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<br /> Elk River j,,F
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<br /> eLigl=t Indus 1i f �ti-,v
<br /> 0 re Ile, eiLiAt 01 Et4 kzvt4'is anything, ® In iii N Ythw:i
<br /> it is a confluence of histories. , �`z � € q around 2,000, the same size it was just
<br /> ` �° LJZ Cit —k•, after the Civil War. Part of the'reason for
<br /> From Dakota and Ojibwe nation skirmishes �, .,� Y � � ;
<br /> in the late 1700s to industrial park develop "- - y �F � ti :=r' the rapid growth,according to Nevinski,is
<br /> ments in the 1970s, Elk River is a veritable '� due to recreation.
<br /> time capsule of Americana.Nestled between � `j_•,. _ "Elk River is on the way to where people
<br /> forested hardwoods and.prairie along the - _ 7`° m t go to relax,"he said."U.S.10 and U.S.169
<br /> Mississippi and Elk Rivers, the city, eight -',-f-'1.,. ----'''`,-.;,n-, 3 ,, .-,••:-., carry a great deal of traffic.The city is on the
<br /> . 9 • "'
<br /> miles north of 1-94 and just minutes from t = Y way Brainerd and the cabins up north.And
<br /> Minneapolis, is a blend of both rural s tt4 '� itdoesn'thurt bein ust eiht miles north of
<br /> America and commercial convenience. But f 1-94,which links ustothe Twin Cities.The
<br /> much has changed since David Faribault „•::.•:'--.1,.::.-,T.;..;...-17.,,,:: I;, -�4 °; commuting advantage of working in Elk River
<br /> built the first trading post on one of theversus the Twin Cities is the`reverse'com
<br /> town's bluffs in 1846. t z - mute.It's a much easier drive for commuters
<br /> "We're growing at a solid four percent a P coming to Elk River than it is driving into the
<br /> year,”said Marc Nevinski,the city's Assis- 4 • ;; ' Cities."
<br /> tant Director of Economic Development. .; _ .1 *` ,7` .- Of course the close proximity of the Twin
<br /> "We've seen a considerable amount of resi- -,,,„44,-.: " Cites to Elk River is another reason why corn-
<br /> - --commercial development in the ` ,"� - ponies are flourishing in the historic town.
<br /> past decade or so.To balance that growth, 3. 4 Manufacturers can get supplies from metro
<br /> the council and EDA (Economic Develop- �,---- vendors in same-or next-day deliveries to
<br /> mentAuthority)have taken steps to increase reduce customer turnaround times. "Elk
<br /> industrial development in the city." River,"Nevinski said,"is fast becoming the light
<br /> Nevinski cites the zoning of over one hundred roscCloud industrial hub in the northwest metro area.
<br /> and fifty acres as business park,the creation of a "We did a business survey last year. One of
<br /> 0tegic economic development plan,and the es- _,, el the things that our businesses consistently n ,-a...
<br /> 0itegic
<br /> of a location site process plan to was Elk River's excellent access to vendorsL,
<br /> better serve the city's industrial clients. .. services0
<br /> in the Minneapolis-St.Paul area.Addi-
<br /> "The goal,"Nevinski said,"is to make the de- Elk River tionally,we have a lot of those services right here
<br /> velopment process as smooth as and seamlessin Elk River. Tool grinders, hardware stores, of-
<br /> as possible for businesses looking to locate here." 101fice supplies,printers and publishers,quality ven-
<br /> In 1872,the village of Elk River incorporated dors so that businesses here don't have to keep
<br /> and became the county seat. A little over 100 running into the Twin Cities-we're getting a nice
<br /> years later, Elk River consolidated with the sur- '"' y, group of businesses that serve one another."
<br /> rounding township, creating a city of 44 square ElkRiverislocaled
<br /> miles-one of the largest in the state. The town fo�+�the Tvin Cities " .' r.4.44.‘44 p,...44.
<br /> witnessed some moderate growth in the 1970s, .,'4 In the 1970s,the city developed the Elk River
<br /> but nothing like the influx of residents in the'80s. i81 v Industrial Park not far from the center of town,
<br /> "We have the residents and all the amenities- sLco"a a conglomeration of industries on sprawling,
<br /> the retail shops and restaurants-and now we're
<br /> Elk
<br /> neapol• Mi ��'�i well-manicured lawns.Though the plan eventu-
<br /> looking to expand our industrial base.And that's 5t "' '1" `: ally called for the city to take over the park,the
<br /> been happening,"said Nevinski,who in addition T city had yet to establish an economic develop-
<br /> to Catherine Mehelich, the department's di-` merit authority. Thus, the park was devel-
<br /> rector,comprises one half of the city economic oped by a local development corporation of
<br /> development staff. The city's staff also in- Marc Nevanskl a tt enne�t�enei, ^� . over 100 Elk River citizens. One of the ma-
<br /> cludes a financial director, a three-person E nr��rc o m t ; � � , jor players in Elk River development has al-
<br /> planning department,a six-person inspections � �« � -�' ways been First National Bank of Elk River
<br /> department and a public works staff. In addi -
<br /> ����,, i z � �7 ,.: president and CEO Dick Gongoll.
<br /> tion, the city has a 30-member police force '� , � s, . "One of our goals as a community was
<br /> and a volunteer fire department that includes �� s .;,"o to try and provide work here so people didn't
<br /> ilitime fire chief. 4. have to commute," Gongoll said. "It's also
<br /> lipth a population of close to 18,000, Elk `'�i'k = a
<br /> important in Minnesota to have a good cl
<br /> River is projected to exceed 20,000 in 2002. mercial base because of the tax structure
<br /> That's unprecedented growth,considering that , .' we can better support our schools that way.
<br /> in the 1970s the population of Elk River was - t V.
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