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Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Newspaper clippings re: businesses in Eagan - 7/1/1996Fo \-.DEt� S cvoS /b4r i4 / 997 fCz9a4t 711,E h eh - Barnes & Noble grand opening held March 22 Barnes & Noble.. in Eagan will be celebrating its grand opening Saturday, March 22. From 11 a.m. to noon Winnie the Pooh and. professional sto- ryteller Mike Mann will enter- tain children and adults. From noon to 2 p.m., the Saint Paul Civic Symphony will perform. An American Girls Party will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. A story will be shared; sewing crafts and homemade bread will be made. Judith Guest, author of "Ordinary People," will be promoting her most recent novel, "Errands," from 3 to 4 p.m.• Gourmet fast food from Wolfgang Puck Pizza and Leeann Chin will be served from noon until 4 p.m. Barnes & Noble is located at 1291 Promenade Place, Eagan (at the intersection of I-35E and Yankee Doodle Road). All events are free and open to the public. Mystery Cafe excursion set A trip to "Monkey Business" at the Mystery Cafe and lunch at the Venetian Inn are being offered by the District 197 Sen- ior Center at 11 a.m. April 25. Participants will take part in the play by guessing which monk is up to "monkey busi- ness" at the abbey. The trip leaves from• the horseshoe drive at the senior center, 1037 Bidwell. Call Learning Center North - at 451-3239 for more informa- tion. .51),/cf7 Houlihans o break ground at Promenade Houlihan's Restaurant and Bar re- cently broke ground for its first location in Minnesota, in the Eagan Promenade. Houlihan's has more than 70 locations nationwide. Wheatstone Restaurant Group, based in Deephaven, is the first to bring Houlihan's to Minnesota by build- ing in Eagan. Food specialties include barbecued baby back ribs, baked potato soup, stuffed mushrooms that are -lightly bat- tered and fried, stir -fry vegetables served over noodles in soy -sherry wine sauce, and stuffed chickenbreast filled with sa- vory herb and garlic cheese. Desserts in- clude caramel nut crunch pie. Also on the _menu are specialty drinks, salads, sand- wiches, steaks, seafood and pasta. The Eagan_ location will seat 270 din- ers plus an outdoor patio. A November opening is planned. 1.nes?}nm►ves di It �. Eter 31-years ly resulting in_new concoctions of candy tc please the venturesome consumer. Thi .family isn't yet sure what kinds of sweet,< will be .added to Abdallah's offerings, but said something is bound to surface. "Ten years ago we didn't have a truffle • in the house, but now it's one of our biggest _sellers," said Steve Hegedus Sr. But for those who like things just the way they are, there is no need to fret Though many things will be changing foi Abdallah, the age-old recipes responsible for the candy factory's popularity among wholesalers and the -public will remain in- tact. The 60-year-old copper caramel cook- ers, the enrobers • its factory a Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan SunsCurrent/Wednesday, March 19, 1997 5A Lunds purchases Byerly's after years of competition By Jeffrey Pieters Staff Writer The Twin Cities' two largest upscale grocers joined forces last week in a sale which — to customers, at least — looks more like a merger. Lund Food Holdings, parent company of Lunds Food Stores, signed an agree- ment to buy the Byerly's grocery chain; the deal was announced March 4. Terms of the deal were not announced, but the Star -Tribune reported the sale price was $90 million. The deal is expect- ed to close April 30. Lunds bought all 11 Minnesota Byer- ly's stores, and said in a press release it will keep the stores open under the By- erly's name. "We know there are Lunds shoppers and Byerly's shoppers," Lunds president Russell (Tres) Lund III said in the press release. The two stores have competed since 1968, when Don Byerly opened the first grocery store bearing his name. Byerly sold his majority interest in the chain to an investment group in 1990, but retained minority ownership and serves on the Byerly's board of directors to this day. A partnership of the Minneapolis - based investment firm Goldner Hawn Johnson and Morrison Inc. and New York investment firm Chase Capital Partners held 60 percent of the grocery chain. Lunds, however, acquired 100 percent of Byerly's in the sale. Jack Morrison, By- erly's chairman since 1990, said some owners may "roll over" funds to retain their shares. While Byerly's had long been rumored to be up for sale, Morrison said that was no indication that the stores were per- forming poorly. "On the contrary," he said. "We were 'In our business, and given the partners we had, there came a time when the investors wanted a return for their investment.' — Jack Morrison Byerly's chairman very satisfied with it. "In our business, and given the part- ners we had, there came a time when the investors wanted a return for their in- vestment," he said. Selling the business to Lunds, he said, combined what was best for customers and Byerly's employees with what was about the best for Byerly's owners. "We all live in Minneapolis and we have a great deal of loyalty to the culture here," he said. Although some of the Byerly's stores share the same market area with a few of Lunds' eight stores, Lund said all of them would remain open. Both chains have stores in Edina, Bloomington, Minnetonka, and St. Paul. Lunds' other locations are Minneapo- lis, New Brighton, Richfield and Wayza- ta. Byerly's has stores in Burnsville, Chanhassen, Eagan, Golden Valley, Ro- seville, St. Louis Park and St. Cloud. Two other Byerly's stores in the Chica- go area were sold to Dominick's Finer Foods, a long-established supermarket chain there. Byerly's expansion into Chicago was a recent development in the company's aims, and Morrison admitted he was dis- appointed he'll never get to see whether that foray would have been successful. "We felt and strongly believe we had a successful entry to Chicago," he said. Morrison wouldn't comment on what fate would befall Byerly's executives, and Lund did not return several' phone calls from the Sun -Current. Lund will address questions on the new management structure and other issues in a news conference on or around April 30, the day the sale is expected to close. 6A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, March 19, 1997 YST offers students chance to gain valuable experience By Mike Cook Staff Writer Students, including those under age 16, have the opportunity to work at a job this summer that may teach them skills to last a lifetime. The Youth Service Team, which consists of student volunteers in grades 8-12, stress- es community service as a means to learn marketable job skills. "That makes this program ideal to many of those students too young to be in the job market," Sheila Klassen, YST coordinator said. Skills to be learned through YST include: decision -making, problem solving, creative thinking, integrity, working with resources, interpreting information, time allocation, working with technology and working with others. Klassen said these are skills many Employers notice those skills as well. "Jim Topitzhofer of the Rosemount Parks and Recreation Department sees YST as a feeder system into their recreation leader positions," Klassen said. She added col- leges also are looking for community ser- vice experience on their applications. In YST, which is sponsored by the Rose- mount Partnership Program, Rosemount Parks and Recreation and Rosemount Ele- mentary School, high school students work with children in grades 3-5, and their teachers, at RES 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 23-July 11. "This program has a dual purpose," RES Principal Deb Zackery said. "We set this up as a dual mentorship so three elementary school teachers will work with the YST members and mentor them in the job skills. The YST will then be mentors to elemen- Members of the YST will take a lead role in the planning, facilitating and teaching of classes. "Teachers will be there as role mod- els in case something comes up," Klassen said. The theme of this year's summer pro- gram is the "History of Rosemount," which, according to Klassen, is also a community building project. Through the program, grade 3-5 youth have the opportunity to enhance skills learned in the classroom such as math, sci- ence, writing, computer, geography, and art, with the help of YST students. The children in the program will talk to seniors and find out how things were in the past, tour various sites in Rosemount and research the area using resources from the Rosemount Historical Society. At the end of the summer program a computer-generat- shown to the public. Students interested in joining the YST are asked to call Klassen at 423-4391 for an application. Training for the YST begins in late -April. Prospective members must be able to attend all three training sessions and be available for all 14 days of the sum- mer school program. Klassen recommends for those who want to become a YST member, they should want to work with younger children and be excited about doing historical research. "If an older youth wants to develop some job skills and they might not think they like doing this kind of thing, I would suggest they give it a try because it will only further their own skills," Klassen said. Parents of RES grade 3-5 students in- terested in having their child in the pro- gram are asked to call Klassen or Zackery (423-7690). • T T }rtc PAGE D2 e STAR TRIBUNE /7 /44 BYERLY'S from D1 Byerly's adding Eagan store, prepared meals, home shopping As expansion continues, Byer- ly's will push what it calls "home meal replacement." ;;F-Iorne meal ,replacement is becoming an increasingly signifi- cant.element of our service offer- ing's," said Dale Riley, president and,chiefoperating officer. "We waist to answer the question, What's for dinner?' better than anyone else for our customers." r. Consumers increasingly are at- tracted to prepared foods that can be reheated at home. "How- ever a retailer can help,get dinner on the table in 15 minutes or less isaLtrend because families and consumers are terribly pressed for.:time," said Nancy Christen- sen; executive director of the Minnesota Grocers Association. SAD Cbefs on board -'_Ass part of its strategy, Byerly's vuilL feature chef -inspired food. Lucia Watson, executive chef and owner of Lucia's restaurant in up- town Minneapolis, will be the first: chef -in -residence for Byer- lyls;'Riley said. 