet www.mnSun.com—Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006 - $ i(/ J� WA& ft/.t r/m$ The city of Eagan and de- veloper Schafer Richardson have parted ways on the Ce- dar Grove project at Cedar Av- enue and Hwy. 13 near Silver Bell Road. The city's develop- ment agreement with Scha- fer Richardson was terminat- ed at the City Council meeting Dec.19, and the city will look to connect with another develop- ment partner after Jan. 1. The city envisions the 70-acre site as a mixed devel- opment of businesses, homes, offices and stores. Several weeks ago, Schafer Richard- son told the city of a worsen- ing market for condominiums and a potential financing gap of up to $3 million and sought C etigit✓,0-L� to get out of its development agreement. The redevelopment area in- cludes the Cedarvale Mall, and the city already has acquired about 70 percent of the area to be redeveloped, according to Tom Hedges, city administra- tor. "This is one of the prime redevelopment locations in all of the Twin Cities," Hedg- es said. Jon Hohenstein, Eagan's community development di- rector, said the city is commit- ted to purchasing the rest of the property for the project. DAKOTA COUNTY Tax rate will decline despite levy increase Dakota County commis- sioners have approved a $340 million budget for 2007 that includes a property tax levy increase of 4.9 percent. According to county officials, the tax rate will actually de- cline by 4.5 percent while the overall levy increases, because of growth in the county. The levy will raise almost $118 million and funds about one-third of the total budget. The levy increase, according to the county, means that the owner of a $230,000 home can expect to pay about $16 more in 2007 taxes than he or she paid in 2006, assuming that Photos by JEFFREY ABOVE: The tasty Renegade sand tomato, black olives, jalapenos, an with a side of Renegades' excellent LEFT: Phil Okane, left, Dave Schuber video game at Renegades, which als to order twice: There's noth- ing actively wrong with it, but nothing that would entice you to order it again, either. It's just not interesting. The walleye dinner, pan- fried or breaded and deep- fried, is a large portion served with vegetables, potato and a salad. We particularly liked the deep-fried version with its crispy batter coating, but both are good. Just about everything comes with your choice of French fries or ranch potatoes. Aside from them not being hot enough, the fries are fine. But we think the ranch potatoes — thicker pota- f h R ti bartender introduced us to the banana kamikaze, a silly but de- licious drink. That's the sort of thing that makes a bar fun, and it's why we liked Renegades. included. 952-895-0375 or www.savage artstudios.com. MUSIC The liacey Blake Project, 9:30 p.m. to- day, Bogart's Place, 14917 Garrett Av. S., Apple Valley. $3. 952-432-1515 or bogartsplace.com. Dazy Head Mazy, 9 p.m. Fri., Bogart's Place, 14917 Garrett Av. S., Apple Valley. $7. 952-432-1515 or bogartsplace.com. Strutter, 9:15 p.m. Sat., Bogart's Place, 14917 Garrett Av. S., Apple Valley. $8-$10. 952-432-1515 or bogartsplace.com. C.B.O., 9:30 p.m. Sun., Bogart's Place, 14917 Garrett Av. S., Apple Valley. $20. QS7-A17-1' 1 S nr hnnartSnlarp_com. CITIES AND COUNTIES Apple Valley City Council, 5:30 tonight, Apple Valley Municipal Center, 7100 W. 147th St., Apple Valley, 952-953-2500. Elko -New Market City Council, 7:30 p.m. Thu., New Market Area Hall, 601 Main St., New Market, 952-461-2711. Lonsdale City Council, 7 p.m. Thu., Lonsdale City Hall, 415 W. Central St., Lonsdale, 1-507-744-2327. tum, 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska. "A Leta r Grove Fo�Efk os kISMEAD1 KEEPING YOU ORGANIZED No. 10334 2-153L VESTRY NABLE Let REcraFD INITIATIVE CONTENTIO% C.rtlfi.d Ru Sourcing POST -CONSUMER wwwJfiprogr.m.org MADE IN USA GET ORGANIZED AT SMEAD.COM Cedar Grove/from 1A ment. Plans for the 700-acre area include a housing .mix of con- dos, townhomes arid flats, some located above stores, with a to- tal of 974 units of housing. David Frank of Schafer Rich- ardson said the plan puts an em- phasis on "public space, open space, and a sense of space" A transit station is planned near Cedar Avenue, as well as a hotel, a public park and: a public plaza. The plaza would feature a pond that could be used for ice skating in the winter. The city hopes to bringa main -street feel to the area by purposefully avoiding big -box retail, said Jon Hohenstein, Eagan's director of community development. The project will be com- pleted in. five phases, with each phase lasting about 18 to 24 "(The goal is) to provide an option or a differ- ent choice that doesn't exist in Eagan. This is about broadening out the choices people have here." — Mike Maguire EAGAN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER months. Affordable housing advocate groups like Metropolitan Inter- faith Council on Affordable Housing (MICAH) applaud the plan,. which will include 20 per- cent affordable housing. Mike Wold, who spoke at the meeting on behalf of the Eagan chapter of MICAH, commend- ed the council for its leadership and 'support. "There's a tremendous need for family affordable housing," he said.. "This shows what can happen when groups get togeth- er in order' to meet a common need, and it's resulted in what I believe is a win -win situation." But not everyone is pleased with the project. Margo Danner, who lives in the Cedar Grove area, said the plan's housing units are not family friendly. see this as an exclusive community for couples who don't have any, friends," she said. Nonsense, said City Council Member Peggy Carlson. "For anyone to stand up and. EG • say we've pigeonholed this whole community to one subset I think is truly unfair," she said. Chris Enger of Ryland Homes said the company's housing options represent a broad spectrum, from starter homes to homes for active se- niors. One of the goals of the plan, said Council Member Mike Maguire, is to `:provide an op- tion or a different choice that doesn't exist in Eagan. This is about broadening out the choic- es people have here." Others who spoke , at the meeting liked the plan, but ex- pressed concerns about the fate of existing businesses and the use of eminent domain to ac- quire them. An attorney • representing some businesses that are pegged for acquisition urged the coun- cil to avoid using eminent do- main, and to- fully compensate THISWEEK December 24, 2005 5A businesses that are being forced to relocate. The city has so far acquired about seven of the 40 or so properties needed for the prof- . 