The announcement on Tuesday night that the City of Northfield plans to develop the Washington Street parking lot into a retail/parking/housing complex was a surprise, but Northfield Mayor Rhonda Pownell and City Administrator Ben Martig said it is a decision that makes quite a bit of sense in the greater Downtown Redevelopment project.
The original plan, announced just over a year ago, had been to build a new liquor store on the site of the current one and the adjacent Ameriprise building along Water Street, and build a parking construct on the south side of 5th Street. However, the city was unable to purchase some of the necessary property.
While the city was trying to assemble the site, interviews with developers were being conducted. The city settled on working with the Lander Group for the larger project, but Martig said many of the developers they spoke to recommend a different – and better – use of the 5th & Water Street property. Working with Michael Lander and his group, the decision was made to build a boutique hotel in that area, and that left the city with another decision to make. Martig said the city is pleased with the outcome of that decision.
“We’ve got a great alternative option that we always knew was there because we already own it, which is the city parking lot at Washington and 5th St. Our liquor analysis really says that it’s an equally excellent location for sales and customer service at that location. We can expect similar projections for our sales growth there as compared to 5th and Water. And so, we moved on to that site.”
The complex that will be built on the Washington Street lot will include 12,00 square feet for the municipal liquor store, 280 parking spaces, 20 housing units and more room for retail space. It will also incorporate a solar array on the rooftop, and public art on separate wall spaces. Mayor Pownell said the building will be “vibrant, charming, and creative,” and she is very happy to see that it will check all of the boxes on the city’s strategic plan.
“Economic vitality is one major one, and that one’s driving a large part of what the Council saw last night, but also but also Housing, Climate Action, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Service Excellence and Quality Facilities. So, the projects and things that the Council saw last night, really there’s some segment of each one of those six priorities that is reflected in what we saw last night.”
After seeing a strong negative reaction to the initial plans for the redevelopment of the former Archer House site, the city is working hard to communicate the intentions of the new development and progress on the design as it changes. For detailed information on both the 5th & Washington Street project and the 5th & Water Street project, visit the projects page on the Northfield City website at northfieldmn.gov. Video of the full presentation on Tuesday night, along with City Council reaction and questions can be found on the city’s website as well.
Rotary 4-Way Tase Festival funds international and local programs to make life better for millions of people
The Red Barn Farm will host Northfield Rotary’s 4-Way Taste Festival this evening. The Rotary fundraiser is an opportunity for attendees to sample beer, wine and spirits from a host of local and regional producers.
Former event organizer and new Rotary President Brent Nystrom said this will be the 5th annual year for the event, and after a few years wrestling with Covid-19, the event is now once again growing and attracting more and more vendors.
“The whole idea of the 4-Way Taste is let’s taste these wines and beers and ciders and some spirits as well. And so, we’ve got about 17 or 18 vendors that will be there serving whatever they want to serve. So multiply that 18 by three or four different types of libations and you have a lot of tastes that you can make.”
This year’s vendors include Alexis Bailey Vineyard, Badger Hill Brewing, Cannon River Winery, Chapel Brewing, Imminent Brewing, Keepsake Cidery, Loon Liquor, The Milltown Mashers, Spiral Brewery, Tanzenwald Brewing. The Red Barn Farm will be serving full pizzas as well as pizza by the slice this year. Live music will be provided by multi-instrumentalist and popular local entertainer Mark Kreitzer as well as very popular Rice County favorites, Chad Johnson and the Minnesota Transplants.
The Four-Way Taste is one of the major fundraisers of the year for Rotary. Proceeds will support local and international service projects designed to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water and strengthen local economies.
Rotary Past President Todd Thompson said there are numerous projects both locally and internationally that the Rotary Club supports.
“Our club has projects in Tanzania, a water project that’s that’s just finished up and we’re also in the process of shipping books to Africa for that, which is a big project that Rotary is is involved. Has been involved in for years.”
He also said the longtime clean water project in Guatemala on which the club has been working is wrapping up. Nystrom, who has just returned from the International Rotary Conference for new presidents in Melbourne Australia, said a major topic of conversation at the conference was the Global Polio Eradication Project on which Rotary has partnered with the Gates Foundation. He said, between the two organizations, they have raised almost $1 Billion to completely wipe polio out around the world.
The 4-Way Taste Festival will run from 5:30 to 8:30pm this evening. General admission tickets are $40 at the door. Event Chair Ken Pankow said a special early admission VIP experience at 4:30 is available as well for $100. All attendees must be 21 years old.
Today at the Rice County Fair
And the Rice County Fair is open for its second day today. Among the highlights on the schedule are the annual Euchre Tournament, which will be held in the Beer Garden beginning at 1:30, and a pair of very popular music groups. Smokescreen will appear in the Beer Garden at 8:00 tonight, and the White Sidewalls will perform on the Sellner Stage this evening from 7-10pm. Rice County Fair Executive Director John Dvorak said this will be the 18th consecutive year the White Sidewalls have been at the fair.
The Grandstand will host Midwest All-Star Wrestling. Gates will open at 5:00. Matches begin at 6pm. Tickets are $5 for all ages, with four ticket family packs available for $18. Ring side seats are $15.
For more information visit ricecountyfair.net
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
