Metropolitan Council awards $2.9 million in brownfield cleanup grants

Communities awarded are Arden Hills, Blaine, Bloomington, Fridley, Hopkins, Minneapolis, Roseville, St. Louis Park, St. Paul and South St. Paul

ST. PAUL—June 28, 2006--The Metropolitan Council today approved nearly $3 million in Livable Communities grants for 17 polluted site clean up projects in 10 Twin Cities communities, including Arden Hills, Blaine, Bloomington, Fridley, Hopkins, Minneapolis, Roseville, St. Louis Park, St. Paul and South St. Paul.

To be eligible to apply and compete for funding, cities must participate in the Livable Communities program, now in its 11th year. More than 100 metro area communities participate in the program, which also provides funding for housing affordable to households with low and moderate incomes, and for development that promotes efficient land use and connections between housing, jobs, transit and other services.

The Council received 23 applications this funding round, totaling more than $4 million.

“Competition for these dollars is fierce as redevelopment takes place, primarily in older communities in the region,” said Council Chair Peter Bell. “To date, the Council has awarded nearly $62 million in grants for the clean up of hundreds of acres of polluted land, which has created jobs, increased net tax base and leveraged millions in private and other public investment.”

If all of the new redevelopment projects in the current grant round are completed, they are expected to achieve the clean up of 123 acres, $7.7 million in additional tax base and 4,200 new jobs.

Polluted site clean up grants awarded include:

Gateway Business Center, Arden Hills--$200,000 for soil remediation at the northeast corner of I-35W and I-694. The end use of the 23.5 acre site is two eight-story office buildings.
Medical Center, Blaine--$62,400 for additional soil remediation at the former site of Lee’s Wrecking on Central Avenue South and make way for a planned 85,000 square foot medical center.
Central Station, Bloomington--$269,000 for abatement of asbestos and lead-based paint on a two-acre parcel that is part of the larger 50-acre Central Station mixed-use, transit-oriented development. The project includes housing, a hotel, office and retail uses and common open space in close proximity to the Hiawatha Line.
5601 E. River Rd., Fridley--$168,000 for abasement of asbestos and lead-based paint on about an acre of a 25-acre site that is planned for a mixed-use development including retail, service and office space, housing and parking.
Excelsior Crossing, Hopkins—$237,800 for soil remediation and abatement of asbestos and lead-based paint. The 32-acre site on Excelsior Avenue will include three office buildings and a small retail building and possibly some hotel space.
Market Place and Main, Hopkins--$54,500 for soil remediation. The 1.5-acre site at Main Street and Seventh will include a mixed-use development including retail and ownership housing, including units that are affordable to lower income people.
Master/2112 Broadway, Minneapolis--$70,800 for abatement of asbestos and lead-based paint. The 1.4-acre site includes an existing building that will serve as incubator rental space for 10 to 15 new businesses.
The Bridge, Minneapolis--$51,000 for abatement of asbestos and lead-based paint at a site that will be used to develop more supportive housing for homeless youth. The project is located a block west of Hennepin Avenue between downtown and uptown.
Van Cleve Court, Minneapolis $121,500 for soil remediation at a three-acre site at 1932 12th Ave. SE where Project for Pride in Living (PPL) is building housing, including affordable housing.
Twin Lakes, Roseville--$350,000 for soil remediation on 20 acres of a much larger site at Cleveland and County Road C, which will be used for housing development.
National Lead/Highway 7 Business Center, St. Louis Park--$167,000 for clean up of contaminated soil at an 11-acre site on Lake Street. The project includes showroom and office development near Methodist Hospital.
Carlton Lofts, St. Paul--$65,400 for additional soil remediation at a site at 2285 University Avenue that’ll be used for housing development, including affordable housing.
Jeremiah Program Project, St. Paul--$79,500 for soil remediation. The site at 932 Concordia Avenue will be used for supportive housing and on-site child care.
Minnesota Building, St. Paul--$379,800 for asbestos and lead-based paint abatement at 46 E. Fourth St., where an existing historic art deco building will be renovated for condos, restaurant, retail and commercial space.
River Park Lofts, St. Paul--$107,000 for additional asbestos and lead-based paint remediation at 245 E. Fifth St. where condominiums will be built in a renovated existing building.
Griffin, St. Paul--$371,000 for soil remediation to make way for a 130,000-square foot commercial/industrial building within the Phalen Corridor.
Bridge Point Business Center, South St. Paul--$155,300 for soil remediation. The nine-acre site on Hardman Avenue would be used for commercial, light industrial and office purposes.

The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning organization for the seven-county Twin Cities area. It runs the regional bus and light rail system, collects and treats wastewater, coordinates regional water resources, plans regional parks and administers funds that provide housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. The Council board is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Minnesota Governor.

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