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<br />Downtown eye,d' first .
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<br />by Jim Boyle'
<br />Staff writer . " . , ' ,
<br />The Elk . River' HQuSingalld
<br />'. RedevelopmeJ:lt. Authority is' on.
<br />the.1ookout for a}"edeve~opment .
<br />project " , '. '.P' ......,
<br />'. The iroup will sian it~ search
<br />in downtown Elk River; but the
<br />group appears to favor : '
<br />slowly and cautiously.' ....
<br />Members of the . HRA nave
<br />directed Catherine Mehelich
<br />the new director of ecoi10nll~
<br />development, . to. begiil polling
<br />downtown .. . business . owners
<br />about thefutuTe of the down-'
<br />, town. She said' she will scope
<br />out. potential, redevelopment
<br />I>.roJects. " ........ 'I,.., ..~..
<br />The . HRA recently sold " the
<br />King and Main site; which it
<br />had cleared and pre~d for
<br />development. Knowing this,. city
<br />staff has asked the HRA to
<br />''think. about ,other,: potential
<br />redevelopment projects.' '.' ...... ,.'
<br />. City Administrator Pat Klaers
<br />tOld the group at' a June 26
<br />meeting one 'Issue. which. will
<br />necessitate discussion on '.'the
<br />future of 'downtown, i~ the devel-. _
<br />opment Of King and Maih itself. ' ' HRA Member' ,
<br />As contractors preparetabuildTh~mpson said the dov
<br />a building for the First NationaL, . b.usmes~sdon't seem: to be. get-
<br />Bank of Elk River and other .tmg ~xClted: j;lbout anything.
<br />P?ssible te~ts, one of the deci- "Tl1~: tell~, m~, eyeryt~gis
<br />SlOns that will have to be-made fine, he smd. .'. . . . ...' ,
<br />is what to do with the side.- HRAMember StewartWIlson
<br />walkS, Klaers said: . 1 said he would like to 'see the
<br />"We. should be interested in d.o~to'!ll',becOme"mo:reofa
<br />what.the red brickbecomes,"he destination, rather than just ,a
<br />\ said, noting that. it should be place for those that live there., .
<br />something that can' be replicat- 'FhomJ?son said doWntown Elk'
<br />. ed.mallitainable and som:ething .' . River willnevEn: be a Stillwater:.,
<br />the city wants. .' ...... .' " Wuson.agree.d,.~utsaid he has
<br />"You wouldn't . think it would, champIOned th~ idea.ofbringing
<br />be a hig issue, but it will either back the oldbnck facades which
<br />cOIitinue 'a tone or set anew . wereverj attraCtive. .' , " ,
<br />tone.", . .... ,,:.. '" ,~ChairPuane :K:ropuen-
<br />. . Cobblestone bricks decorative ske and' HRA Member Linda
<br />~ghting and garbag~ cans were Huntington wen:. abseIlt ,from
<br />InStalled downtown years ago the June ~6 meeting. .. " .
<br />on an improvement project, and ,Th~;, ~~o~omi~ Development , . _,
<br />the' sidewalkS'are now in ll~edof" S~a~cJ;)1.ap; lists a htmibet of ' cltOp
<br />repair.," 'i . ' po~slble .aCtionsteps f()];redev$l- dUring tlle In<
<br />HRA Member Larry Thth said opment; m the Central Business planiring effort.,
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