'ect, • Hohenstein said, and. .is working to acquire the proper- ties of remaining businesses. While eminent domain is an option if necessary, he said, the city has been trying to work with. business owners to help them relocate. "(Eminent domain) is still a - very specific and involved pub- lic process. It's certainly not something to take lightly," he said. "But one. of things we're working very. hard on is to help businesses find new . homes within the community, .and if we can't 'do it within the com- munity, hopefully nearby." Erin , Johnson . is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com. 6A December 24, 2005 THISWEEK EG A season of giving, learning Anchor Bank of Eagan and Glacier Hills first -graders team up to make .Christmas merry at homeless shelter by Jeff Achen THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Eagan's Glacier. Hills Ele- mentary students are no strang- ers to -the concept of homeless- ness this.holiday season. • . Their school is in the atten- dance area of Dakota Wood- lands, an area homeless shelter. At least some of the students either know a friend who's homeless or •are • homeless themselves. For first -grade. teacher Mary Braun; there's no better reason to incorporate homelessness in her lesson plans. For a second year now, Braun has.partnered with An- chor Bank in Eagan • to pro- vide holiday gifts for Dakota nization's Gaylord to be 2006 chair of County Board Also -named to to review by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Kathleen Gaylord, former mayor of South St. Paul, is likely to be named 2006 chair of the_ Dakota ,County Board of Commissioners. In addition,.Gaylord is one of two county commissioners in the nation -named to an in- tergovernmental revenue sys- tems forum, scheduled to first convene Jan. 11, and charged with revamping intergovern- mental tax systems. "It is neat because we'll be looking at tax reform at the federal level," said Gaylord. The forum also includes r�„rArP.,r•�riayac .,.�rn�-1 h., national forum tax systems Kathleen Gaylord • sition of land for a regional hanriina for a county- Cedar Grove vision moves closer to .reality Council is set to approve plans to transform area into thriving urban center by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS The city of Eagan is one step away from approving a plan, that would revitalize an area once considered the downtown of Ea- gan. • The Eagan City Council on Tuesday directed staff to prepare findings of fact for approval of the project, which will come be- fore the council on Jan. 17. The plan has been at least eight years in the making,. and the project will take another seven to '10 years to complete. When it's finished, the city hopes Cedar Grove will resem- ble a vital urban center with re- tail, housing, transit and public open spaces.. The city chose Schafer Rich- ardson to be the area's master developer last year, and Ryland Homes will develop at least half of the housing units. The area is currently home to. a mix of businesses, including the Cedarvale Mall, Cedarvale Lanes, auto service shops 'and a Shell gas station that was de- stroyed by fire im September. Cedarvale Lanes will remain, as will Jensen's Supper Club, but the city plans to tear down the mall and other businesses to make way for new develop - See Cedar Grove, 5A on Every Neon SXT In Stock Any tdge gnum tock! ;PRINTER ••i r LOWEST OPERATING COSTS IN ITS CLASS! s projected to hold its residual value n full-size Ford and GM vans* m than a conventional van! Mercedes Diesel! ights and 3 Wheelbases vely long service life nti-Lock Brakes Tax Advantage Ends Dec. 31st 40 Available Now! vvrtt, t'hr%.;!or f"u1:v,r, ,vl f :vvm0:vts t'r.:- taN. n,,:xt,t tq J(4).f1,4l tci IUVd,'Mt eofBurnsvill CEDARVALE SH J PPING CENTER EAGAN,MINNESOTA KEY PLAN gm Iuu1_i 11111p111Pffir APRIL 19,'1979 AT CEDARVALE - Office Park Adds .Building EAGAN — This is the newest building in 'the Cedarvale Office Park near Eagan's Cedarvale shopping center: Realtor Jean,Parranto said the building at 3908 Sibley MemorialNighway is occupied'by George Hoey, Eagan prosecuting attorney, who recently was joined by Richard Krambeer in the practice of law; and C.P.A. Robert J. McKinely. Some space: is available. ' There are six separate buildings in the park with one more planned. APRIL 19,1979 BEREA . EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN Church (CLC), 9308, Rich Valley Blvd. (Co. Rd. 71) .: Rev. Paul Larsen, pastor. Phone 454-7689. Sunday worship' at 9:30 a.m.; Sunday school at 10:30 a.m. tf LAKEVILLE GOD'S FAMILY UNITED. CHURCH OF CHRIST, 9623 162nd St. W. (Co. Rd. 46). Serving Ap- ple Valley, Rosemount, Burnsville. Willard Albertson, Marjorie Peterson, pastors. Phone 457-2968 or 435-7306. Sun- day worship 9:30 a.m., Sunday school 10:45 a.m. Coffee fellowship at 10:30 a.m. Nursery provided. Communion first Sun- day of the month. Bible study 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. • tf THE LIGHTHOUSE, a full Gospel charismatic church. Sun- day worship 10 a.m. .