COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUS TOUR
From the Fall 2005 Re-Echo

On May 21, 2005, the League of Women Voters and Park Shores sponsored a bus tour of the Park, narrated by the City's Director of Community Development, Kevin Locke. Some of the more historically significant proposed and ongoing activities are described as follows:
 

Park Summit: The Friedheim Building at 36th and Park Center Blvd. (built 1972) would be replaced with 14 stories (150 units) of luxury condominiums.

Post Office: The new Elmwood Post Office Building at 36th and Raleigh was turned over to the Post Office by the City in April. Reasons for the delay in opening range from a lack of employees to an improperly poured driveway.

Wooddale and Hwy 7: This intersection is up for redevelopment. The City has purchased the Somek building (5915 Hwy 7) and will also purchase the building at 6007 Hwy 7.

Anderson Builders: This was a 2 acre contaminated site that was cleaned up and replaced with a 16,580 sq. ft. office building.
 

Mendota Homes: A former cement plant (AVR?) at 3270 Gorham is/will be 75 market rate condos in a three-story building.

The site of the former Apple Valley Redi-Mix plant is slated to become 75 condos.

Sam's Club at Louisiana and Lake Street intends to build a new store at the same site but facing Highway 7. Its present site will be parking and a gas station,

The 9.5 acre site that was originally National Lead and then Golden Auto Parts needs to be de-contaminated. Plans are to construct a 95,550 sq. ft. office/warehouse building. The Golden Auto Parts building (built 1963) is still there as a pawn shop.

Brookside School is being transformed into 27 condos. Master Builders will also build 14 townhouses and 5 single family homes on the site.

Village in the Park/Elmwood Village, former site of Minnesota Rubber, will create 204 housing units by June 2007: 78 townhouses, 60 loft condos, and 60 senior condos.

Hoigaard Village: Hoigaard's, which has been in business since 1895 and in the Park since 1960, is either moving or going out of business. Tentative plans call for the site to be redeveloped into condos, townhouses, and luxury apartments, 165 total units.

Many proposals have been made to redevelop the site of Al's Bar (1926), Anderson Cleaners (1958), and me Best Western Motel (1958). Although there are no current proposals, it is clear that this valuable piece of property will continue to attract potential developers.

Knollwood Target will be demolished and a SuperTarget will rise in its place. The store was only the second Target ever, built in 1962.

Bally's is for sale.

Pier One is going into the Snyder's spot at Excelsior and Grand.

Projected light rail stations in SLP will be at Belt Line Blvd., Wooddale, and Louisiana.

The Park Theater building is for sale, but there are currently no proposals on the table.

Parkside Urban Flats, at 460 Ford Road, consists of 70 market rate condos in 3 buildings.

Aquila Commons: The Former Talmud Torah School at 33 and Virginia will be replaced with 110 units of senior, limited equity co-ops.

Stonebridge Condos: This was a former tennis club at Ford Road and 394. Plans include 65 market rate condos

The Lithium Plant was located at approximately 2401 Edgewood, and it contaminated the 5.8 acre site. Food Producers followed. The building was demolished and a new building went up in 2003.

RKL Landholdings: Swamp land between the new (2000) Creekside Apartments (7100 Excelsior) and the Appliance Recycling Center (7400 Excelsior) is slated to become a six story, 86 unit condo building.
 

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.