Edina picks development team for former public works site
The Edina City Council has selected a four-company development team to transform a 3-acre vacant lot on Eden Avenue into a mixed-use neighborhood featuring housing, dining, and public spaces in the Grand View District.
The city has tapped Hemple Real Estate, Monarch Development Partners, Jester Concepts, and ROOS Advisors to redevelop the former public works site. The plan calls for owner-occupied housing options including townhouses and condominiums, a standalone restaurant, and public gathering spaces designed to complement the neighborhood.
Developers emphasized that the site's most distinctive feature—its rolling topography—will shape the project's character. "The topography is the very unique thing about that site," a developer representative explained. "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."
The location near the busy 50th and Vernon intersection, with nearby food and entertainment options, makes the site attractive for development. The team plans to leverage these advantages while creating a cohesive village-style development rather than a generic project.
Before construction can begin, the development team must complete several approval steps. They will prepare detailed concept plans showing building types and site layout, then submit a draft sales agreement to the City Council for review. After the contract is finalized, developers will pursue rezoning approval and site plan approvals through Edina's standard development review process. The timeline for these next steps was not specified at the meeting.
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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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