'r:L'ater• this summer, Wolfgang Pink, Los Angeles -based chef and restaurateur, will put his Express - to -Go units into the .Edina and Ridgedale Byerly's, as well as the two Chicago -area stores. . On Monday, Byerly's will ope a home shopping and delive service for inetro-area customers Cataloes i "Home meal replacement is becoming an increas- ingly significant element of our service. offerings. We want to answer the. question, `What's for din- ner?' better than anyone else for our customers." — Dale Riley, Byerly's available in the stores, or can be accessed on the Internet from Byerly's Web site, http: / /www.byerlys.com. Orders can beprocessed by fax, modem or telephone. The Web page also will provide recipes and direc- tions to individual Byerly's stores. Delivery charge for home shopping is $9.95, and customers must be present to accept the food. Home shopping has been tried before in the Twin Cities, but has. never succeeded. "Why are we doing this when it's a pain in the rear for stores?" asked Morrison. "Because up to 10 percent of the customers in a store can be home shoppers. If half of the Vr• r Tr'- -D SECTION come Portfolio fund. lent are costly, the ^e than $70 million. million resolving issues related to the Institutional Government In- come" fund, said Piper Chief Ex- ecutive Tad Piper. "We continue to focus on serving our clients' best interests while working to —improve our processes and pro- cedures." Piper consented to the find- ings by investigators for the NASD and Commerce Depart- ment without admitting or deny- ing them. It agreed to hire an independent consultant to re- view and make recommenda- tions about selling mutual funds. f Turn to PIPER on D4 INDEX For executives only Page D2 Business briefing Page D3 Stocks Page D4, D6 Mutual funds Page D7 Markets a 1u Dow Industrials Close: 5,629.77 down 12.65 5 NASDAQ Close: 1,091.82 , down 4.99 Volume: 532.5 mil:. ? ' x-;NYSE Close: 349.48 D6 down 1.27 17 Volume: 428.2 mil. I S&P 500 Close: 652.00 down 3.79 Gold Close: 393.60 unchanged �sG�l'irslc, 4013 oU Oil u . Close: 20.18 up 0.65 West Texas crude p a residents expressing concern ause of neighborhood children a nearby day care center. :veo though woods and a N:shy area are nearby, neighbor en Dillon said she was surprised ,the cougar's appearance with lies so near on both sides of the road tracks. erg, the Minnesota Depart - it of Natural Resources cougar ert. thinks the cougar was Leone's pet. It may have- es- ed or been released, but no rer has come forward. lymouth police distributed fli- c autioning residents not to run n the animal. Police also lied residents not to let chil- a play alone near wooded areas ing the two hours before sunset the two hours after sunrise. m cougars are most likely to p n the move. pre children in danger from the Bar? erg, who is stationed in Grand "Aids, replied: "My first reaction n unequivocal no. If we were W in a California suburb where Us is high cougar density and eple are encroaching on cougar jitat, then I think my answer _lid be a little bit different. la Minnesota, we've never had chi where a wild cougar 3 approached a human or come ny contact at all." Iflt any time, he said, there usu- te are one or two wild cougars „ping through the state. "They far stay in the same place mare 'r a couple of days.," Berg said. us' is why I think this has to be Ze kind of pet. d VING O'ana1 Park Barbara West often 1 herself snagged between fe Ud laws that govern activities in Nark and International Falls- 1 residents who don't under- -1 wbv the laws are needed. Ugo-between citizens group Od help, members of a panel s to solve lone-standine rifts er remunerauon • through nexL1 ._ June 30, under an agreement!✓ with Maplewood officials. The money Collins will re- ceive over the• neat 8ui months r will come from Collins trans s upcsauwu }emu tcvicn board while he was on the Maple- wood clock. The board, composed of ranking officers from several Twin Cities departments, screened officers for hiring and promotion. Board par- ticipants were paid $25 to $30 an hour, plus meal expenses. The MCTO no longer pays re- view board members. for serving on the review board. bring administrative action Collins, a 30-year veteran of the against the city. Collins will be Maplewood department, bas been paid $24,462. chief the past 14 years. His annual Maplewood also agreed to pay • salary is $67,000. He has been on $4,000 to help Collins find another administrative leave with pay job and to reimburse him for any - since Sept. 9. paid but unused airplane tickets Under the agreement, Collins and other costs he incurred for the denies any wrongdoing, and the annual meeting of the Interaation• - city says It will not pursue crimi- al Association of Police Chiefs. p16 w" / " .5 Byerly's will be first store in Eagan's `downtown' DON AHERN STD-- ? iUUER Byerly's look of the future will be evident in the_ food chain's lat- est upscale store open- ing in down- town Eagan the first Sun- day of No- vember. Byerly's is the first store to open in the latest segment of what the city of Eagan planned and is billing as its cen- tral business district or "down- town" — even though it looks a lot hire a grouping of shopping malls. "Eagan Promenade" has a long way to go before its eight large anchor stores, more than 30 small- er shops and restaurants, and 300 posh housing units are up and oc- uBied. ut even now, the 1,300-car paved parking lot and rising com- mercial buildings suggest an emerging destination of substance. Located in the northeast quad- rant of Interstate 35E and Yankee BENEFIT SET A $25-per-person preview of Byerly's will be Oct. 29, with all proceeds benefiting the Dakota County Community Action Council. Deadline for obtaining tickets is Oct. 26. Call 431-9724. Doodle Road, the Promenade will complete a ring of retail develop- ment around that intersection that began years ago. "It's not a traditional down- town?' acknowledges Eagan May- or Tom Egan, "but it is a central area. Eagan has lacked a sense of identification: it's been somewhat abstract." Byerly's is scheduled to open Nov. 3, preceded by a $25-per-per- son preview opening on Oct 29, with all proceeds benefiting the Dakota County Community Action Council. Other large anchor stores due to open later this year in the first phase of the project include Barnes & Nobles books, Home - Place, OfficeMax and Pier 1 Im- ports Several other tenants sched- uled to open next summer are T.J. Mass, Old Navy Clothing Co. and one to be announced. Three new restaurants clustered around a fountain pond and out- side patio will open next year. They are Stewart. Anderson Cattle Co., Don Pablo's and another to be announced. But Byerly's beat the pack to opening day. "This will be the first store we've opened in the Twin Cities without a restaurant," said Dale Riley. Byerly's president and chief Y EAGAN •: `: • Byerly's opens Eagan Promenade The fourth civadrant of TI Eagan's 'downtown' is beginning to take shape with the scheduled opening =:- soon of a Byerly's store. `:ATEagan Promenade — Byerly's is first store to open 0r _: B° Te m Center— Rainbow foods and other stores C Yankee Square —Shopping Center D Office Park —Lockheed. Unisys. Northwest Air'ines operating officer. But that doesn't mean it offers less than the others. In fact, the Eagan store is the new look for the chain, continuing a trend that was Incorporated in two Chicago area stores. "Cafe Caraway" is the newest evolution of Byerly's on -premise eatery. 'People can sit and eat the products they are buying in the store, Riley said. Menu service won't be avail- able, but servers will be present to clear dishes and clean tables. Besides an expanded delicates- sen and sushi bar, the new store also features several stores-with- wRIS LY1TLVPtONEES PRESS in -a -store where food can be ob- tained for consumption on the premises. They include Caribou Coffee, Wolfgang Puck gourmet pizza and Asia Grill Express. The store will also feature take- out prepared foods, a concept 'mown in the industry as "home meal replacement" The $25 preview open house benefiting Community Action Council is a first for Byerly's in Minnesota, but benefit openings were done for the Chicago stores and were "very well received," Riley said. eanciidates think new business, industry P002' #24 10 (.1 0 a) co CV 0 6123413703 OD .m a t�'ctrl &Lf/ V)t riSj 3, 1 Q96' Eagan Promenade breaks ground Eagan City Council members and staff, Byerly's Fine Foods officials and project developers from Opus Northwest broke ground June 26 for a 120- acre commercial/residential development, Eagan Promenade, at Yankee Doodle Road and Interstate 35E. The Byerly's grocery store (back- ground) is expected to open in the fall. Adjacent to Byerly's will be Barnes & Noble bookstore, Homeplace and Office Max. (Sue Hegarty/Staff Photographer) From Page .12A The theme for the month is "Passing the Torch" and will feature a presentation by Tom Lee of Munchable Bouquets in Burnsville. The speaker and musician for the day is Patti Weins who will share her transformation from a Minneapolis street kid to a teacher and school administrator. All teachers in attendance will be hon- ored. Cost of lunch is $10. Nursery is pro- vided free -of charge, by reservation, for toddlers and preschoolers. Childcare is available for grade schoolers at $2 each. Reservations must be made by July 3. Information: 890-4140 (Yvonne) or 423-3255 (Barb). Kaposia Kamera. Club. selects photos of year Kaposia Kamera Club member, Keith Randolph of Eagan, received a trophy for best print of the year at the club's annu- al banquet June 13. For the past eight months, Kaposia has. had monthly competitions in categories ranging from nature and pictorial to Min- «,...,.