Edina Selects Development Team for Former Public Works Site
The City of Edina has selected a development team to redevelop the former public works site on Eden Avenue, ending a 15-year search for a buyer of the 3-acre property.
The Housing and Redevelopment Authority chose a team comprising Hemple Real Estate, Monarch Development Partners, Jester Concepts and ROOS Advisors from among 11 proposals submitted this summer. The developers have offered $4 million for the site, with proceeds going to the city's general fund.
The development plan focuses on owner-occupied housing units rather than rental apartments, according to the proposal. The team will prepare concept plans for multiple townhouse and condominium buildings, plus a standalone restaurant operated by Jester Concepts. The project will include new sidewalks and public plazas in the Grand View District.
"The site's got great bones," a developer representative said during the meeting. "It's right near a whole lot of activity there at 50th and Vernon. It's got food. It's got entertainment. It's got great access to the road system." The developer noted the site's topography offers opportunities to create varying roof lines and elevations.
The draft sales agreement will go before the City Council this fall. After contract execution, developers will pursue rezoning and site plan approvals through Edina's standard development review process. The sale is anticipated to close in 2026 or 2027. The site has remained vacant since the city's public works department relocated to a larger property in 2010.
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You know, I like to say every site has certain advantages and certain disadvantages. And the key is to figure out what's unique about a site and then tailor your plan to meet that site. And in this particular instance, the site is got great bones, right? It's in in Westy Dina. It's right near a whole lot of activity there at 50th and Vernon. It's got food. It's got entertainment. It's got great access to the road system. Uh so just generally good bones for the site. The topography is the very unique thing about that site. And that was an opportunity in our opinion to work with the topography and create a village with a little bit of a rolling feel to it where you have varying roof lines and elevations and even the green space that can be tailored to meet that topography.
Source document
[Music] The city has chosen a new development team to purchase and redevelop the city's former public works site on Eden Avenue. The 3acre site has been vacant since public works moved to a larger property in 2010. Numerous proposals have come and gone, including the most recent one that fell through when the luxury senior cooperative housing developer walked away from the project. Earlier this summer, the housing and redevelopment authority reviewed 11 new proposals to construct a combination of housing and commercial space on the site. The HA selected a team made up of Hemple Real Estate, Monarch Development Partners, Jester Concepts, and ROOS Advisors. The plan focuses on owner occupied units instead of rental apartments. In the coming months, the team will prepare concept plans that include multiple townhouse and condominium buildings, as well as a standalone restaurant operated by Jester Concepts. The site would include new sidewalks and public plazas to create a vibrant addition in the Grand View District. >> You know, I like to say every site has certain advantages and certain disadvantages. And the key is to figure out what's unique about a site and then tailor your plan to meet that site. And in this particular instance, the site is got great bones, right? It's in in Westy Dina. It's right near a whole lot of activity there at 50th and Vernon. It's got food. It's got entertainment. It's got great access to the road system. Uh so just generally good bones for the site. The topography is the very unique thing about that site. And that was an opportunity in our opinion to work with the topography and create a village with a little bit of a rolling feel to it where you have varying roof lines and elevations and even the green space that can be tailored to meet that topography. >> The team has offered $4 million for the site. Proceeds from the future sale will go into the city's general fund. This fall, the draft sales agreement will go to the city council. After the contract is executed, the developers will pursue reszoning and site plan approvals using Edina's standard development review process. The sale is anticipated to close in 2026 or 2027.
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Redevelopment of Former Public Works Site on Eden Avenue
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