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i, r '�1 FRONTAGE ROAD
<br /> \� 2000 CONSTRUCTOR
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<br /> �, Elk River
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<br /> The West Park features adjacent 20 4 s> ,•: bills by 30 percent in Ohio and West Vir-
<br /> and 22-acre sites that run parallel to U.S. - �{ -'f}ya , ginia.We can also heat a swimming pool
<br /> 10. These sites, which stretch west to F{ z*` y _ , . ; 4 for around ten dollars a month, as op-
<br /> •the Sherburne County Government Cen- ,_ §k k E� posed to$300 a month for natural gas."
<br /> ter,have been rough graded and the utili- ! i;1.;f ,
<br /> ties—gas,water and electric-are already a�£ s i NU/444a 9.44t,
<br /> in place. k .`'g West Business Park Yet the average cost of industrial
<br /> On the other side of the Government '�� y'� �"""°° �'°
<br /> — square footage in Elk River will hardly
<br /> Center is an 83-acre tract scheduled to detour a company from setting up shop.
<br /> be ready for development in September "The price of industrial land here,"
<br /> of this year. Both the East and West Nevinski said, "is quite reasonable. From$1 to$1.20 per square foot,
<br /> Parks sit on major transportation corridors, highways and rails that which includes the improvements. In some nearby areas, that price
<br /> link the parks to the rest of the state and beyond.
<br /> goes up anywhere from $2 to$3 dollars per squareuar
<br /> foot." Yet, there
<br /> "These areas are zoned 'business park'
<br /> and are ideal locations for
<br /> are other incentives forprospective
<br /> businesses.
<br /> campus environments,"Nevski said."The design requirements are a bit
<br /> Financially, Elk River is competitive with other communities in the
<br /> higher than the more established industrial parks we have, but trails, state,offering tax increment financing,tax abatement and sub-prime loans
<br /> ponds and other amenities will be incorporated into the parks as they vamongother tools.
<br /> develop." «l o
<br /> �I We can also provide assistance to both new and existing businesses
<br /> that qualify,"Nevinski said,"but we're careful not to overburden our tax-
<br /> 1 'ti payers.Keeping taxes low is a priority of the council."
<br /> Even though the city is looking more toward embracing the industrial
<br /> company to take root and grow within its corporate limits, its arms 61.4,4„, C''x'!'
<br /> have and will spread wider. Another drawing card for the city is its"Energy City"designation by a
<br /> "Though we've leaned toward more of the machining,metals and com- state organization called Energy Alley.Conservation,innovation and de-
<br /> 1,
<br /> e1 puter electronics companies,"Nevinski said,"we're looking for viable cades worth of just saying no to pollution has polished Minnesota's emer-
<br /> companies who are looking to stay in the area once they become estab- ald city as it strives to keep"green."
<br /> lished.Companies who will create good wages and make capital invest- In 1998,the Environmental Protection Agency awarded Elk River its
<br /> ments—we're certainly open to meeting with them in the hopes of inviting Project of the Year for the city's flame that burns off methane that forms
<br /> i .hem in."Sometimes that means helping companies establish themselves,
<br /> nonbankable companies who are looking to go public.Candidates for the inside landfill berms;and city environmental-energy leaders meet monthly
<br /> with state energy leaders in discussing energy matters since the city is
<br /> ii city's incubator program are chosen by the Economic Development Au- the state focal point for new energy technology and services.These"en-
<br /> thority. ergy talks"often produce award-worthy innovations such as"energy
<br /> "We're not necessarily targeting new manufacturing companies for the houses"that feature a dozen or so energy technologies in each house.
<br /> incubator," Nevinski said, "but companies offering high-tech prod- Energy House I,for example,uses a geothermal pump for heating and
<br /> ucts or services."The EDA leases the incubator building at a low per-
<br /> square-foot cost.The space has been improved and divided into various coolingtheinterior
<br /> frost line.the home,using the constant temperature of the
<br /> earthhbelow th
<br /> suites.A company can pay a portion of its rent in cash,and the remainder The city is also set to receive one of the largest wind generators in
<br /> of rent is bartered for stock. the world.With a height of nearly 200 feet and blades with a diameter
<br /> One company currently in the Elk River incubator is SolarAttic,a corn- of close to 180 feet, the wind turbine will generate enough power to
<br /> pany that developed the technology to recycle the heat that gets trapped in run 250 homes.
<br /> attics. "Environmentally,"said Stephen Rohlf,the city's building and zoning
<br /> "We can take attic heat,"said company founder Ed Palmer,"and put it administrator,"Elk River has a reputation of being tough but fair.There's a
<br /> back into the house to reduce heating costs. Or we can use it to heat lot of mineral mining going on just north of town.When a mineral contrac-
<br /> swimming pools or hot water.And when you take heat out of the attic,you tor was asked,in an environmental context,what the toughest city was
<br /> won't have to run the air conditioner as much in the summer."While 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- favorite city to work in was,his answer was the same—Elk River.That's
<br /> rage for years,slowly refining the idea since June of 1984. In August one of the more honest compliments on our city that I can remember."
<br /> of '86 Palmer began working full time on his concept, and now he's 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. its small-town character,Elk River still offers both industrial and high-tech
<br /> Ed Palmer on the Elk River Incubator:"It's been extremely helpful—it got opportunities to companies looking to expand or establish themselves.
<br /> us out of the garage.The incubator gave us a commercial opportunity
<br /> where customers and investors can come out and see our products and f
<br /> our small manufacturing facility. People are a little weary about driv- �;,Y of�,
<br /> ng out to someone's garage in a residential area. It's given us a big Elk River
<br /> Woost 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 www.elk-river.mn.us
<br /> Circle 6 on Rapid Response Card
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