+., fnrnc+ flnnr summer off and meet. again Sept. 11 at the Northern Dakota County Communi- ty TV studios in .Inver. Grove Heights. Photographers of all skills who would like to participate may get more infor- mation by calling 437-5995 or 451-0817. Openings still available at Demolition Derbies The Dakota County Fair willagain sponsor four Demolition Derbies during the 'upcoming fair, Aug. 5 to 11. Derbies will be Monday,.Aug. 5; Tuesday, Aug. 6; Friday, Aug. 9;. and Saturday, Aug. 10. Openings are available on Monday, Tues- day and Friday nights in the regular heats. An 18 compact -car heat will be featured during both Monday_ and Tuesday night derbies. This heat will be run between the third heat and the: consolation heat of the regular demo. There is no advancement from this heat. First, second, .and third prizes will be given. Openings are still avail- able in the compact heath for both nights. Entry forms are available for all the der- bies by calling the fair office or by stopping at the office at the Dakota County Fair- crrniinde nn 220th Street in Farmington. Byerly's opens as firstes,,,0t tenant of Promenade ""� Party benefits Community Action Council By Sue Hegarty Staff Writer Byerly's is the first store to open in the area's newest shop- ping plaza, Eagan Promenade. East of Interstate 35E off Yan- kee Doodle Road, the Twin Cities' upscale grocery store will soon be joined by other retailers, includ- ing Home Place and a Barnes and Noble bookstore. The 120- acre site will have decorative lighting, trailways and a variety of eateries when completed. Stu- art Anderson's Cattle Company and Dairy Queen will be two of the first restaurants to open. BYERLY'S: To Page 15A Furnac Minnegasco an• high efficiency r available no No Payments or Interest until May 199' Offer ends 11/30/96. apple valley FREE ESTIMATES CA heating & air 452-10 01)1 bIC . Com lete Selection of ualit CustomWindov /✓o - `, /9fo Csiricie Byerly's From Page lA Byerly's celebrated its grand open- ing Nov. 3.. The store will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cus- tomers of the Twin Cities' grocery chain will notice a few differences be- " tween the Eagan, store, and other By- erly's. "Our llth' store has provided us a chance to create the store that we be- lieve -will best meet the needs 'of our customers' lifestyles today and in the coining years," said Dale Riley, presi- dent and chief operating officer. The most obvious difference in the new 56,000 square foot store is the ex- panded take-out and ready -to -cook -foods section. Partnerships between Byerly's and other retailers offer shoppers'the.op- portunity to try various specialty foods all under one roof. For example, customers may enjoy Wolfgang Puck- 's Express -to -Go pizzas, salads, pas- tas and sandwiches, as well as Leeann Chin's Chinese cuisine. Eagan shop- pers _also will be able to purchase a cup of espresso, cappuccino, latte or other flavored coffee from an in-store. Caribou Coffee shop. " Cafe Caraway provides seating for those who just can't wait to eat what they purchase in the .store.. Other fea- tures include a U.S. Post Office, full ' service First Bank branch and flowers by Bachman's. A culinary expert also is available to answer food and • enter- tainment questions. "We believe the' Eagan store sets a new standard for Byerly's and for the industry, in its. design,merchandise and services," said Art Miller, general manager. . When Byerly's opens a, new store, tickets are sold to a preview party Byerly's grand 'opening in Eagan gave hometown boy Andy McAfee, 3, a chance to sample some of the Haralson apples sliced for in-store .. demonstrations. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer) with -proceeds benefiting a local char- ity. Dakota County's Community Ac- tion Council (CAC) received $13,000 from the Oct. 29'preview party at the Eagan Byerly's. CAC is a community organization that provides services in violence prevention and intervention and other family support services. More than 900 people attended the event. Guests. who paid $25 a ticket strolled the aisles of the Eagan store to sample a variety of foods, including specialties of Lucia Watson, owner of Lucia's Restaurant in Minneapolis; Chef Tony Mascaro from Casper's Sir- loin Room in Eagan; Chef Nathan Beauchamp from Table of Contents, and several other chefs from gourmet restaurants. sand information UNITY \ i OF THE VALLEY "Teaching Positive ,iving and. Individual;it •Spiritual Growth" • SUNDAYS 1dulte-10:OOam- Children Everyone Welcome 1513 E. Hwy. 13 Burnsville 895-0745 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST APPLE VALLEY Redwood Community Center - Cty. Rd. 42 at Elm Drive Apple Valley FAITH • HOPE a LOVE unday Worship 9:30 a.m. unday School 10:30 a.m. Nursery Available • outh, Womens a Mens Groups 953-1254 All Are Welcome! Advertise. Your Church Here 896-4790 HOLY EMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH LCMS_ 201 East,104th St., Bloomington • • ' 888-2345 Pastor Dennis Starr Worship 8:00 & 10:30 a.m. • Sunday School & Bible Study - 9:15 a.m. ' • Register for Holy Emmanuel's Open Arms Christian Preschool - 888-2345 r1 Dejeoenrreera-Z[4e" 5885 W.' 149th St., Apple Valley 10:30 am 432-1133 i III CHRIST LUTHERAN III CHURCH Missouri Synod 1930 Diffley Road Eagan, MN 55122 • 454-4091 Good News Service Saturday - 6:00 pm . Sunday Worship • 8:00 & 10:30,am Youth & Adult Bible Study, & Sunday School 9:15 a.m. • ` (`� • Weekday Preschool Two photographs were merged digitally for this bird's eye view of Town Centre on the left and the proposed Eagan Promenade shopping center site look- ing west from atop the Blue Cross BIue Shield building on Yankee Doodle Road in Eagan. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer, Cindy Rosin/Photo Illustrator) Eagan: A city with an identity crisis? By Sue Hegarty Staff Writer Wen you think of Eagan, what comes to mind? Life-long residents might re- member the airplane icon hoisted above the Airliner Motel, surrounded by acres of farm- land. A large bur oak (the lone oak tree), ham- mered with public notices, was the town's commu- nication center. When the new Cedar Bridge opened in October 1980, developers flocked to the wide expanse of farmland south of the Minnesota River. The city began to shed its country town image and became a full-fledged Twin Cities suburb. Each month, record num- bers of building permits were issued. As those rooted in the com- munity died or moved on, they were replaced by transplanted residents who call someplace else "home." "You see Eagan through the eyes of when you first enter the community," said City Admin- istrator Tom Hedges. "If you've just moved here, you see Eagan as it exists in 1995." Today, nearly 22 years after being established as a city, 75 percent of the residents have lived in Eagan less than five years. To them, Eagan means something entirely different from those Lone Oak days. Bridging Eagan's past with what it is to become takes planning. Now that the rapid growth has slowed, city offi- cials have begun to take a step back to see what amenities res- idents want. For example, at the new Civic Center arena, reserva- tions for ice time were sold out long before the facility opened IDENTITY: To Page 14A 111 Home builder's lawsuit over the collection of road construction fees could put future funding for street pro- jects in jeopardy, Page 8A. 11 Eagan public relations firm wants to work on the city's image, Page 9A. M Slowed development com- bined with population in- creases shifts city revenue sources from fees to taxes, Page I2A. How much do you think you know about Eagan? Test yourself with a trivia quiz, Page I4A. Among council's dreams: Create Promenade and recreation facility By Sue Hegarty Staff Writer City officials have a dream — to give residents a place to commune and to give those outside the city limits an iden- tifiable image of Eagan. The pressure has been on (inns Cornto build a sense of community. on 120 acres of farmland north of Town Cen- tre. Opus has had an option to purchase the land from Robert O'Neill, but two weeks ago O'Neill died, and the land be- came part of his estate. Opus is anxious to begin the project in order to meet com- mitments to proposed tenants, said city officials. Tenants could include a Byerly's gro- cery, a large retail merchant, bank and several smaller ten- ants, such as coffee shops and book stores. The concept plan, which was approved by the City Council in July, also in- cludes 294 townhouse units. The power center would be broken into pods of shopping areas, connected by a trail sys- tem of walking paths, outdoor seating and a fountain. "We've always known that this has needed to be a special project with special features," said Michelle Foster, senior di- rector of real estate develop- ment for Opus. "We can create focal points within, but it's not a small scale development." Earlier plans to include a public park and community center within the Opus devel- opment have been scrapped. Instead, city officials are searching for a site that could incorporate a public use area. They have their eyes on land east of Lexington Avenue and north of Yankee Doodle Road, adjacent to the O'Neill proper- ty. However, owners of Dart Transit in Eagan already have an option to purchase that land from Northwestern Mu - COUNCIL: To Page 14A 14A Appfe' • Iley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, Dec. 6, 1995 BRIDGING THE GAP: FROM COUNTRY TOWN TO SPRAWLING SUBURB uncil: Funds, agreements key From Front Page in September. ":tiddlers look forward to next summer when the new wading pool opens, while their older sib- lings wonder if a swimming pool is part of future plans. Negotiations for a 210-acre shopping center at Interstate 35E and Yankee Doodle Road offer the promise of convenient shopping and city tax revenue. The loss of one of the city's two privately -owned golf courses has city officials wondering if a mu-, nicipal course is a desired amenity. The impeding maturity of a community affects builders, as ei! They are more apt to hear objections from neighbors who live next to undeveloped- land and who have a concern for com- patibility. One component that is need- ed to successfully build a desir- able community in which to work or live is communications, Hedges said. Right now, there's a gap in communications, he said. No- tices pinned to an oak tree won't work anymore for a community since the 1800 s, a symbol offEagan has�b+ec>! a)black dog b) tone oak tree c) sllvgbell (1) none of the above ° 2. Eagan is served by which school district? a)197 b}191 c)196 d) all of the above f is.