urbanMSP

This was specifically in response to Mackenthun's considering moving the highway. There were already some commercial uses that had located there, but there was a general fear that having the grocery store move would really impact the downtown. The McDonald's was still in the future, as was the car dealership, I think. But this was viewed as opening the floodgates for highway development and potentially dividing the community since there was poor pedestrian access across Highway 5.

Yes, the City Square West plans are for the entire block -- the bank, post office, and strip mall would all be redeveloped.

http://www.chaskamn.com/DocumentCenter/ ... ept-Boards

This was specifically in response to Mackenthun's considering moving the highway. There were already some commercial uses that had located there, but there was a general fear that having the grocery store move would really impact the downtown. The McDonald's was still in the future, as was the car dealership, I think. But this was viewed as opening the floodgates for highway development and potentially dividing the community since there was poor pedestrian access across Highway 5.

Pedestrian access is improved over what it was at that time, but is still not great at all, IMO, as someone who lived south of the highway.

Yes, the City Square West plans are for the entire block -- the bank, post office, and strip mall would all be redeveloped.

http://www.chaskamn.com/DocumentCenter/ ... ept-Boards

Nice. My personal favorite of those is C, with B in second. I like the plazas.

Somehow one of the two updated concepts for Chaska's City Square West redevelopment includes a private pool in the middle of the block.

http://mn-chaska.civicplus.com/Document ... seo-Models

And, they've settled in some possible locations for a new library.

http://mn-chaska.civicplus.com/Document ... rary-Sites

Looks like Chaska is on the path to getting a Costco, next to Oak Ridge Conference Center.

https://chaskamn.onbaseonline.com/Chask ... tion=false

that's too bad. You really felt isolated (in a good way) when you went to conference there. Now you will be in the Costco parking lot.
But the world needs more Costcos.

Is the southwest metro really so lucrative for Costco that they need to make their 10th store a second one in this corner of the metro? Wouldn't Lino Lakes/Blaine, Plymouth, or Lakeville make far more sense based on where they already have stores? This isn't even 10 miles from the Eden Prairie Costco.

Granted, I am curious to see if this proposal's fallen through with the economic realities or if it's still charging forward.

Is the southwest metro really so lucrative for Costco that they need to make their 10th store a second one in this corner of the metro? Wouldn't Lino Lakes/Blaine, Plymouth, or Lakeville make far more sense based on where they already have stores? This isn't even 10 miles from the Eden Prairie Costco.

Granted, I am curious to see if this proposal's fallen through with the economic realities or if it's still charging forward.

If there's anything Costco does well, it's knowing its demographics and doing land acquisitions. If their internal studies didn't show Chaska as a good location, they wouldn't be looking there. I agree the NE Metro is prime for another location as well, but the density and demographics may not warrant that.

It makes you realize Costco’s profitability depends not on bringing inexpensive food to the masses, but rather encouraging the well to do to overspend on giant quantities of “bargains” that they transport in their oversized vehicles (justifying owning or leasing them) to store in their oversized houses (justifying owning them).

https://m.startribune.com/construction- ... 572288152/

Chaska Costco still on track, it appears.

Got some folks in Victoria upset about a new TIF-supported apartment development in the city's small downtown. Bonus angle: part of the proposed redevelopment is owned by former Vikings QB Rich Gannon.

https://victoriavision.bandzoogle.com/

Redevelopment adjacent to the park and ride station in Chanhassen. 325 units, an Aldi, and other retail (plus more parking)

https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/ ... -plan.html

Interesting. I thought the hotel on the corner was always doing alright.

FYI, the Aldi / Venue Apartments shown on the graphic already exists (completed pre-Covid). Not sure why they felt the need to color-code that since it's clearly already present in the aerial photograph they used.

Makes you wonder how much longer the dinner theater will be able to hold on.

I know there were rumors of them trying to get historic landmark status. Not sure where that went.

I don't think the Dinner Theater is any sort of trouble, at least not by outward signs. I've seen decent crowds there and they seem to advertise heavily whenever a new show comes out.

Don't know about that Country Inn specificially, but now that it's no longer part of whatever Carlson Travel is called today, Country Inn can no longer relay on captive booking form Carlson travel agents, and they're not in any way distinguishable from a Hampton Inn or a Holiday Inn Express.

Country Inn is now owned by Choice, but that creates new problems in that Choice is oversold in most markets, and they own roach motel, err, economy brands like Econolodge, so people booking online and doing searches for the best rates will find those first. IHG, Mariott, and Hilton by contrast don't have economy brands to compete against their Holiday Inns, Fairfield Inns, and Hampton Inns.

I don't think the Dinner Theater is any sort of trouble, at least not by outward signs. I've seen decent crowds there and they seem to advertise heavily whenever a new show comes out.

I didn't mean to suggest that they were in trouble financially, only that they're sitting on a big piece of land that's got to be worth an awful lot of money at this point.

And maybe it's historic, but at this point it looks like a tired building in need of some serious TLC.

Chanhassen Cinema site proposal of over 300 units plus some retail up for review.

https://finance-commerce.com/2024/03/ch ... or-review/