-at JFK Elementary School, 21240 Holyoke Ave. W. Tuesday prayer and praise at 7:30 p.m. • Wednes- day. Bible study at 9:30 a.m. at 16810 Judicial Rd. For more in- formation call 435-7452 or ROSEMOUNT UNITED, METHODIST Church, 14770 .Canada Ave. W. Thurman L. Coss, minister. Church office phone, 423-2475; .parsonage, 423-2351. Sunday worship service, .9 and 10:30 a.m. Crib nursery provided. Church school for ages three through junior high school 'at 9 a.m. and for ages three through grade 6 •at 10:30 a.m. Also senior high and adult classes at that time. tf. FIRST BAPTIST Church of Rosemount, 14400 Diamond Path W., Rosemount. Dr. Ed Johnson, pastor. Sunday school 9:45 a.m. Classes for every member of the family; supervised. nurseries. Morning service 11 a.m. Youth Chapels 5:30 p.m.; Evening service 7 p.m. Wednesday: midweek service, 7:30 p:m. Fri- day: 6:30 p.m. junior high youth activity. Saturday: 6:30 p.m. senior high youth activity. For bus transportation call 423-2271. tf VALLEY PARK FAITH LUTHERAN Church (LCA), -Valley Park. • Worship services at Parkview School, SOUTHSIDE BAPTIST Tem- ple, S. Robert Tr. and Salem • Church Rd., Sunfish Lake: Rev.. Bill Liles, pastor. Church office 455-0715,, pastor's residence 455-0700. Sunday school 10 a.m., morning service 11 a.m., evening service 7 p.m. Midweek Bible study 7 p.m. Wednesday. • tf ST. MARK'S LUT-HERAN Church. Randolph. Dr. Robert Martenson, pastor. Worship service Sunday 11 a.m. Sunday school 9:45 a.m. Confirmation Tuesday 9 a.m. RANDOLPH' BAPTIST Church, Randolph, Larry - Friesen, pastor. Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday school at 11 a.m. " tf 'CHURCH OF THE GOOD' • SHEPHERD, Episcopal. Hwy. 110 and Charlton. Phone 455-9449. Sunday Eucharist 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. tf ST.' PETER'S CATHOLIC • Church, Mendota. Rev: ,Michael M. Arms. •pastor. Parish center phone, 452-4550. Mass schedule: Saturdays, 5:30 p.m.; Sundays, Cedarva e4ei ��` o be evaluated g ;q,� for TIF criteria Owners seek:way to revitalize district - By Sue"Hegarty Staff Writer ' Creating a Tax Increment Fi- nancing •(TIF) district to pro- mote . redevelopment of the Cedarvale shopping district *is being explored by property own- ers' and Eagan officials. TIF is a funding mechanism used by cities to encourage real estate development. hi this case,, it would be to promote redevel- opment -in .and around the .Cedarvale Mall. . . Developers are attracted to. TIF sites because although they still pay property taxes, these taxes 'are used .to pay for -devel- opment costs, a benefit not available outside a TIF district. A Cedarvale Task Force has asked that an analysis be done to determine which properties meet the criteria for TIF status. They have the support of the Eagan Chamber of Commerce. In addition, 13 property owners presented a petition to the, City Council -last week, saying they believe some type of financing mechanism is necessary to allow redevelopment to occur. Developers.are drawn first to vacant land and can't be both- , ered with the time and expense of buying developed land, said. Jon Hohenstein, assistant city administrator. However, TIF gives developers an incentive to buy out another business,•espe- cially if the location is more at- tractive than the vacant site. Eagan recently created a sim- ilar TIF redevelopment district along the Highway 55 corridor in northeast Eagan. • The first step of the process is to determine which properties ,qualify for redevelopment. If a non -qualifying business sits in the midst of several that do, the law allows for' its inclusion into the district. • Normally, the city's inspec- _ tions department would evalu- • ate the properties, but due to work load, the Dakota County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) will perform the feasibility study. Dan Sjolseth of Superior Col- lision Carstar has been in busi- ness for 10 years and is a mem- ber of the Cedarvale task force that supports this process. "For the -best of Eagan, some- thing has to happen in this area. This gives me a chance to be in- volved in the process," Sjolseth said. • . But TIF may not be what's best .for -all current property owners. "It might mean not everyone is going to stay. If my business, stays here, I have .a lot to gain., However, if a hotel displaces"me, 'then I'm my own worst enemy," Sjolseth said. Hohenstein said being dis- placed isn't always a bad thing: Property •owners are paid fair market value and can be reim- bursed for moving expenses, in- cluding changing the address on business stationery. The city's first priority would be to find an- other site within Eagan for dis- -placed merchants who want to stay in business. TIF: To Page 17A and require no on -campus attendah 'pace in yourown place! To Ieam mgr�abp i Program in 'business administroweor►, c:a The University of Wisconsin Association of Colleges and!Secon 3atany time -and work "Platteville Extent 'ee telephone num 0,E• - a ddredited by The No drools: s ®'Iliiilf®'��'i`'il�' 1. ni t yn i t +si liMPF o® i -. " ::: ;>. •..•a:.n 'ea KINGS I,TERPRISES GOLDEN VALLEY BU 544-8500 4. BROOKLYN CENTER RI 560-3388 8 H w.uvn:.\rnnr)uh•I.Asw rs. MPLSSKYWAV CILL 376-0293 CON Send your child 13ACK70 SCHOOL OUR WIDE SELECTION OF FRAMES FROM WELL- KNOWN DESIGNERS SUCH AS LAURA ASHLEY AND RALPH LAUREN . WILL PLEASE ANY CHILD... AND WITH OUR EXPERT STAFF, PARENTS • . WILL BE PLEASED TOO! With Our CHILPRE EYEWEAR PA FOR CHILDREN THROUGH AGE 12. I AND SINGLE VISIONS POLYCAR ONA Eye Exams Available At All Locations ST, PAUL OPTICIANS, INC. Now in: West St. Paul 2o0 ,Thompson Ave. East • 45 DOWNTOWN 230 Lowry Medical Bldg. 222-7343 . MAPLEWOOD MIDWAY ' EAGAN 1675 Beam Avenue -- 859 Central Medical Bldg. . 