- 3.Tlse �P'�n' o, , a) 30,000 b) 48,000 c) 57,000id) 62,<0 ..,c minas age of rrsldnts based on 1990 census is:r a) 28.9 b) 13.6 c) 39.9:, d) 2L5 not based in "' .' is Which company _ . a) Northwest Air s b) West Publishing c) PiiJbury` d) Cray Reseatchr ` How many parks-duerF.agan have? a)`26 b) 52 c) 4E5•-d) 71 7 .T The Hrstemaynr of Fagait No a) Toni Eagan b) BealllOmquist c) Henri Perron d) Herbert Polzin 8. The surface area of Eagan is: a)'32 square miles b) 22 square miles c) 42 square miles 9. Eagan'resi,dents tend to be lesseducated than the rest of Dakota Countj a) True, b) False 10. Eagan is the largest cuy in irawia Cuuii r. a) Tree b) False FAIRUGHT AHIGREN/STAFF ARTIST E (0T q (6 E (8 P (L q (9 a (S E (t o (£ P (Z q (I :. 1 gasgAIV that has more than 57,000 resi- dents. So what is the best way for policy makers to stay in touch with community stake holders? If approved by the council, a public relations firm may be brought on board to bridge com- munications and help extrapo- late what Eagan is to become when it reaches full maturity. City officials hope a commu- nications plan will help give res- idents, as well as those outside looking in, a sense of what kind of community Eagan is and will become. tual Insurance Co. Dart Transit is considering its expansion needs, while the city envisions a possible commu- nity center, swimming pool or public golf course on the site. If Dart is willing to negotiate for another location in which to ex- pand, perhaps the city will get its gathering place after all. Discussion about adding a golf course to the list of public facility options arose when Bill Smith, owner of Carriage Hills Golf Course, offered to sell the course to the city. After review- ing a consultant's report on the feasibility of buying Carriage Hills, the council decided to pursue the Northwestern Mu- t__ r '...1 ;r,cteard_ Since then, Carriage Hills Golf Course has been nurchased by Pulte Homes for development as a mixed -use residential neigh- borhood. What's needed now to make this City Council dream a reali- ty is the council's approval of the preliminary development plan, an agreement with Dart Transit for the Northwestern Mutual land and lots of money. `We've always known that this has needed to be a special project with special features.' — Michelle Foster Senior director of real estate development for Opus Right now, Opus and the city of Eagan are in disagreement over how much share each should have in developing the in- frastructure surrounding the power center. Last week, the two were about $3 million apart. Eagan now is asking Opus to pay about $6.8 million in road con- struction costs. Foster said Opus was told by the city in June that its share would be about $3.9 million. "It's significantly higher," Foster said. An agreement will have to be struck soon, she said, if con- struction is to begin in March. Opus plans to open five or six of the stores by next November, Foster said. "turfy ng the issues; STATE,REP: TrmPawlenty;'R=Fagan,'stuares sotne-or nes paperwork durin five session Jan. 16..Photo by Rick Orndorf1 of -the _.,s. by DiCl'.1� nn V u • ., � Before -Pinewood Community. • School in 'Eagan ever. opened. its doors ;to -students, : work was underway_ tq• make it a special place:'. where"1`children'- would: de have-' opporttiatttes�'_ to gw - their own=education:=Sint years` later,: the., fruits.. of that work;,. can still be seed. From rhos; early efforts, was* boin'; and �.xplore program... continuesievea:stronger'today w :"Tire ]ads arcs:very, ,excited: about the program,7". said` Tami Schultz;.; a; fifth -grade teacher at. theschook • - 'Ihmugh: Explore, students cant -choose two classes. per: quarter from.a-myriad of ,course offerings. - J ' According: to Schultz,- each class. lasts. Z5' • t_ ap`aing ankee By BRENDA HAUGEN .Roadway projects and related' activities :.for the e ;; *Eagan 'Promenade development were' :-approved by the City Council' Ian:- 16 with little comment from the public. ' • .- "The council unanimously ap- proved the streets and utilities project for Eagan Promenade and authorized. . detailed plans and specifications as well as acquisition of rights -of -ways through condemnation;. if nec- essary. Staff alsowas directed to "revise -the feasibility -• :-for the project, because . ':intends-to.do. some of the work '_:`:privately, • reducing the .scope of'the public portion of the. pro- - action on a =separate`'but'': t :related public ;hearing. 'the cauncil, :also OK'.d_;transporta- 'tion improvements `' for the:' Yankee Doodle -corridor wits-' the same direction on plans and specifications as well a ;. right-of-way acquisitions. (See Roads, , p.9A): rues stud ents a chance to guide their own earning • sychologist juggles issues of self-esteem, confidence with: flamzng torches, machetes By BRENDA.HAUGEN Students.. "m Craig. Prop Propsom, a -psychologist at who has taught the classes Pinewood ... - Community the last five years.. "I can't School' in Eagan;: teaches- do half' the stuff these kids, beginninw and' advanced - som's< class are : learning: self-discipline and -patience- juggling through the• Explore: - "The, stuff_' includes jug- ;:.. andi, develo their self- program -(see related story):. filing and learning to pass Ping; hin 'it;is easier. than: - esteem and :.hand -eye: Coot dination . at. the same time.- .. juggling;". said • Propsom,.- (See. Juggle. p-30A) broidery' and juggling (see re- _ lat�ed story) to hands-on math : and business, finance bank ingistock, : • Among the, other course offer- ings. are:. • Book factory — Students learn a variety of techniques to:=-_ create books including making paper. and binding an original': • Egyptian art history- --:'. Students.., become:,_, archaeolo- gists, exploring: Egyptian- life- - styles.and culture, ,and: cresting:. artifactat iii; tlier process:', They _, calculator class as -assigned by - - a1so,,learn about mummtfca minutes, aad`runs •everyday for..For example, _ fast -grade stn- 3 - , -tto pyramid canstruwon:,bur seven -weeks:'_ -...- , at the end of .the .day,"' Schultz: ond-graders must take'. a. class., qurrements;, children„ wr - : .. -. added:- . - on the Macintosh computer as:' approval. of their parents;:, dam:- This- class, designed for chil; As. the, program has gone` on,. , assigned by the. teacher, . and: take a. variety, of classes, rang-: •requirements • have been made: fifth -grade. students. must -take. a ..ing from. beginning. chess; em,::. (See Explore. -p-30A). ` - , • "1t's:high energy. -because it's.• heats are:. required, to .registers for Spanish each session;, sec;: But:_ aside ' from these re-• ial..rituals'and'lueroglyphies.F •th theh` ":: •°. Companfoa>` reading;: Iroads. Photo by Rick Orndorf Roads (Continued from front page) Though few spoke at the pub- lic hearings Tuesday, several residents and business people took the opportunity to voice their concerns and ask ques- tions at a Jan. 8 public infor- mational meeting, according to city staff. The Eagan Promenade proj- ect includes three components. According to James Dvorak, senior associate with SRF Consulting Group, Ino., the components are Denmark Ave- nue, from Yankee Doodle Road to the boundary of the Opus property; Promenade Avenue, which will be located opposite of the office building housing Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Town Centre; and Northwood Drive, a new road that will connect Denmark, Promenade and Lexington in the northern portion of the Opus property. Public Works Director Tom Colbert said Opus wants the Denmark and Promenade im- provements to be done pri- vately. The Northwood Drive improvements would still be done publicly, he said. According to Dvorak, Den- mark Avenue improvements will include storm sewer, walks on each side of the roadway, roadway lighting and pedestrian lighting. The Promenade improvements are slated to include storm sewer, street and pedestrian lighting and walks, as well, he said. Northwood Drive will include storm sewer, walks and street lighting, but no special pedes- trian lighting, he said. The pro- ject will be assessed to the benefiting parcels, he added. A speaker during the public hearing expressed concern that walk areas are to handle bike traffic as well. He said this creates a dangerous situation. Dvorak said the streets in the project aren't designed to al- low for bike traffic. According to Dvorak, plans and specifications for this proj- ect should be complete by early March, contracts are ex- pected to be awarded in early '95 CAR 2 YEA NO CA: LOW $2 IMMO April, and most of the project should he completed this year. The Yankee Doodle corridor transportation improvements tie into the city's plan for a future "ring road" to alleviate traffic congestion in the area. Included in this first phase of the project, necessary for the Eagan Promenade develop- ment, are improvements to the Yankee Doodle corridor and its intersections with Pilot Knob Road and I-35E. According to Dvorak, this project is expected to cost about $6.6 million, split about 50/50 between Eagan's major street fund, and Opus and Ea- gan Promenade development. The project schedule includes going out for bids in late March with construction being completed mainly by the fall of this year, Dvorak said. As for the rest of the ring road concept, the city has no definite time plan, though it has a design concept, Colbert said. According to Mayor Tom Egan, more public hearings would he held before other phases of the concept were to be. undertaken. We've been y- here for ' 63 years) 4 YEARS IN EAGAN Just Arrived 1 Year Lease with air, power windows, I, roof, C.D. changers, factor selection, 10 to choose fro Example 0 cap ndretbn. 15.000 nil. M+ S5?5 ecq fee btnl down. 31427 69, $15.37 o SQ E pF (tURNSVILLE �.r..