7.1. HRSR 07-28-2003 Item # 7.I.
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City of
Elk
River
MEMORANDUM
TO: Housing and Redevelopment Authority
FROM: Michele McPherson,Director of Planning
DATE: July 28, 2003
SUBJECT: Downtown Revitalization Project Update— Presentation of
Issues and Concerns by Downtown Owners and Tenants
Attachment
• • Letter from Wendy Simenson- Kemper Drug
Rob VanValkenberg,representing business owners and tenants in the Cinema Building, has
requested an opportunity to speak to the Housing and Redevelopment Authority regarding
the most recent developments in the Downtown Revitalization Project.
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S:\PLANNING\Michele McPherson\MEMOS\7-28 HRA memo.doc
• Wendy Simenson
Kemper Drug
Beautiful Downtown Elk River
I am very disappointed in the direction that MetroPlains and The City of Elk River have
chosen to pursue in their efforts to revitalize Downtown Elk River.
After reviewing the City of Elk River Downtown Revitalization Project Project Goal &
Objectives on the Cities' web page, I feel that many of the objectives have been cast
aside and the results will be changes in the downtown which don't reflect the goals but
rather what was easiest for the developers and least costly for the city.
One objective is to increase exposure to the riverfront. Does building a four story
building in a location not on the river, that will in fact block one of the good views of the
river accomplish that goal?
Another objective is to replace market/economic obsolete buildings. MetroPlains has set
their sights on developing the Jackson Square Parking Lot and severely cutting back on
convenient parking for those businesses currently on the river side of the street. Is the
ultimate goal here for the city to be able to acquire the riverfront properties cheaply when
the existing businesses are forced to close because of reduced convenient parking?
A third objective is to increase housing downtown. This isn't a bad idea. I am just trying
• to visualize my grandmother pulling her shopping cart trying to get across highway 10
with her groceries. Or a mom pushing a stroller trying to walk her kids across the
highway and the train tracks to go play.
When I supported MetroPlains bid to be the developer of downtown. I did so based on
their concept of developing the bluff block on the river and the northeast corner of King
and Main (see October 2002 City of Elk River Downtown Revitalization Q&A
Newsletter referencing this). Whereas there is definitely room for improvement in
downtown Elk River, in medicine there is a saying "First do no harm."MetroPlains and
the City of Elk River Staff working on these plans need to refocus their efforts to DO NO
HARM!
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