3424 Denmark Avenue 770-2904 • 641-1910 454-3839- rAre4iiunf I-i3- 97 ProximityTIF: to megamall a plus From Page 1A In the past, attempts have been made to breathe life into the area. This sum- mer, a weekend farmers' market was added to bring more traffic to the mall. Many blame inadequate road access as the root of the problem. Prior to the con- struction of the Cedar freeway, old Cedar Avenue and Highway 13 was a signalized intersection that sat next to the commercial area. When the new W Cedar replaced the old Cedar, the road moved further west and sound berms hid the mall from sight. Many believe that attempts to improve road accesses have failed. "It never happened and it won't hap- pen," Sjolseth said. City Council members have begun to envision what Cedarvale could become if it is a designated TIF district. Proximity to the Mall of America could make it an attractive site for a hotel developer, said Mayor Tom Egan. "If we could somehow create a critical mass we could establish some of that syn- ergy we talk about," Egan said. )ne 432-1963 or 89644$o�i it e ,eto yterian Church terian Church' in Dakota County 17 - A Thirst for God of Holy Communion" Oam of 11:00 am North of Cly. Rd. 42 tlE OSUICH http://reality.sgi.com/csp/solpc/ ICI "Friends in Christ" -�. •t } _ u i ; :. ,l`lON-DENOMINATIONAL .1 • The Catholic Community of St:. Th®mas- Becket Newest parish in northern Dakota County • Vibrant Worship • Uplifting'Preaching • Friendly Hospitality • Shared Ministry • Family -Centered, Bible -Based Formation Join us at Mass: Saturday, 5:00 p.m. Sunday, 9:00 a.m. and 1 1:00 a.m. Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. & Thursday, 7:00 a.m. 4455 So. Robert Trail Eagan, MN (South of 1)iffley on Hwy. 3) - 683-9808 . // D. rr� After 40 years, Cedarvale Mall is torn down to make way for new urban village by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS It was once the only true shopping destination south of the river, the place to see and be seen on a Saturday night. Today, Cedarvale Mall has been re- duced to pile, rubble to make way for what city officials hope will be the new "It" spot 'agan. Much c._ J . roof is gone, and twisted meta' and , Inds of broken concrete now sit wlict leople used to swing bats and play miniature golf at Grand Slam. Crews officially began 'ng down the mall last week for the I,.. at Ce- dar Grove, a redevelop ae* 'ect to create a vibrant urban cc,..:, e of the city's oldest neighborh. See Cedarvale, 5A • 2nd & 3rd Row DVD Screens • Heated Front & 2nd Row Seats • Rear Backup Camera • Power Liftgate • Center Console • Hard Disc Drive • Luggage Rack My -Gig! • AM/FM/CD/DVD/HDD/MP3 Radio MSRP $27,535 Rebate -$1,500 Discount -$3,036 LEASE FOR $265 36 Mo. Only! A1LFOR AN APPOINTME 1•888•186•862 2008 DODGE GRAND CA SAPPY FAMII THESE] A'DD,mi off FEATURES FOR JUST A LITTLE MO IC YOUR PA ENT! `2,000 down + 1 °' Pymt + Lic. _ $265 $1,000 down + 151 Pymt +Lic. _ $295 $0 down + 1" Pymt + Lic. _ $325 • 14075 2008 DODGE NITRO SUN & WHEEL PKG • Power Sunroof & Chrome Wheels, Overhead • CD/MP3 Player • ABS, ESP, Power (wind/locks/mirrors rt It LEASE FOR $269 36 Mo. Only! t down + 1 Pymt + Lic. down + 1 Pymt + Lic. wn + 1 Pymt + Lic. L1 = $269 _ $299 = $329 1•e4 0 016.E MSRP $26,035 Rebate -$750 Discount-S1,486 s2A-Trin 2008 DODGE CHARGER PLUS PACKAGE! • 3.5 High Output • Auto • Air • CD/MP3 Radio • (ESP) Electronic Stability Program + Anti -lock • All Speed Trac Control • Alum. Wheels • Power (wind/locks/mirrors/8-way driver seat) LEASE FOR $249 It's Equipped! C9c 11 2008 D QUAD C Big Horn • Auto • Air • CD/MP • Fogs • Aluminum 1 LEAS $2 27 M '2,000 down + $1,000 down + $0 down + 1 2008 L • Auto, Air • CD/MP • Power (wind/lock: • Tilt, Cruise • 60/4 LEAS] $2 by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Once numerous, proud and sturdy, many Dakota County barns are now neglected, worn and vanishing. But the memory of these classic landmarks may be pre- served, thanks to the efforts of a 4-H club's members and local historians. Student members of the 4-H tech team, trained by local vol- unteer experts, are using cutting - edge Geographic Information Systems and Global Positioning Systems technology to map and document Dakota County barns built in 1955 or earlier. The project involves inter- viewing willing barn owners about the farmstead's history, taking pictures and writing de- scriptions of the barns, farm - Rouses ano oirwr t,,................ 6A February 9 2008 THISWEEK Preserving Americana Dakota County's historic barns to be mapped Iowa. Volunteers took pictures and gathered construction and his- torical background information about local barns. "As he was talking, I thought this would be perfect to do for the county," said Behrendt, who worked with Scott to begin the Dakota County project. "He was great, because he al- ready had forms and the process set up, so all I really had to do was kind of jump in and apply it to our county," Behrendt said. Seeking project volunteers, Behrendt contacted Kathy John- son, a 4-H program coordina- tor. Behrendt was surprised to learn Johnson was already con- sidering a historic barn -map- ping project for a 4-H tech team project. County Fair. But the project won't stop af- ter the fair's end. With the continued help of 4-H, Tracy Behrendt, curator of Dakota City Heritage Village, a historic village and museum in Farmington, plans to complete the barn mapping project over the next few years. "Dakota County had such an agricultural base, and it's so important to remember that," Behrendt said. Eventually, it