This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Watershed District Approves Cold Storage Purchase

Demolition and redevelopment should begin in three years, when the last of the leases expires.

The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District on Thursday formally approved the on Blake Road North.

The action expands plans for , as well as future mixed-use development. The watershed district has already , most notably .

“Our plan is to restore 1,000 feet of shoreline along Minnehaha Creek,” said Telly Mamayek, the district's spokeswoman.

Find out what's happening in Hopkinswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The purchase will be financed by bonds and paid for by the district’s special tax levy.

Plans call for demolition and redevelopment to begin in about three years when the last of the five tenants, Deli Express, has its current lease expire.

Find out what's happening in Hopkinswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The cold storage site, owned by Blake Road Partners LLC, is one of for future light rail development.

One of the toughest parts of development is assembling sufficient land for a project to take place, and the site at 325 Blake Road offers a nearly 17-acre property all under a single property owner, the Stewart Lawrence Group. The building's useful life is also nearing an end, making it worth more as new development and giving the owner a good reason to sell.

However, the current economic environment has made it difficult to find someone willing to actually buy the property for the mixed-use development that city planners want.

The Stewart Lawrence Group originally invested in the property with the intention to up-sell it for mixed-use development. But in February, the company said it plans to expand the building, arguing that this is the only type of development that the current economy can support.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?