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FRONTAGE ROAD I
<br /> 2000 CONSTRUCTION
<br /> c.,a;
<br /> Eik River
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<br /> The West Park features adjacent 20- E T- e «� — bills by 30 percent in Ohio and West Vir-
<br /> nd 22 acre sites that run parallel to U.S. ° , .I ,. , .
<br /> 0. These sites, which stretch west to ftliAl.. .-= V� ««� ginia.We can also heat a swimming pp,"
<br /> ��41 4 ..�'"""" ambos for around ten dollars a month, as(
<br /> the Sherburne County Government Cen- ��l
<br /> �., = ..... posed to$300 a month for natural gas."
<br /> ter,have been rough graded and the utili- i i � . •
<br /> -
<br /> ties-gas,water and electric-are already i lst� Du(,( $G
<br /> inplace. �b� IW
<br /> West Business Park
<br /> On the other side of the Government =-' _ _ _ I z_ Yet the average cost of industrial
<br /> Center is an 83-acre tract scheduled to I square footage in Elk River will hardly
<br /> be ready for development in September West Business Park detour a company from setting up shop.
<br /> of this year. Both the East and West "The price of industrial land here,"
<br /> Nevinski said,"is quite reasonable.From$1 to$1.20 per square foot,
<br /> Parks sit on major transportation corridors, highways and rails that
<br /> which includes the improvements. In some nearby areas,that price
<br /> link the parks to the rest of the state and beyond.
<br /> "These areas are zoned`business park'and are ideal locations for goes up anywhere'from $2 to$3 dollars per square foot."Yet, there
<br /> campus environments,"Nevinski said."The design requirements are a bit are other incentives for prospective businesses.
<br /> we have, but trails, Financially, Elk River is competitive with other communities in the
<br /> higher than the more established industrial parks
<br /> ponds and other amenities will be incorporated into theparks as theystate,offering tax increment financing,taxabatementand sub-prime loans
<br /> develop." p among other tools.
<br /> "We can also provide assistance to both new and existing businesses
<br /> f;i,(444, y that qualify,"Nevinski said,"but we're careful not to overburden ourtax-
<br /> Even though the city is looking more toward embracing the industrial payers.Keeping taxes low is a priority of the council."
<br /> company to take root and grow within its corporate limits, its arms
<br /> have and will spread wider. E�" f e
<br /> "Though we've leaned toward more of the machining,metals and com- Another drawing card for the city is its"Energy City"designation by a
<br /> puter-electronics companies,"Nevinski said,"we're looking for viable state organization called Energy Alley.Conservation,innovation and de-
<br /> companies who are looking to stay in the area once they become estab- cades worth of just saying no to pollution has polished Minnesota's emer-
<br /> d.Companies who will create good wages and make capital invest- ald city as it strives to keep"green."
<br /> is-we're certainly open to meeting with them in the hopes of inviting In 1998,the Environmental Protection Agency awarded Elk River?-4-
<br /> them in."Sometimes that means helping companies establish themselves, Project of the Year for the city's flame that burns off methane that fol
<br /> inside landfill berms;and city environmental-energy leaders meet monthly
<br /> nonbankable companies who are looking to go public.Candidates for the
<br /> with state energy leaders in discussing energy matters since the city is
<br /> city's incubator program are chosen by the Economic Development Au-
<br /> thority. the state focal point for new energy technology and services.These"en-
<br /> "We're not necessarily targeting new manufacturing companies for the ergy talks"often produce award-worthy innovations such as"energy
<br /> houses"that feature a dozen or so energy technologies in each house.
<br /> incubator," Nevinski said, "but companies offering high-tech prod-
<br /> ucts or services."The EDA leases the incubator building at a low per- Energy House I,for example,uses a geothermal pump for heating and
<br /> square-foot cost.The space has been improved and divided into various cooling the interior of the home,using the constant temperature of the
<br /> earth below the frost line.
<br /> suites.A company can pay a portion of its rent in cash,and the remainder
<br /> of rent is bartered for stock. The city is also set to receive one of the largest wind generators in
<br /> One company currently in the Elk River incubator is SolarAttic,a com- the world. With a height of nearly 200 feet and blades with a diameter
<br /> pany that developed the technology to recycle the heat that gets trapped in of close to 180 feet, the wind turbine will generate enough power to
<br /> attics. run 250 homes.
<br /> "We can take attic heat,"said company founder Ed Palmer,"and put it "Environmentally,"said Stephen Rohlf,the city's building and zoning
<br /> back into the house to reduce heating costs. Or we can use it to heat administrator,"Elk River has a reputation of being tough but fair.There's a
<br /> swimming pools or hot water.And when you take heat out of the attic,you lot of mineral mining going on just north of town.When a mineral contrac-
<br /> won't have to run the air conditioner as much in the summer."While
<br /> tor was asked,in an environmental context,what the toughest city was.
<br /> he d ever worked in,he said Elk River.And when he was asked what his
<br /> developing his energy-saving technology,Palmer worked out of his ga-
<br /> favorite city to work in was,his answer was the same-Elk Rive
<br /> rage for years,slowly refining the idea since June of 1984. In August r.That's
<br /> of'86 Palmer began working full time on his concept, and now he's one of the more honest compliments on our city that I can remember."
<br /> Minutes from the Twin Cities yet far enough away to have maintained
<br /> taken it a step further by working out of the city's incubator.
<br /> Ed Palmer on the Elk River Incubator:"It's been extremely helpful-it got its small-town character,Elk River still offers both industrial and high-tech
<br /> us out of the garage.The incubator gave us a commercial opportunity opportunities to companies looking to expand or establish themselves.
<br /> wh customers and investors can come out and see our products and --\(•o ail manufacturing facility. People are a little weary about driv-
<br /> city orv,
<br /> imist .
<br /> ing out to someone's garage in a residential area. It's given us a big
<br /> Elk River in driving us forward."
<br /> SolarAttic pool systems are currently used in 33 states, and the 13065 Orono Parkway Elk River, Minnesota 55330
<br /> attic units in 16. TDD & Phone: 763-441-7420• Fax: 763-441-7425
<br /> "The attic unit has proved," Palmer said, "to cut annual heating
<br /> www.elk-river.mn.us
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