is hoped that the documentation and maps will be available at local librar- ies, Dakota City, the Dakota County Historical Society and the State Preservation Office. Behrendt became interested in barn documentation after attending the National Preser- vation Conference, where Rod —�� r,-,i 1 I Marlys Guildner holds a picture child growing up in Castle Rock. They were drawn to mapping barns because of their historical and agricultural significance. She said the mapping in- volved is detailed. Beginning with a blank screen, the students add layers of information includ- ing roads, hills and buildings. An initial training session re- vealed the kids were fascinated by the possibilities. "There were eight comput- ers set up and probably 25 kids ... and you could have heard a pin drop. Whenever I hear that (silence), I think, `Whoa, they're pretty intense,"' Johnson said. Recent letters to local barn owners asking them to consider participating have already yield- ed responses. Marlys Guildner, a lifelong Castle Rock resident, was the group's first barn -owning land- owner interviewed for the proj- ect. Built in about 1910, the barn holds fond memories for Guild- ner, who recalled how her father hand -milked their cows and her own climbing and hay jumping adventures in the structure. Guildner, who at 77 has re- searched and written two his- torical books documenting the Farmington area's founders and history, still remembers the cen- trality of the barn in daily life. "Every farm had a barn of some sort or another," Guild- ner said, later recalling their neighbor's "real humdinger" of Photo Submitted of the barn she played in as a a barn dance when she was 10 years old. The loss of the red wooden landmarks saddens her. "But this type of building is becoming a thing of the past. Everything now is pole -type barns and steel sheds. I feel bad about some barns that are dete- riorating and falling down. We lose the heritage of it." Scott, with the National Barn Alliance, agreed, noting that for decades barns have been lost to development without much thought. "The agricultural heritage of this nation is the foundation of this nation; barns are the primary structure on our rural landscape. They create the en- tire sense of place as you travel across this great nation. There's no other country in the world that has barns like the American barn," Scott said. But now American farms are disappearing. According to Scott, in 1920, there were 6.4 million operat- ing in the United States, and by 2006, only about 2 million were left. "In 80 years, we've lost four - and -a -half million barns. That's enormous, and nobody's talking about that elephant," Scott said, estimating that 5 million Ameri- can barns have been torn down or fell down in disrepair. Behrendt said nobody knows how many barns were in Dakota Cr., mil/ }„it acttmatPri there Were Cedarvale/from 1A The city is hoping to revi- talize the area — once consid- ered the downtown of Eagan with Cedarvale Mall as its epicenter — by attracting peo- ple to again live, work, shop and dine there. Residents who moved to Eagan after 1988 will have a hard time imagining Cedar - vale Mall as the vibrant place it once was, rather than the nearly empty shell it had be- come. In its heyday, Cedarvale Mall was filled with stores and people, both of which decreased as the decades went on. Construction on the mall — the second in the state — began in 1965 and was com- rd tm in thrra nhacvc An_ "When we moved here in 1976, Cedarvale Mall was the only real shopping opportunity in Eagan." — Tom Hedges EAGAN CITY ADMINISTRATOR 13 was reconfigured. That made it more of a challenge to get to the mall, whereas drivers had previ- ously been routed right to it. "Business started drop- ping off at that point," Diloia said. That was one of two fac- THISWEEK February 9, 2008 5A ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS I SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2006 WWW.TWINCITIES.COM DAKOTACOUNTi APPLE VALLEY BURNSVILLE EAGAN FARMINGTON HASTINGS INVER GROVE HEIGHTS LAKEVILLE MENDOTA HEIGHTS ROSEMOUNT SOUTH INSIDE CALLS TO LOCAL POLICE AND THINGS TO DO IN YOUR NEIGH EAGAN Project promises a suburban downtown Cedar Grove to offer housing, much more BY MEGGEN LINDSAY Pioneer Press Affordable real estate drew Doron Jensen to an aged and drab corner of Eagan a decade ago. That and the restaura- teur's vision of what the Cedar - vale neighborhood could become persuaded him to refurbish an old Perkins into his Jensen's Supper Club. Patrons have flocked there despite its out -of -the way loca- tion, nearby shuttered store- fronts and the hodgepodge of shifting businesses that stretch along Minnesota 13 and Cedar Avenue in the city's northwest- ern edge. Now the rebirth Jensen has dreamed of is on the horizon. After years of discussion and slowdowns, the city is going forward with a $250 million re- development project, called the Cedar Grove Gateway, that would remake the area into a suburban downtown of sorts over the next 12 years. "I knew this area would come back in some shape, way or form," Jensen said. "It will be awesome to see it all come together." Pieces of the new Cedar Grove, like the 230-unit town - home development Nichols Ridge and the four-story Key- stone Communities senior housing, have sprouted up over the past couple years, but the overall project had never taken hold. But in January, the City Council approved a redevelop- ment agreement with develop- er Schafer Richardson and a new concept plan for 70 acres of the 140-acre tax -increment - finance district. Anchored by transit facili- ties on both ends, hundreds of condominiums and town homes would line the walkable community, along with retail