A long-deserted chunk of city-owned land adjacent to the Village at Mendota Heights housing and retail area is pegged for development once again. This time, though, plans have been scaled back.
The Mendota Heights City Council last week heard formal presentations from two developers — Grand Real Estate Advisors and At Home Apartments — for 3 acres of land at the Village, located just north of Minnesota 62 (formerly 110) and east of Dodd Road.
The council — on a 3-2 vote — then chose to negotiate a land sale with Grand Real Estate Advisors, which is proposing a three-story building with 42 units of age-restricted apartments; a 4,500-square-foot restaurant; and a 2,000-square-foot co-working space for small-business owners and entrepreneurs.
The amount of housing, which would be limited to residents 55 years of age and older, is a far cry from the last proposal the city received for the site.
In 2017, Trammell Crow Co. wanted to build a five-story apartment building with 150 to 164 units. But the project was eventually scrapped by Trammell Crow after density and building height concerns were raised by council members, Village residents and their neighbors.
The land, situated between Linden Street and Dodd Road, fell into the city’s lap as tax forfeitures more than a decade ago. The original plan was for 14 townhomes and an additional five “home offices.” Then, the recession hit.
Judd Fenlon, a principal at St. Paul-based Grand Real Estate Advisors, said during the company’s pitch to the council last week that the existing neighborhood was on their minds while they drafted the plan.
“We spent a lot of time talking about what’s appropriate in terms of density, aesthetics and how this building feels and interacts with this already established neighborhood,” he said. “We think that the concept that we came up with blends in nicely and enhances what is already there.”
A WALKABLE COMMUNITY
Couple Barb and Keith Theisen, who live in the Village townhomes, agree. The empty-nesters moved into a Village townhouse in 2016 — and vocally opposed the Trammell Crow project a year later because of its size.
“We want a project that is more appropriate for the spot,” Barb said last week, following the developers’ presentations.
Grand Real Estate Advisors put forth a plan with a good mix of housing and retail, she said.
“Some might be concerned about having a restaurant, but we actually like it,” she said, “because a reason why we moved here is so you can walk around and go to these shops and restaurants.”
Last week’s runner-up, At Home Apartments, proposed 45 units of housing — 11 townhomes and the rest apartments — but no restaurant or other retail.
Grand Real Estate Advisors has brought Twin Cities’ restaurateur Paul Dzubnar into the fold for the restaurant part of the project. Dzubnar is the owner and operator of Green Mill, Crooked Pint Ale and Town Hall restaurants.
“I think we can build a segment that isn’t in Mendota Heights right now,” he said.
SALE MAY HELP CLOSE BUDGET GAP
Tim Benetti, the city’s community development director, said an appraisal earlier this year valued the land between $935,000 and $1.2 million.
But whatever the site fetches the city, the money is already accounted for. In February, the council agreed to use proceeds from the land sale to help close a $1.2 million budget gap for remodeling the city’s fire station.
Benetti said city staff is now preparing a purchase agreement to present to Grand Real Estate Advisors, with the goal of bringing it to the council to review next month.
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