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<br /> Elk riimmi
<br /> Elk River
<br /> River of Growth
<br /> The Light Industrial ,_:
<br /> • u at ECk R V
<br /> �^x"J' 'O'� ��Zub In The Northwest
<br /> is anything, it is a confluence of histories. around 2,000, the same size it was just
<br /> From Dakota and Ojibwe nation skirmishes Twin Cities , after the Civil War. Part of the reason for'' the rapid growth,according to Nevinski,is
<br /> in the late 1700s to industrial park develop- ..---. .--;,-,9.,9 , -�Y #
<br /> ments in the 1970s, Elk River is a veritable k k 4n , due to recreation.
<br /> r M brit k 'Elk River is on the way to where people
<br /> time capsule of Americana.Nestled between z +rte� �
<br /> forested hardwoods and prairie along the j :3'ice v go to relax,"he said."U.S.10 and U.S.169
<br /> Mississippi and Elk Rivers, the city, eight 4' i 3 r� carry a great deal of traffic.The city is on the
<br /> way to Brainerd and the cabins up north.And
<br /> miles north of 1-94 and just minutes from1-1;g1,,,47,"1",71 � .�-� � ��'° ',' it doesn't hurt being just eight miles north of
<br /> Minneapolis, is a blend of both rural it,.
<br /> America and commercial convenience:But " '% I-94,which links us to the Twin Cities.The
<br /> �� commuting advantage of working in Elk River
<br /> much has changed since David Faribault r' % ",. : s '�.' versus the Twin Cities is the`reverse'com
<br /> built the first trading post on one of the ' x
<br /> town's bluffs in 1846. aY mute.It's a much easier drive for commuters
<br /> '# ., coming to Elk River than it is driving into the
<br /> "We're growing at a solid four percent aa # ��
<br /> year," said Marc Nevinski,the city's Assis- i 7 ,- , r -; Cities."
<br /> tant Director of Economic Development. k Of course the close proximity of the Twin
<br /> "We've seen a considerable amount of resi- _, � ' Cites to Elk River is another reason why com-
<br /> r panies are flourishing in the historic town.
<br /> dential and commercial development in the 7,
<br /> past decade or so.To balance that growth, r Manufacturers can get supplies from metro
<br /> h council and EDA (Economic Develop- "„' vendors in same-or next-day deliveries to
<br /> c.-11-,,:-
<br /> the p
<br /> ment Authority)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 To St.Cloud 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 /> diktrategic economic development plan,and the es- the things that our businesses consistently noted
<br /> ablishment of a location site process plan to was Elk River's excellent access to vendors and
<br /> better serve the city's industrial clients. Elk River 9 services in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.Addi-•
<br /> "The goal," Nevinski said, "is to make the de- tionally,we have a lot of those services right here
<br /> velopment process as smooth as and seamless in Elk River. Tool grinders, hardware stores, of-
<br /> as possible for businesses looking to locate here." J fice supplies,printers and publishers,quality ven-
<br /> In 1872, the village of Elk River incorporated
<br /> / - m dors so that businesses here don't have to keep
<br /> and became the county seat. A little over 100running into the Twin Cities-we're getting a nice
<br /> 10 1
<br /> years later, Elk River consolidated with the sur- group of businesses that serve one another."
<br /> rounding township, creating a city of 44 square ElkRiverislneuted D
<br /> only tlHrtV minutes .q✓,���W �� �T
<br /> miles-one of the largest in the state. The town f'nm tde Turin Cities ,
<br /> witnessed some moderate growth in the 1970s, :9 In In the 1970s,the city developed the Elk River
<br /> but nothing like the influx of residents in the'80s. Industrial Park not far from the center of town,
<br /> 94,
<br /> "We have the residents and all the amenities- St Cloud a conglomeration of industries on sprawling,
<br /> Elk River. Mimieapolis/
<br /> the retail shops and restaurants-and now we're Minneapolis SLPauI well-manicured lawns.Though the plan eventu
<br /> 5w allycalled for the cityto take over the park,the
<br /> looking to expand our industrial base.And that's
<br /> St.Paul r x
<br /> been happening," said Nevinski, who in addition 1 city had yet to establish an economic develop-
<br /> to Catherine Mehelich, the department's di- ment 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 Nevinski,and Catherine Mehelich , over 100 Elk River citizens. One of the ma-
<br /> cludes a financial director, a three-person (Economic Development Staff), .`�;,; ,* O.
<br /> players in Elk River development has al-
<br /> planning department,a sixperson inspections ..,: g!s!; ways been First National Bank of Elk River
<br /> ;r. president and CEO Dick Gongoll. •
<br /> department and a public works staff. In addi- - ..! .'
<br /> tion, the city has a 30-member police force -.410-:,,\.,:'..,,,,, ' .�` ,., "One of our goals as a community was
<br /> and a volunteer fire department that includes 't` �'....'' 4' to try and provide work here so people didn't
<br /> • 'l have to commute," Gongoll said. "It's also
<br /> ea
<br /> full-time fire chief. .41r', �.hi.
<br /> .. ,' • im important in Minnesota to have a good
<br /> With a population of close to 18,000, Elk
<br /> r:.
<br /> ‘,/
<br /> p
<br /> com-
<br /> River is projected to exceed 20,000 in 2002: .] ' mercial base because of the tax structure-
<br /> ;-• � -" ...
<br /> That's unprecedented growth,considering that , — 4,;,-,-"--,7-,-,-4:4Y-_-!,1 -•. , we can better support our schools that way.
<br /> in the 1970s the population of Elk River was "" _ • fi
<br />
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