shops, office space and enter- tainment. Small parks and plazas would be sprinkled throughout, with sidewalks — a suburban rarity — connecting the entire development. The busy Cedarvale Bowling Alley and the supper club will be the only shops left standing after the wrecking ball eventu- ally hits. CEDAR GROVE, 2B C 2006 EDITOR MARIA REEVE 651-228-5562 IGHBORHOOD children online. t will hold a two-hour afe on the Internet at istration .building at d for parents of middle Detective Doug Matte ant messaging, peer -to - and social networking ere is no cost to attend rination, call Crime Pre- 651-675-5727. ected some of his favorite ices for the occasion. The mphony will perform haikovsky's "Finale" from ymphony No. 4," Sibelius' inlandia," and highlights om. Carl Orff's "Carmina urana" featuring the Dakota alley Symphony rhnnjs_ Laura fillings , (continued) • :But. this;dark fantasy has begun to 'dissipate a little since the release of a large-scale report this month finding that a low -fat diet,— presumably one that .doesn't include artichoke dip does not appear to pre- vent heart disease; breast can-. cer or colon cancer' after all. ' The Women's Health initia- tive, . a :huge federal study, randomly ' assigned 49,000 women to follow a typical Amer- ican diet (where fat accounts for about 38 percent of total calo- ries) or one much lower in fat. After eight years, the *omen who reduced their ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS WWW.TWINCITIES.COM CONTINUED FROM PAGE-1B dietary fat weighed about the same as their cohorts in the control group and had no dif- ference in their rates of dia- betes, heart disease or colon cancer. Although the breast cancer rate was slightly lower among low -fat followers, that reduction was deemed by researchers to be statistically insignificant.. Researchers and nutrition- ists are left arguing about what this all means. Should they, have. tested for saturated fats instead? Should they' have restricted overall calories, then watched what happened? Should cancer and heart patients still follow the low -fat dietary guidelines they've been given up to now? These discus- sions are likely to go on for years. But here's the most interest- ing finding for the rest of us. 0f the 20,000 women assigned to eat just 20 percent of their calo- ries from fat, only 31 percent of them actually managed to do it. ' As one doctor on the Women's Health Initiative steer- ing committee told Newsweek, the women in the study had "a huge amount of attention and support. ... If we couldn't ,get them down to 20 percent, we're not likely to achieve that with the general public." This seems a particularly telling discovery at a time when many Americans who resolved to eat better in the new year are beating them- selves up for having fallen off the wagon. (Super Bowl Sun- day is a killer, isn't it?) What these statistics sug- gest is that cutting butter and salad dressing out of your diet — and you have to if you're trying to get down to 20 percent total fat — might not be all that realistic over the long term. When dieters try to do it', and fail, they often blame them- selves for lacking the willpow- er. And having failed, they -give up entirely. But what this study • might tell us is that between the usual feast and famine cycles of American diet trends, we might do better to aim at a middle ground that is more forgiving — even a little French — .that makes room for what tastes good and what's good for us. If avoiding artichoke', dip won't add years. to our ,lives, maybe eating it on occasion won't kill us, either. "" Besides, artichokes are a good source of vitamin C. p,' ' Laura Billings can be.reached at lillings@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5584. ' : G I ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS I SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2006 WWW.TWINCITIES.COM DAKOTA COUNTY APPLE VALLEY BURNSVILLE EAGAN FARMINGTON HASTINGS INVER GROVE HEIGHTS LAKEVILLE MENDOTA HEIGHTS ROSEMOUNT SOUTH ST. PAUL WEST ST. PAUL INSIDE CALLS TO LOCAL POLICE AND THINGS TO DO IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD 2B EAGAN Project promises a suburban downtown Cedar Grove to offer housing, much more BY MEGGEN LINDSAY Pioneer Press Affordable real estate drew Doron Jensen to an aged and drab corner of Eagan a decade ago. That and the restaura- teur's vision of what the Cedar - vale neighborhood could become persuaded him to refurbish an old Perkins into his Jensen's Supper Club. Patrons have flocked there despite its out -of -the way loca- tion, nearby shuttered store- fronts and the hodgepodge of shifting businesses that stretch along Minnesota 13 and Cedar Avenue in the city's northwest- ern edge. Now the rebirth Jensen has dreamed of is on the horizon. After years of discussion and slowdowns, the city is going forward with a $250 million re- development project, called the Cedar Grove Gateway, that would remake the area into a suburban downtown of sorts over the next 12 years. "I knew this area would come back in some shape, way or form," Jensen said. "It will be awesome to see it all come together." Pieces of the new Cedar Grove, like the 230-unit town - home development Nichols Ridge and the four-story Key- stone Communities senior housing, have sprouted up over the past couple years, but the overall project had never taken hold. But in January, the City Council approved a redevelop- ment agreement with develop- er Schafer Richardson and a new concept plan for 70 acres of the 140-acre tax -increment - finance district. Anchored by transit facili- ties on both ends, hundreds of condominiums and town homes would line the walkable community, along with retail shops, office space and