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Nicholas Roberts, president and owner of Roberts Management Group, is well-known in Arden Hills for his retail and commercial ventures and philanthropic activities. He succeeds his father, Scott Roberts, and his grandfa- ther who founded Roberts Development Company in 1955. Nicholas recently reflected on the family business, the legacy that brought him to where he is today and his hopes and plans for the future. The Past: Building on three generations of success Roberts Management Group is a third-gener- ation fam- ily business. Nicholas’ grandfather Donald Rob- erts started out develop- ing single family homes and then moved to developing apartment buildings in the Shoreview, Arden Hills and Roseville areas of the Twin Cities. Soon after, he built an industrial building for the Twin Cities Candy Company. He also decided to diversify into developing and leasing industrial buildings in the Twin Cities. Nicholas’ father Scott Roberts went on to develop more than $100 million worth of commercial real estate in the Twin Cities. Nicholas began his real estate career in high school working over the summers do- ing demolition, construction, landscaping and even parking lot repairs. He worked his way up the ladder in the family busi- ness as a construction manager, later join- ing the leasing team and eventually mak- ing his way to president of the company. Nicholas’ more notable projects include: Red Fox Business Center, located down Red Fox Road, south of the I-694 and Lexington Avenue interchange; and Lexington Station, adjacent to the busi- ness center. In 2013, he purchased and tore down the Blue Fox restaurant and built a new building, which represented his first venture in retail. The building is anchored by Starbucks and Noodles & Company. The Present: Lexington Station Phase II tenants announced This past May, the company broke ground on Phase II of Lexington Station and recently welcomed the following tenants, whose businesses are scheduled to open in December and January: Jimmy’s Old Southern Barbecue, a concept started by Dave Anderson, previous owner of Famous Dave’s; Club Pilates fitness studio; Orchid Vietnamese Restaurant, which is a second location, with the first being located off of I-35E and County Road J in White Bear Township; Pet Evolution, a pet grooming, food and supply store; Pancheros Mexican Grill; Dan Reichert, State Farm Insurance; and Jimmy John’s. “It’s fun to meet different business owners and hear their stories,” Nicholas said. “I enjoy having a vision for a piece of land and getting that on paper with an architect, building it and seeing how it improves the quality of people’s lives that live in, work in or shop in any of our developments. It’s what I love about what I do!” The Future: Lexington Station Phases III and IV and Traverse Business Center Plans to develop a third and fourth phase of Lexington Station are currently underway and will include a 3rd multi-tenant building that will be a sister building to Phase I & II and a fourth building that will most likely be a small box retail store. “As the project becomes a hub for both work and local shopping, we strongly be- lieve that phase three and four will solidify the Lexington Station development as a local and regional destination,” he said. In addition, Nicholas acquired a large 26.5- acre piece of land on the northeast corner of I-35W and I-694 for what will become Traverse Business Center. “This site is one of the last remaining large sites located on the I-694 loop,” Nicholas said, “and will provide exceptional visibil- ity and accessibility for those occupying the site.” Building a Legacy: Partnership and philanthropy Nicholas is aware that he is not just building and leasing buildings. “We have always been long-term owners and it has been ingrained in my head since I was a kid. Long-term, I know that I too will pass down this business to my kids,” he said. “I didn’t want to build something trendy,” he said of Lexington Station. “I like to develop and own assets that have a time- less appearance that reflects high-quality building and design principles, and serves as a showpiece for business owners and for retaining employees. I consider each of our tenants a business partner more so than a customer. We have tenants in our portfo- lio that have leased from us for 30-plus years.” Nicholas also continues his father’s tradi- tion of building partnerships with the greater community. Roberts Management Group sponsors the City of Arden Hills an- nual Egg Hunt and Bark & Rec Day events and offers scholarships to families for Parks & Recreation classes. Additionally, Nicholas and his employees are active with the Arden Hills Foundation, Ralph Reeder Food Shelf, and Toys for Tots programs. Roberts Management Group Builds a Legacy in Arden Hills and Beyond