- eu„ •e. _ ]0M SOUTN 63 YEARS IN 1 Join US fo the Super Sunday Bash in Eagan Watch the BIG GAME on our 20 IT BIG S AClilcllltv�l Ill s.aavvv • • The Eagan police force dedicated a memorial plaque December 9th to Louis E. Jeska, an Eagan police officer killed in a car accident in 1993. From left, officer John King, Chief Pat Geagan, with Sandy Jeska, widow, and officer Roger New. (Mike Howell/Staff Photographer) periods are during the winter holidays, around prom and grad- uation, the Fourth of July, and SAFE: To Page 24A Residents oppose Lexington, Diffley project By Sue Hegarty Staff Writer Before a packed audience last week, a split vote by the Eagan City Council resulted in sharp words from the mayor and the threat of a lawsuit by residents. The debate was over con- struction of a three-story med- ical center, Holiday Station Store, McDonald's restaurant and a 10,800 square -foot retail center at the northwest corner of Lexington Avenue and Diffley Road in Eagan. Despite a petition signed by more than 1,000 residents who opposed the project, the council voted 3-2 to hold firm on its ap- proval of the development. Prior to 1994, the property was part of a planned develop- ment for multiple housing units (12 units per acre). In mid-1994, the council approved a request by Ray Connelly, the developer, to amend the plan to neighbor- hood business. At its Aug. 15, 1995 meeting, the council ap- Eagan Promenade plans revised ■ City Council approves pre- liminary plans for 210-acre shopping center. By Sue llegarty State Wnter Plans for a 210-acre shopping center/townhome development in Eagan could include a hotel, bank and three sit-down restau- rants, along with a seven -tenant building. Eagan's City Council granted the developer of Eagan Prome- nade, Opus Corp., preliminary approval last week to build on the northeast corner of Yankee Doodle and Interstate 35E. Eagan Promenade received concept approval from the coun- cil last July. Since that time, Opus has been incorporating the council's suggestions for improv- ing the project. Opus represen- tatives presented a revised plan to the council at its Dec. 5 meet- ing. One major change added to the plan is the possibility of plac- ing a hotel on a northern portion of the site formerly designated for retail space. Mayor Tom Egan said occu- pancy rates at other Eagan ho- wl's are near capacity, at about 90 percent. I just think it's do -able. I re- ally do, Egan said. The project also consists of a linear building with space for nine. retailers. The anchor ten- ant would be a new "state-of-the- art" Byerly's grocery store, said Tim Murnane, an Opus vice president. Byerly's wants to partner with Caribou Coffee and Lee Ann Chin Chinese restaurants to include food and beverage ser- vice in the grocery store, Mur- nane said. Another proposed tenant for the in -line center, who Murnane would only identify as a book- store that begins with a "B", wants to partner with Starbucks Cottee to mciucie a coffee shop in the store. Besides Byerly's and the bookstore, Opus intends to 5nd tenants such as an electronics store, home linens store, fashion store and a new children's edu- cational materials store. At one time it was thought that Mervyn's of California would move to Eagan Promenade. "They have since indicted they are not going forward here," Murnane said. Marketing officials for Opus OPUS: To Page 19A proved the proposed uses for the preliminary plan and subdivi- sion. Modifications to the pre- liminary plan were approved by the council in September. Then on Nov. 6, the Final Planned De- velopment and Final Subdivi- sion was approved. Brent and Lauren Florine, who live on Lexington Avenue, asked the council to formally re- consider its 3-2 vote of approval, which the council did. Mayor Tom Egan, Councilmember Ted Wachter and Councilmember Shawn Hunter voted in favor of the project. Councilmember Sandy Masin and Councilmem- CORNER: to Page 23A `South Pole' added to Eagan tradition Activities planned for the entire family Stair report A 'South Pole' holiday lights display will light up Ea- gan's Cliff Lake Center at Cliff Lake Road. Eagan's North Pole (Town Centre shops) at Yankee Doodle and Pilot Knob roads also will shine this holi- day season with myriad lights. Lighting sponsors are Dakota Electric Association, Target Stores, Wel-mart, Wal- greens and Frank's Nursery & Crafts. A Holiday Weekend of ac- �ie...,e,i Tlnr 1r..17 at Town Centre and Cliff Lake Center. On Saturday, Dec. 16, there will be a candy cane hunt at 11 a.m. for children ages 2-8 at the Boy Scout Troop's Christ- mas Tree Corral on Town Cen- tre Drive. Beginning at noon Sunday, Dec. 17, there will be a candy cane hunt at the cor- ral on Cliff Lake Center Drive behind Taco Bell. Candy cane hunt sponsors are Dart Tran- POLE: To Page 23A S661 'CI — -- i awn y apeio I DSO Aenseuoe%yluaiina.ung us6s3 'Iunowasoi /ASIJCA alddy yy °'. Cr 6 �yo.'o ..w.,?0 oo�-. - 9c'cD (l r..1y 00•0 0'9,.. y9 �1.o•� ^ ; yo o 9, y O G co y o •O o �.. 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CD 0 0 Po Charges filed in �acsan hit-and-run Scott David Robertson, 36, of charged with Eaganhas been the counts of leaving two scene of personal injury ac- cident, th felonies under Minnecident, law, in connection with n the death of an Dako a an ccording to County Attorney James Bactc- strom• h 32, of Eagan John Murtaug ' Dodd Road, was walking along with just south of Cliff Road, his wife Nov. 26• At around 8 (See Charges, P•16A) man, a proposal gets opus relar5� approval preliminary �.e,;�;�� eta"neapae��ti • • preliminary Planned develop- ment proposal as well as By BREl`1DA Hp,UGEN development's preliminary Promenade has. the subdivlsdev meat will ° Eagan many changes te The develop in acres the through cite Opus Corporation and on found on 120 grant of Yankee time northeast the city haveeig that. e Road and I-35E• the propose seen at Tuesday Doodle now stands, the pm" were seen As work Council meeting. 10A) night's city- . unanimously ap- e, P• Promenade . (See proms The council proved the' Eagan s i! 76/96 FRI 11:10 FAX 1 612 228 5500 PIONEER PRESS NEWSROOM glow. 'Eagan Promenade' will be deep in the heart of suburb Construction of center could start in March DON AHERN STAFF wRITER Eagan will get a downtown this year. It won't be called that, and it won't be a neat grid pat- tern of traditional business blocks centered on a nos- talgic "Main Street" and town square. But the "Eagan Promenade" will be more or less in the center of Eagan, one WHAT'S NEXT The Byerly's 'anchor' store Is scheduled to open In November. of the fastest -growing suburbs in the Twin clttes, and it will offer big stores,. little shops, restaurants, perhaps a soda fountain or two, and even a few down- town apartments. The developer calls it a "power cen- ter" and it's expected to be anchored by big names such as Byerly's, a Barnes & Noble bookstore, Home Place, other na- tional retailers and about a half dozen restaurants. Opus Corp. is to start construction in EAGAN OONnNUED ON 2B P EAGAN V CONTINUED FROM 18 March as soon as the city ap- • proves all the Minnetonka firm's building plans. The Byerly's store is slated to open in November. The City Council last week or- dered the installation of sewer and water at the Promenade site, • which lies on 120 acres in the northeast quadrant of Yankee Doodle Road and Pilot Knob'Road. near Interstate 35E. Included in the public Improvements are wid- ening Yankee Doodle Road and changing the access ramp from Yankee Doodle to northbound I- • • 35E. About $6.6 million will be spent on , those improvements, which are shared by Eagan, Dako- - County and the state. The development is being called the Eagan Promenade instead of "downtown" for sensitive political reasons. "The City Council ... didn't want to favor one area of town over another," said Eagan spokes- woman Joanna Foote. "They were calling it the central area, which was more a locator. The word 'downtown' seemed to have a dif- ferent visual. Opus came up with the Promenade name." But the Eagan council really did have a downtown concept in mind, whatever it was called. They wanted a place where townsfolk could gather and walk, with plenty of public open space, friendly commercial areas and a handsome look.• But Opus didn't see eye to eye with the council on all the details, especially a lot of open space that •doesn't produce revenue. The de- velopment, whatever it might be called, basically will be a subur- ban shopping mall. And given the drive-in clientele and rolling open space. it will occupy, that's more what it will look like than the traditional American downtown. I ntveov Drain *e Although the Opus design does include. some private open space near existing ponds and rough ter- rain in conjunction with the 294 units of upscale rental housing, it's not as much as the council had hoped. There are about 30 acres of res- idential area and about 20 to 25 acres that will be "kept in the natural open state," said Tim Mur- nane, vice presideht of retail de- velopment for Opus. "It's more than is required by code," he added. Although, "at one time the city was looking at the whole thing as a park .:. but it leaves a nice balance of neutral vegetation, residential and com- mercial development." With big -name anchors, Eagan Promenade is expected to be more than just a typical mall; rather, it will be more like what have come to be known as power centers. "I've heard it referred to as similar to the shops at Lyndale and I-494," Foote said. "Like big electronic stores and warehouse stores." R=96% 1 612 228 5500 01-26-96 12:12PM P001 #09 :above) watch the lay as part of the •ogram. One of the 3°1 on its tail dur- iotographer). ()o ts Genes ,olves (yes, dog food:. list). Satisfied, the' Nick to playing with.' lake used to demon -- to pick up snakes ving to touch them. young student, the :scion was no more. • — a discussion. the larger picture, le talk was one more .oducing Twin Cities the workings of the 'This is not fun. Any job you have, I don't care if you're the CEO ofacompany or whatever, there are somethings you have to do that you don't like to do." Than part of the job. You get in there, get it done, then you can do things you like to do.' David McRoy Mentor with the zoo's program speaking about the cleaning up done as an icebreaker For the last three years, the:, -:aging them to pursue careers zoo has offered a week long pro in science. gram to youth of color with the Curren started working at hopes of raising their interest Promenade draft plan approved in Eagan ■ 120 acres near 1-35E and Town Centre targeted as a major development area. Park area might be better elsewhere, some say. By Sue Hegarty Staff Writer A plan for Eagan's new com- munity focal point was given preliminary approval by the City Council July 12, despite disap- pointment regarding the lack of open park space. A 120-acre parcel of