enter- tainment. Small parks and plazas would be sprinkled throughout, with sidewalks — a suburban rarity — connecting the entire development. The busy Cedarvale Bowling Alley and the supper club will be the only shops left standing after the wrecking ball eventu- ally hits. CEDAR GROVE, 2B +2B D SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19,,12006 EVE ° TS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD EAGAN Learn how to protect `children online t will hold a two-hour afe on the Internet at 'station .building at d for parents of middle Detective Doug Matte - ant messaging, peer -to - and social networking ere is no cost to attend rmation, call Crime Pre- 651-675-5727. C EDITOR MARIA REEVE 651-228-5562 ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS WWW.TWINCITIES.COM' ected some of his favorite ces for the occasion. The mphony will perform haikovsky's "Finale" from ymphony No. 4," Sibelius' inlandia," and highlights om,Carl Orff's'"Carmina • urana" featuring the Dakota allau Uirnnhnnv.Chian uc Thorn ' Laura Billings (continued) • Butthis. dark fantasy has begiin to:dissipate a little since the release of a large-scale report this month finding that a low -fat diet,— presumably one. that doesn't include artichoke dip'='does not appear to pre- vent heart disease, breast can-. cer or colon cancer' after all. The Women's Health Initia-. tive, . a huge federal study, randomly assigned 49,000 women to follow a typical Amer- ican diet (where fat accounts for about 38 percent of total calo- ries) or one much lower in fat. After eight years, • the *omen who reduced their CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B dietary fat weighed about the same as their cohorts in the control group and had no dif- ference in their rates of dia- betes, heart disease or colon cancer. Although the breast cancer rate was slightly lower among low -fat followers, that reduction was deemed ' by researchers to be statistically insignificant. Researchers and nutrition- ists are left arguing about what this all means. Should they havetested for saturated fats instead? Should they' have restricted overall calories, then watched what happened? Should cancer and heart patients still follow the low -fat dietary guidelines they've been given up to now? These discus- sions are likely to go on for years. But here's the most interest- ing finding for the rest of us. Of the 20,000 women assigned to eat just 20 percent of their calo- ries from fat, only 31 percent of them actually managed to do it. ' As one doctor on the Women's Health Initiative steer- ing committee told Newsweek, the women in the study had "a huge amount of attention and support. ... If we couldn't get them down to 20 percent, we're not likely to achieve that with the general public." This seems a particularly telling' discovery at a time when many Americans who resolved to eat better in the new year are beating 'them- selves up for having fallen off the wagon. (Super Bowl Sun- day is a killer, isn't it?) What these statistics sug- gest is that cutting butter and salad dressing out of your diet — and you have to if you're trying to get down to 20 percent O � total fat — might not be all that realistic over the long term. When dieters try to do' it ;and fail, they often blame them- selves for lacking the willpow- er. And having failed, they give up entirely. But what this study might tell us is that between the usual feast and famine cycles of American diet trends, we might do better to aim at a middle ground that is more forgiving — even a Tittle French --,,that makes room for what tstes good and what's good for us. , If avoiding artichoke';,"dip won't add years to our Alives, maybe eating it on occasion won't kill us, either. t J" Besides, artichokes are a good source of vitamin C. ; ilif Laura Billings can be.reached at lillings@pioneerpress.coni or 651-228-5584. ' 3G t BIG DREAMS, TOUGH TEST I A PIONEER PRESS SERIES A NUMBERS CRU Tough math not a priority in Minnesota schools? Less than half of Minnesota's high school students were taking geometry or advanced math classes in 2003-2004, one of the lowest percentages in the nation regardless of race or income. Local experts say the exceptional performance of some students on national tests masks a deeper problem in Minnesota. This chart shows the percentage of students in grades 9 through 12. 2004 Percent Percent students students taking math taking at geometry any level or math higher course Utah North Carolina Texas Wisconsin Nebraska Pennsylvania Ohio Iowa Missouri South Dakota Tennessee North Dakota U.S. overall Oklahoma Arkansas Mississippi Nevada South Carolina Virgin Islands California Indiana Minnesota Louisiana Idaho Florida Wyoming New Mexico Michigan West Virginia Guam 74 72 64 61 61 61 60 57 54 54 53 53 53 51 50 50 49 49 49 48 47 46 45 43 42 42 35 35 33 25 99 99 90 96 99 99 98 99 92 87 85 92 89 87 90 88 99 98 78 86 85 75 87 79 99 76 81 68 71 72 Note: Not all states collect this data Source: Council of Chief State School Officers PIONEER PRESS EDITOR'S NOTE This is the second in a series of stories in which we follow the teens in Ernest Davenport's college entrance exam prep class. Over the next couple months, we'll explore the challenges minorities face in taking such tests and why the tests are rrterinl to colleoe success and see PHOT After school, DeAubrey Johnson and her sister, Dejanae, 3, work on their respective homework proje table. The St. Paul Central junior does well academically and is taking a seminar to prepare for the AC Students of color must conquer math to do well on the A but they often face subtle — or sometimes obvious — BY PAUL TOSTO Pioneer Press Math is a killer. There's no way around it. If anything