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A 4,200 square-foot Dunn Broth- ers Coffee shop is coming to Arden Hills and will share the building at 1160 County Road E with the American Red Cross. The site is under construction and will include a drive-through service, conference rooms, family-friendly area, and outdoor patio. It is scheduled to open in April. Greta and Adam Dvorak, Arden Hills’ residents and owner-operators of the proposed shop, are brewing big plans for the space. They see their franchise venture as an opportunity to bring the community together for conversation and sharing of time and talents over cups of coffee. “I grew up with coffee and what it repre- sents—a willingness to sit with someone and have a conversation,” Greta said. “It’s symbolic of gathering, sitting, and being present with others.” Greta is a graduate of Bethel University and holds a master’s degree in student development, and Adam is a Bethel residence hall director. They envision the shop serving college students and the community in multiple ways. “We plan to hire Bethel and Northwestern students to work here and we want to link them with residents to help them once they graduate,” Adam said. “We want to bring the citizens of Arden Hills together with the students to reduce the isolation students can sometimes feel during this transi- tion.” In addition to college students, the Dvoraks plan to target working professionals and parents. “Our drive-through can accommodate our fast-paced society, including commuters on their way to Land O’Lakes, and parents on their way to school to drop off kids,” Greta added. “We want to create a family-friendly space with toys and books. We can’t wait for families to come.” Conference rooms will be available for business and community meetings, and plans are underway for an outdoor patio, Greta said. “The average New Dunn Brothers Coffee owners seek to build community one cup at a time coffee shop is 2,000 square feet. We are doubling this, because we see this as an opportunity to gather and serve the whole community.” Dunn Brothers Owner-Operators Adam and Greta Dvorak Ramsey County Commissioners Rafael E. Ortega and Blake Huffman, along with Mayor David Grant, Ramsey County Commissioner Mary Jo McGuire, Alatus Arden Hills LLC Executive Project Manager Tom Shaver and Alatus Development Associate Carla Dunham Mayor David Grant and officials from Ramsey County celebrated the completion of roundabouts on the Ramsey County road system, as well as other con- struction improvements to County Roads TCAAP/Rice Creek Commons Redevelopment progresses in the new year H and I near the Rice Creek Commons redevelopment in mid-December. These roadway improvements will enhance traf- fic flow, increase pedestrian safety, and provide access to the mixed-use develop- ment for new residents and visitors. The Rice Creek Commons site was cleaned to residen- tial standards, clearing the way for a cohesive mix of residential and commercial neighborhoods surround- ing a vibrant, pedestrian- focused town center. Construction of surround- ing highway infrastructure and site access is currently underway or completed. Internal site construc- tion is expected to be put out for bids in 2018 and work would begin in 2019, with the first phase focusing on mass grading and development of the site’s infrastructure, including roads, sewers, and water lines. Housing and early commercial construc- tion could begin as early as 2020. Rice Creek Commons was included as a possible site in Minnesota’s regional bid for Amazon’s second headquarters, but Amazon chose to narrow its selection to 20 other metropolitan areas outside of Minnesota. Army staff shared that the optimization study, which looks at groundwater treat- ment, is currently underway and will not be released until the first quarter of 2018. In the meantime, Ramsey County, the City of Arden Hills, Alatus LLC, and the Joint Development Authority continue to move forward with a mixed-use develop- ment as originally planned.