land east of Interstate 35E and north of Town Centre has been targeted as a major development area for a myriad of uses. Opus Corp., the proposed de- veloper, designed a mixed com- mercial, retail, residential and park area north of Yankee Doodle Road and east of I-35E. As pro- posed, the development would have six Major retail stores, a By- erly's grocery store, small retail shops, four sit-down restaurants, 294 apartment units and a 14- acre park, with an optional com- munity center. A trail system and pedestrian walkway would link the areas together. Opus calls the project "Eagan Promenade." Since Eagan began the vi- sioning process for this parcel of land, ideas have evolved from the Parks and Recreation De- partment, a Central Area Task Force, the developer, the city's Advisory Planning.Commission and the City Council. A Central Area Task Force, comprised of planning members, residents and council members, met sever- al times to provide the City Council with a vision of how Eagan Promenade should be de- IfAA_ m_ A_ _ _ w lan: Promenade to be home to shops From Front Page veloped. This vision included a retail center, small scale main street, central park and a resi- dential neighborhood. After re- viewing the Opus draft proposal, the task force concluded that while the plan clearly meets the shopping criteria, it lacks a "sense of place" for residents. "Eagan Promenade is basical- ly a large shopping center. While it may be a commercial success, the project does not contribute any substantial community characteristic to create a com- munity focal area," wroth Clyde Thurston, task force chair, in a June 20 letter to the council. 'Much of the designated park The greatest challenges offer the greatest rewards, and. helping 'fsomeone in heed is just one: the iiewaraeY '11' e a foster care provider. If you have room in your heart and home for an adult or child who needs you, call now to find out how r?' you can help.; FXrTT A, Nl.I'v land area is unbuildable and un- usable for community gathering because of the steep slopes. The Village Green area, for example, has less than one acre of usable space," Thurston wrote in his memo. Councilmembers Pat Awada and Sandra Masin agreed and called the design a glorified strip mall. "This to me is really far from our vision," Masin said. Councilmember Shawn Hunter and Mayor Tom Egan praised the development plan, which is expected to raise more than $1 million in annual taxes for the city and create 500 jobs. "We can accomplish only so much on this site. This allows us to capture those incredibly vital uses our residents want. The residents are not on the same wish list as we are," Egan said. He suggested the city find an- other location for the open space, perhaps on vacant land north of the proposed development. "It doesn't have to be done today. It can be a 10-year process," Egan said. "This is not the end. This is the start." Staff was given authorization to work on further defining the project and to research other parcels of land for the desired park space. The Promenade plan is expected to come before the cot ncil again this fall. Approval of : preliminary plat and vari- ances will require a 4/5 vote from the council. Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan 'WARNING Real Estate . A °: This F Minneapolis, Ml` tips and systematic techni days or less! Whether yo; hiring someone to do it fo thousands of dollars more gives homesellers insider and precisely how to do it a FREE RECORDED f report. Find out the bow sold quickly for the higher Report provided by Cbemit 4A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun-C urrentlWednesday, July 19, 1995 Y r . ur vievwpo isi n is overshadowed , yearago,$agan's adrenaline was gushing over a °`'vision to .build a'unique gathering place in the center of town which could draw the community together. :.People became excited at the mention of a park with trails. around a lake, a community center and a munici- pal swimming pool. It could be a place to fly the stars and <.-stripes and -watch the rockets' red glare on July 4th. It -was to be area of quaint specialty shops where one could buy an espresso and a bagel while perusing the 'Ibp' 10 list at the corner bookstore. Townhouse living could overlook the central park. ,.` What happened to that vision? Under a recent proposal, the majority of it has been turned into an expanse of department stores, restau- rants and parking lots. What was left amounts to nearly .300 townhouses next to a sliver of park land too hilly and .steep to ride, a bike across or use for in -line skating. So why have city officials compromised their dream? Perhaps the dollar signs clouded their vision when they were told by the developer that the commercial area could draw $1 million a year into city coffers. ,Do they really expect to compete in the retail market- - place being just a stone's throw away from the Mall of America? A few miles further south, the Burnsville Cen- ter is struggling and has launched an advertising cam- paign against the megamall. The 120-acre O'Neil property in Eagan is one of the last large parcels of land to be developed. Situated next to Interstate 35E and north of Town Centre, it's a prime Location for a true promenade park. Some fear that such a place could attract the "wrong crowd." Those fears, while legitimate, could be applied to any city park. Good police protection and observance of the county curfew can help prevent problems. Shopping centers also are not immune to attracting the wrong crowd, such as shoplifters and parking lot partiers. So which will it be: Eagan, a commercial plaza, or a gathering place that makes other communities wish they had your vision for knowing what's in the best interest of its residents? OPINION Remember Korean War . Approximately 500,000 American soldiers, including several from our area, fought in one of the most physi- cally punishing wars in U.S. history. But when those who survived returned home from the Korean War, much of America turned a deaf ear. • "They didn't want to hear any more war stories," ex- plained a local veteran. World War II had ended just eight years earlier. Those whose 'lives' had returned to . normal apparently didn't want to be burdened with tales of death and destruction. • Judges react to on detaining of By Edward Lynch, Leslie M. Metzen and Patrice Sutherland Guest Columnists We are writing in response to your June 28, 1995 editorial at- tacking Judge Richard Spicer's decision to detain a juvenile on electronic home monitoring in- stead of placing him in a secure detention facility. The troubling truth is that Dakota County is the only major metropolitan county which does not have a se- cure juvenile detention facility. The facilities in surrounding counties are overcrowded and do not have space for us to even rent beds to meet our detention needs. Dakota County has only three beds available within the state where juveniles may be de- tained for more than eight days and those beds are in Brainerd. Since 1991, we have publicly supported the Dakota County deepartment of Community Cor- r actions' requests to establish a (� etention facility in Dakota County. A facility is currently planned but is at least two years from opening. The case at issue involves a j , tvenile facing multiple charges, i l ncluding aiding and abetting at- tempted murder, in connection ith the Jan. 15, 1995 robbery of t'ie U.S. Discount Store in West :I. Paul during which a store c lerk was shot. The alleged of- fenses are extremely serious. It 1 a sad commentary on commu- nity resources that we do not have an appropriate secure facil- ity to hold such a juvenile as the court process unfolds. The juve- nile judges often have no choice but to use some alternative method to detain a juvenile awaiting trial. This particular juvenile was not charged until early May and basically com- plied with the restrictions of the electronic monitoring system for a month. We are all concerned that he fled on June 1, 1995 and dozens of decisions every on whether to hold or relet dividuals accused of crime question frequently comes to who must be released s someone else can be Judges make those dec based on the best inforn they have from the profess involved. The juvenile j are at a further disadvant that secure detention fon violent offenders is oft( available. It is alarming to every the Dakota County justic tem and in the communit this particular juvenile e the electronic detention tem. It is unfortunate, ho' that a responsible media nization would attack a and resort to name calli the basis of one case w Share your vi The Sun•Current wel comments from its reader Please write to: Sun • Ct 1209 E. Cliff Road, Burr Want al easy wi to buy new air condi% but. �y� i Charges filed in � .Eagan hit-and-run Scott David Robertson, 36, of Eagan has been charged with two counts of leaving the scene of.a personal injury ac- cident, both felonies - under Minnesota • law, in connection with the death of an Eagan man, according to Dakota , County :Attorney James Back- strom. John Murtaugti, 32, of Eagan was walking along Dodd Road, just south of. Cliff Road, with his wife Nov. 26. At around 8 (See Charges, p.16A) Opus' proposal- gets preliminary approval By BRENDA HAUGEN Eagan Promenade .has gone through many changes in the time the Opus. Corporation and the city .have .been working on. the_ proposal. The fruits of that,. work were seen at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. The council unanimously. ap- proved the. Eagan 'Promenade, _ preliminary planned develop- ment proposal as well • as the development's " preliminary subdivision. The development will be found on :120 ,acres in the northeast quadrant ;of; Yankee ., Doodle Road and I-35E. • As it now stands, the pro-. (See Promenade, p.10A) _ d Public comment accepted on Eagan Promenade EAW An environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) has been 'prepared to address the poten- tial impacts of a 120-acre de- velopment,. the Eagan Prome- nade, proposed for construction at the northwest corner of the intersection of Yankee Doodle Road and Lexington Avenue. The proposed development is mixed use, including 480,100 square feet of retail space and approximately 300 multi- family. •residential units and associated parking. The EAW is available for public inspection and copying at the city of Eagan offices, 3830 Pilot Knob Road, and the Dakota County Library Wescott, 1340 Wescott Road in Eagan. Written comments on the EAW will be accepted by the city of Eagan until Nov. 22. The Eagan City Council will make a decision on the, need for- an environmental impact statement after the comment period expires. For more . information; call Peggy Reichert, community developmentdirector with the city of Eagan, at 681-4600. pts need to iey will go teacher salaries, do they have any other programs earmarked? If so; which ones, at which schools and how long will, it be before more money is re' quired? Dr. Haro has said that without `Empty -nester will vote for Dist. 196 levy To the editor: Since my two daughters graduated with the district's two most recent graduating classes, for the first time in 18 , • Two photographs were merged digitally for this bird's eye view of Town Centre on the left and the proposed Eagan Promenade shopping center site look- ing west from atop the Blue Cross Blue Shield building on Yankee Doodle Road in Eagan. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer; Cindy Rosin/Photo Illustrator) Eagan: A city with an identity crisis? By Sue Hegarty Staff Writer When you think of Eagan, what comes to mind? Life-long residents might re- member the airplane icon hoisted above the Airliner Motel, surrounded by acres of farm- land. A large bur oak (the lone oak tree), ham- mered with public notices, was the town's commu- nication center. When the new Cedar Bridge opened in October 1980, developers flocked to the wide expanse of farmland south of the Minnesota River. The city began to shed its country town image and became a full-fledged Twin Cities suburb. Each month, record num- bers of building permits were issued. As those rooted in the com- munity died or moved on, they were replaced by transplanted residents who call someplace else "home." "You see Eagan through the eyes of when you first enter the community," said City Admin- istrator Tom Hedges. "If you've just moved here, you see Eagan as it exists in 1995." Today, nearly 22 years after eing established as a city, 75 percent of the residents have lived in Eagan less than five years. To them, Eagan means something entirely different from those Lone Oak days. Bridging Eagan's past with what it is to become takes planning. Now that the rapid growth has slowed, city offi- cials have begun to take a step back to see what amenities res- idents want. For example, at the new Civic Center arena, reserva- tions for ice time were sold out long before the facility opened IDENTITY: To Page 14A from country town to sprawling suburb Home builder's lawsuit over the collection of road construction fees could put future funding for street pro- jects in jeopardy, Page 8A. Eagan public relations firm wants to work on the city's image, Page 9A. Slowed development com- bined with population in- creases shifts city revenue sources from fees to taxes, Page I 2A. How much do you think you know about Eagan? Test yourself with a trivia quiz, Page I4A. Among council's dreams: Create Promenade and recreation facility By Sue Hegarty Staff Writer City officials have a dream — to give residents a place to commune and to give those outside the city limits an iden- tifiable image of Eagan. The pressure has been on Opus Corp. to build a sense of community on 120 acres of farmland north of Town Cen- tre. Opus has had an option to purchase the land from Robert O'Neill, but two weeks ago O'Neill died, and the land be- came part of his estate. Opus is anxious to begin the project in order to meet com- mitments to proposed tenants, said city officials. Tenants could include a Byerly's gro- cery, a large retail merchant, bank and several smaller ten- ants, such as coffee shops and book stores. The concept plan, which was approved by the City Council in July, also in- cludes 294 townhouse units. The power center would be broken into pods of shopping areas, connected by a trail sys- tem of walking paths, outdoor seating and a fountain. "We've always known that this has needed to be a special project with special features," said Michelle Foster, senior di- rector of real estate develop- ment for Opus. "We can create focal points within, but it's not a small scale development." Earlier plans to include a public park and community center within the Opus devel- opment have been scrapped. Instead, city officials are searching for a site that could incorporate a public use area. They have their eyes on land east of Lexington Avenue and north of Yankee Doodle Road, adjacent to the O'Neill proper- ty. However, owners of Dart Transit in Eagan already have an option to purchase that land from Northwestern Mu - COUNCIL: To Page 14A I VUI\JL IIX JVVL/\1 JI III\IJ lronn Lffe nnform 81 Shoe Co. A bble C01%4 County Rd,42 and Nicollet Ave. S., Burnsville UPHOLSTERY SPECIAL COUCHES • LOVESEATS • CHAIRS • ANTIQUES • RECLINERS DINING ROOM CHAIRS • SWIVEL ROCKERS • HIDE -A -BEDS ROCKERS • CUSHIONS • KITCHEN CHAIRS • WING CHAIRS TUFTING • CHANNELING • FOOTSTOOLS ANYTHING COVERED IN FABRIC r' ' COUPON - 1 15% Off Labor-20% for Seniors Custom .Crafted Upholstery / DRAPERY &WINDOW ' Guaranteed Excellence TREATMENTS in Workmanship • Free In -Home Estimates • • 1000's of discounted fabrics • to choose from • In -Home fabric selection 698-1707 COUPON C Watt Bargains._ End of Year Clearance Sale with. Savings of 10%-50% on Every Lighting Fixture, Floor and Table Lamp. Featuring lighting by Kichler Overlooking 1-94 just west of Snelling. 647-0111. Mon. & Thu. 9-9, Tue., Wed. & Fri. 9-6; Sat. 9-5 Open 12-5 Sundays during sale! • Creative People Need Creative Lighting. After keeping his involve- ment in the murders a secret for 20 years, Claypool confessed to his minister, the Rev. Roger Thompson 'of Berean Baptist Church in Burnsville. Thompson said Claypool came to him in late September after a church ser- vice, said he wantedto confess a crime that he committed 20 years ago and he wanted to sur- render to authorities. After divulging 'some of the details, Thompson suggested to Claypool that they talk -in a'more private setting and arranged a_. meeting several days later. During their meeting, Thomp- son said Claypool expressed "re- morse and grief" for his actions and said- the incident had been haunting him the entire time. - On one hand, Thompson said the confession was "gratifying" for him because Claypool was love for the children. This is the right thing for him to do. People are praising God that he had the courage to do it." - According -to Wabasha Coun- ty Attorney Jim Nordstrom, Claypool told authorities he was high on marijuana and drunk when he committed the Dec. 21, 1975 murders. After going to a - party that night,' Claypool re- turned to his Lake City home and grabbed a .22-caliber rifle that he bought without his par- ents' knowledge. He bought the rifle with the-intention.of using it for target practice and not for murder, Nordstrom said, and had decided to kill the couple only 10 to 15 minutes_before the incident. He used a path to walk, next door to the Stricklands' home. When Wilmer answered the door, Claypool told him he was n't have enough evidence to con= .vict him. Last month a $25,000. reward was offered for information lead- ing to the arrest of the person committing the murders. Sever- al agencies, including the Feder- al Bureau of Investigations also formed a_task'force to 'look into the case. - Claypool waived his -rights to a preliminary hearing and trial, and to be tried as a juvenile. If he had been tried and convicted as a juvenile,Claypool would have been under state control for four years. - Nordstromhas recommended that Claypool serve concurrent sentences of 9 '/z years. With good behavior,. Claypool could be out on parole after6 '/z years. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 4. He is being held in Wabasha County Jail without bail. So far; ad charges won't have impact on campaign practices By Patrick Spaeth Staff Writer - Last week's indictment • of a congressional candidate over campaign practices won't have a.. major impact on proposals to limit rhetoric in campaign -ads, spokesmen for both major state political parties say. Tad Jude, an attorney from Fridley, was indicted along with his campaign manager for ads he ran in the final four days of his unsuccessful bid for the-U.S. Dis- trict 6 House seat in '1994. Rep. Bill Luther, who narrow- ly ,defeated Jude in a race that drew national attention, said the ads were "vicious" and "a, fabri- cation of reality." Jude and his campaign man- ager, Steve Knuth, who also was indicted, face pretrial hearings on Jan. 11. The gross misde- meanor charges carry maximum penalties of $3,000 and one year in prison. But so far, efforts to forge agreements dedicated to keep- ing a positive spin on political ads haven't gained much ground. Democratic- Farmer Labor Chairman Mark Andrew and Republican Chairman Chris Georgacas have met 'to discuss the proposals but have not reached'any substantive middle ;••I994:campaign adleads to Indictment Please see on Page; ground. One reason, Republican Party -spokesman Randy Skoglund said, is that many Republicans feel it is too presumptuous to tell _voters what is, or isn't, fair play. "That would be pretty offen- sive to people," he said. "The. public knows when the line is crossed." • David Green, press.secretary for the DFL, said the proposals would not preclude candidates criticizing an opponent's record. But they would encourage candi- dates to build on why they differ rather than pounding an oppo- nent's perceived weaknesses into the ground with spin tactics. "It would elevate the level of discourse," he said. "And it would elevate the challenge to the can- -didate to say why he or she would do things a different way." Two ideas have been submit- ted to curb vitriolic .Campaigns. -One,. the Minnesota Compact, calls for, • among other things, more face-to-face candidate de- bates with minimal intrusion by moderators. - The other, dubbed the Cam- paign Advertising Code, essen- 1 tially aims at reducing personal attacks by asking candidates to do. their own. voiceovers and avoid using their opponent's image in their ads. Theadvertising code is par- ticularly loathsome to Republi- cans, Skoglund said, because it is the brainchild of Lee Lynch, .an advertising executive who Skoglund said has been a tradi- tional supporter of Democrats, including Sen: Paul Wellstone. ' "The-Lyncli code is obviously going to help incumbents," he said, claiming that it's intent is to discourage criticism of their records. "And the Democrats have a senator and six of the eight [U.S.] house seats." In any case, even if both sides were to forge an agreement in scaling back the rhetoric, Green acknowledges that there would be little to dissuade a desperate opponent to violate the -agree- mentin a last-ditch effort to win: "It's a very touchy issue,"; he said. "The thing is, political par- ties don't have the power to en- force how .candidates conduct their campaigns. Certainly; it• gives a candidate a. betxer_ chance to .point out if an oppd nent violated the code. But at that point, the- public- Would have to decide:. . 