can torpedo the hopes of the 120 high school students in Ernest Davenport's 11-week ACT/SAT prep class, it's the math on those college entrance exams. It's hard, and it's nearly impossible without taking the classes in high school to prepare you. Yet most of the teens sitting in Daven- port's free class, nearly all students of color from the Twin Cities, will take the exams in April without having finished advanced algebra or geometry. It's an incredible handicap, like putting a novice on skis, shoving him down a double - diamond run, and then wondering why he keeps falling. Minnesota needs more students of color to succeed in college. Minority high school student numbers will jump in the next decade while the number of white graduates falls, so the state's future Latrice Dalton and her brother, Payton, enjoy the house moved into. Several of Latrice's school awards hang on the y -------- — - Gdisagi.. _1iab c'..L__I -:,r PYnortc to hP the firct i.. t,__ f�1 ��--Detail Eagan's Cedar Grove Gateway The city of Eagan hopes to convert 140 acres of its aging Cedar Grove neighborhood into a vibrant mixed -use development with housing, dining and entertainment. The project could take up to 12 years and requires nearly 50 businesses to relocate or close. Residential total: 974 units Commmercial total: 143,200 square feet • Future transit Hotel station Carriage town 5-story homes3-story ,,.. housing,p I I 5-story mixed Heritage use: Housing ;over condominiums: 'Commercial 2-story ' *The only two existing businesses to stay after redevelopment. Source: City of Eagan Cedar Grove. (continued) Earlier this month, the council, acting as the Economic Development Authority,, authorized the' city to consider eminent domain proceedings to acquire more property in the area While the city has not yet used eminent domain to take land for the redevelopment project — except for infrastruc- ture improvements like road- work — businesses and homes still have been razed and own: ers forced out. Nearly 50 businesses, including the Cedarvale Mall, will close or relocate during the redevelopment process. To. date, the city has spent almost $8, million to purchase 18 parcels, which Eagan will then sell back to the developer. Eleven businesses already have relocated — mostly within, Eagan - and another four are now leasing their former prop, , erty. , back from the city :while they prepare to move. In those cases,'business owners negoti- ated settlements before the city actually seized their. property. Park Brent Prentice, a co-owner of the bowling alley since 1996, is relieved his business doesn't , have to pack up. And he's ,eagerly awaiting the influx of new residents. "We have a strong base of customers right now, but with the addition of more than 900 units of families, how can it not be beneficial?" he asked. Because of its proximity to the airport, Interstate 494 and the Mall of America, Cedar Grove is ripe for redevelop- ment, Community Develop- ment Director Jon Hohenstein said. And unused land else- where is scarce in this highly built-up suburb. While the area was Eagan's retail hub 30 years ago, the advent of more centrally locat- ed shopping centers and changes in the road system diminished its viability. For instance, Cedarvale Mall — which the developer owns = had 35 retail tenants in the early 1980s; it now has just four, with Bally Total Fitness and Grand Slam •Sports & Enter- . tainment filling the bulk of the space. Village flats: 3-story Plaza/ ice rink 5-stopry mixed use: Housing over commercial • I, DAKOTA COUNTY Transit .iaz Jensen's Supper statioriand, • Club* Commercial "When this area was built, it was a true gateway to Eagan," said developer David Frank of Schafer Richardson. "We hope to bring that back." Hanging pictures in the spa- cious frame store and art gallery she has owned for 23 years at the mall, .Suzanne Schmitt knows she won't be able to afford such a large room when she moves. After scoping out rental rates at nearby malls, she is waiting to get word from the city on when she needs to be out. ,The area is in desperate need of upgrades, Schmitt readily agreed, but she said she just wishes it wasn't so person- ally difficult. "We need to know what's what. They've been talking about this for so long. We'll see what happens," she said. "But the area does . need to go. It's just all these old, defunct buildings made into who knows what," she contin- ued. "There's no question it's become a depressed area. I hope this, turns it around." City planners are confident the public -private partnership will do just that. The Gateway is similar to other new urbanist develop- Cedarvale Lanes* 5-story mixed use: ' Housing over ).14 • comp ercial PIONEER PRESS' ments that mix offices, retail and housing to , replicate walkable downtowns: The high - density Excelsior & Grand area in St. Louis Park'and Burnsville's new Heart of, the City development are touted as successful models, and Apple Valley also is following the -trend with its planned Central Village. "We hope to create an area with a' mix different thanrwhat is usually found in the,;,sub- urbs," Hohenstein said. "It�will be more of a neighborhood and. feel like a community in the sense that it won't iely as heav- ily on cars." : . Jensen has firsthand experi- ence with the coneept: 1is - Jensen's Cafe was the .first restaurant to open in the Heart of the City. 'rrr "It's a similar -type develop- ment, and it really should 'work," he said. He may •, even tweak his Eagan 'supper,ylub and serve lunches one day dt • "You get 2,000 new .people living within a mile or' even a block and •it changes things immensely," he said. ' Meggen Lindsay can be reached at mlindsay@pioneerpress. ., or 651-228-5260..•