7. HRSR 03-07-2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Downtown re~"esign just around corner BY NANCY NGO Pioneer Press Rosemount has been working hard in the past year to shake its image as a third-ring suburb with mainly agricultural land. In recent months, the city has made efforts to make new land available for commercial and retail businesses. Now, it's looking to give the historic downtown a major makeover in order to increase commercial, ' retail and housing options. For the past several months, the Rosemount Port Authority ;.has been asking developers to ' draft a redesign for the city's downtown. After the port authority wraps up interviews with four finalists on Tuesday, they could come up with a rec- omxnendation for the City Coun- cil as early as next month. "The vision for downtown is that we would designate new commercial and- office space as well as residential," said Port Authority chair Michael Baxter. "I think we'd like to see that in a ..`developer." Rosemount is one of several •-Dakota County cities, including Burnsville and Hastings, revital- `izing its downtown. In Rose- mount, planners hope to redevel- op the 52-acre district, currently - -home to some retail space and scattered single-family homes, into a bustling commercial hub and community gathering place. Two years ago, the city formed a committee made of members of the City Council, Port authority planning com- mission, residents and business __ owners to draft a vision for „ downtown, which is generally bordered by 143rd Street to the north, County Road 42 to the south, the Canadian Pacific rail- -;:. road lines to the east and Coun- ;; ty Road 3 to the west. Among recommendations ~' were adding more mixed-use ` office and retail space. Having more community gathering spots and housing such as con- dominiums and townhouses ::.were also on the wish list. ,,.According to the city's request -documents to developers, Rose- mount's downtown has the Rosemount readying,a major makeover of its downtown N 14 ~ Central ' ~~; rPark ~ Charlie`s n ~ d )aro a Adrk 3 r~n~rr B t4SthStW. ~ Area of ' 148th St. W. ~eta-l Birch St. la7d, st.w. ^, ~ 3 Camtieid ~ Park ° o` '' ~ r N °d. ~ ~ ~ SEMOUNT m, DQWNTOWN ^ DISTRICT 42 PIONEER PRE55 potential to increase retail by up to 35 percent and housing by as many as 500 units. If redevelopment occurs, properties that could be affected include Rosemount Plaza Shop- ping Center and Shenanigans restaurant, which are slated for redevelopment for mixed-use, according to city documents. A new commercial building is also planned for 147th Street that would require the acquisition of three homes. Kim Lindquist, Rosemount community development direc- tor, said acquiring property would come from tax increment financing from the downtown district. "'T'here is significant money projected in that TIF district over the next 15 years to allow us to do things downtown, she said. Rosemount has been. slowly getting ready for redeveloping downtown. In December, -the city purchased the:'former 4- acre St. Joseph Catholic Church on South Robert. Trail: for $2.4 million. The land. is expected to be the site for a future library that would be part of the Dakota County system. If planning continues to forge ahead, Baxter said, ground- breaking could occur in the fall.. Nancy Ngo can be reached at nngo@pioneerpress.com or 651- ~•,j3 -G't' 228-5172.