14A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun.Current/Wednesday, Dec. 6, 1995 BRIDGING THE GAP: FROM COUNTRY TOWN TO SPRAWLING SUBURB Identity From Front Page in September. Toddlers look forward to next. summer when the new wading pool opens, while their older sib- lings wonder if a swimming pool is part of future plans. Negotiations for a 210-acre shopping' center at Interstate 35E and Yankee Doodle Road offer the promise of convenient shopping and city tax -revenue. • The loss of one of the city's two privately -owned golf courses has city officials wondering if a Mu-, nicipal course is a desired amenity: The impeding maturity of a community affects builders, as well. They are more apt to hear objections from neighbors who live next to undeveloped• land and who have a concern for com- patibility. . One component that is need- ed to successfully build a desir- able community. in which to work or live is communications, Hedges said. Right now, there's a gap in communications, he said. No- tices pinned to an oak tree.won't work anymore for a community e(Ot q(6 E(8 P(i. q(9 a(5 that has 'more than 57,000 resi dents. So what is the best way for policy makers to stay in touch with community stake holders? If approved by the council, a .public relations firm may be brought on board to bridge com- munications and .help extrapo- �IRUGHT AHLGREN%STAFF ARTIST (' a - P(Z• q(t ULgSI WIL SNiV late what Eagan is to become when it reaches full maturity. City officials hope 'a commu- nications plan will help give res- idents, as well as those- outside looking in, a sense of what kind of community Eagan is and will become. uncil: Funds, agreements key Front Page. tual Insurance Co. Dart Transit is considering its expansion needs, while the city envisions a possible commu- nity center, swimming pool or public golf course -on the site. If Dart 'is willing to negotiate for another location in which to ex- pand, perhaps the city will .get its gathering place after all. Discussion about 'adding a golf course to the list of public facility options arose when Bill Smith, owner of Carriage Hills. Golf Course, offered to sell, the course to the city. After review- inga consultant's report on the feasibility of buying Carriage Hills,. the council decided to pursue the Northwestern Mu- .. tual Land instead. Since, then, Carriage Hills Golf Course has been purchased. by Pulte Homes for development as a mixed -use residential neigh- borhood. What's needed now to make this City Council dream a reali- ty is the council's approval of the preliminary development plan, an agreement with Dart Transit for the Northwestern Mutual land and lots of money. `We've always known that this has needed to be a special project with special features.' — Michelle Foster Senior director of real estate development for Opus Right now, Opus and the city of Eagan are in disagreement over how much share each should have in developing the in- frastructure surrounding the power center. Last week, the two were about $3 million apart. Eagan now is asking Opus to pay about $6.8. million in road con- struction costs. Foster said Opus was told by the city in June that its share would be about $3.9 million. "It's significantly higher," Foster said. An agreement will have to be struck. soon, she said, if con struction is to begin in March. Opus' plans to open five or six of the stores by next November, Foster said. ' Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, Dec. 6, 1995 13A Holiday Customer Appreciation Saturday, December 9th Santa Fib i -1 t Lic2(1*ps -„.. (Coot is frafn front page) Hunter::.said Opus asked the city to reserve five licenses for them, but the council declined because it wouldn't be fair to everyone else. "We're not treating Opus dif- ferently from anyone else," he said at'>,the Feb. F 6 council meeting Accordin to Mayor Tom Egan, the council: would be doing a disservice to the city if it were. to give all its remain- ing ;licenses to Opus and not have , ajuy left for ether devel- opments But local : businessman Al Baker said :..he's ` concerned about applying to the Legisla- ture; for.::pore liquor licenses. With 16:liquor licenses already out and five to reserve, e : need for another five censes is :.questionable, he spid, addi ;the -city doesn't want to , oversaturatp the mar- ket: v ::... Council Member Sandra Masin said.. she's concerned about Opus asking for five liq- uor licenses and having none left for anyone else. According to . Baker, other cities, such : as .Edina, do just fine with noliquorlicenses. He added he doesn't believe Opus would pull its development if it didn't get the licenses. Regardless, the council unanimously .approyed the re- quest for -five mote licenses from the . gislature. Accord- ing to ' Hedges, Rep. Tim Pawlenty is preparing the spe- cial legislation. rei ue pieo >wt. rack,. ore liquor licenses By BFENDA HAUGEN Opui' Eagan Promenade De- velopipent north of Town Cen- ;;;re h;.s prompted the city to Jeque:t five more liquor li- pense:c from the state Legisla t urc, t jespite the . cppcerns of a �gpal : �}rsinessman. • - At r resent, the city has five on -sae liquor licenses avail- able, two of which are : deaig. nated for hotels in the_ current, city code, said City Adminis- trator Tom Hedges...' Opus is anticipating '.the need:;. :for live liquor licensesfor, its . restaurants m ,. the Eagan_:: Promenade ''development.;; Council Metaber bawn.'; s FOLD� :N bS Eagan New stores to open at Promenade Retail center will be anchored by first Panda Express `restaurant' in state by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS A former furniture store in Eagan's Promenade shopping area will be offi- cially up and running as a multi -store retail center by the first week of April. Developer Stonehenge USA has turned the for- mer Ethan Allen store into a strip mall with six store- fronts. Ethan Allen closed its doors in June 2008 and stood vacant for more than a year. Now it will be home to a Sport Clips, Smash - burger, Solo's Pizza, Ve- rizon Wireless, Panda Ex- press, and Pearle Vision. Two of the center's stores, Sport Clips and Smashburger, have already opened. The others are ex- pected to open over the next several weeks. "We're really thrilled about the way it came out. We think it looks fantastic," said Dave Carland, execu- tive vice president of Stone- henge USA. Even in this tough econ- omy, Carland said the proj- ect had no trouble finding tenants. "We had a pretty good list going into it. We only had one vacancy prior to construction," he said. That vacancy has since been filled, but Carland said there were other interested tenants, as well. The Promenade shop- ping area remains a big draw. Located along Yan- kee Doodle Road off of I-35E, it includes big -box retailers such as Byerly's, Bed Bath and Beyond, Of- fice Max, PetSmart, Barnes and Noble, Michaels, and Old Navy. The center totals ., 278,510 square feet. Stonehenge shaved 40 feet from the front of the Ethan Allen building to re- duce its depth and created 28 additional parking spac- es, for a total building size of about 14,400 square feet. Some of the stores are relatively new to the south metro. Sport Clips is a salon for men with a sports-themed environment, including televised sports at every sta- tion, sports magazines, and memorabilia gifts. A spon- sor of NASCAR's Joey Lo- gano, the salon also offers preferential pricing to vet- erans. Sport Clips has one other south -metro location in Burnsville. Smashburger, a Denver - based "fast -casual" restau- rant, has six other locations in the Twin Cities, but Ea- gan's is the first in the south metro. According to the com- pany; the name comes from the cooking method used to create the "perfect" burger: smashing, searing and sea- soning fresh Angus beef on a flat grill. The restaurant also serves Smashchicken, Smashdogs and Smashsal- ads. "After entering the Twin Cities market in 2009, it's obvious that Minnesotans crave our `better burgers'," said Smashburger President Scott Crane. "Smashburg- er's south -metro location brings us one step closer to becoming every city's favor- ite place for burgers." Solos Pizza Cafe, which also has locations in Plym- outh and Maple Grove, is expected to open Feb. 22. Solos aims to make the world's best individual pizza right before your eyes "at a price that's easy to swallow," according to its founders. Verizon Wireless plans to open March 8, and Panda Express will open March 22. Anchoring one side of the mall, the Eagan location of Panda Express will be the first to open outside of a mall in Minnesota. The final store, Pearle Vision, is expected to open the first week of April. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc. corn. -- —..a ldra toms ■■■nman'0 muurrlcir Bumble and bumble.V For a limited time, ha\ Quenching Masque f the Shampoo, Conditi Available at Cole Apple Valley Southport Centre 952.891.4112 Eagan Eagan Station 651.456.9454 Burnsvi Cobblesi 952.435. Marketp' 952.226. • kalk, 1111 .1 sirr e• e. 4, us-ls 14111;16", Opt, & 11&11 11 Pia III ts — F ' C C .40+^( 4960417-9PC-17 Eagan Promenade Eagan, MN April 17, 1996 Looking North ©1996 Bordner Aerials 9072 Lyndale Ave. S. Bloomington, MN 55420 (612) 881-1546 dvE QQ 4960417-9PC-12-C Eagan Promenade Eagan, MN April 17, 199E Looking Northeast ©1996 Bordner Aerials 9072 Lyndale Ave. S. Bloomington, MN 55420 (612) 881-1546