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<br />I NORTH METRO
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<br />. R 1-10-91::,
<br />I DEVELOPMENT OUNDUP ?to"...... &ss
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<br />~mplex anchor may' cials thought the price was fair, despite a
<br />... city appraisal that showed the property
<br />
<br />Inave MeXIcan flavor w~;il'e$I~~23~t his appraisal, which was
<br />
<br />F $160,000, and ours. . . but ours was old
<br />or a while it and his was new, he was paymg all the
<br />Iseemed that pa.sta taxes on the building, and his rents were
<br />Sempllce was the below market," Robinson said. "We did a
<br />restaurant most little calculating, and we were able to
<br />likely to become justify the higher rate."
<br />lart of the Wall Look for the city to settle soon with
<br />ompanies new Taco John's owner Les Meltzer, who had
<br />downtown White filed suit opposing the city's efforts to
<br />Bear Lake retail oust him from the redevelopment zone.
<br />10mPlex. BLAKE
<br />But now, city of. MORRISON Bureaucracy at work
<br />icials say, it ap. STAFF WRITER He called a news conference weeks ago
<br />pears Mexican fare to announce plans to push legislation that
<br />Fay be more likely would essentially take the Twin Cities
<br />han Italian. Army Ammunition Plant out of U.S. Ar.
<br />Esteban's restaurant, a full.service my hands.
<br />Mexican eatery, has become the front. But since firing a letter to Defense
<br />lunner in Wall's quest to secure a restau. Department officials, U.S. Rep. Bruce
<br />ant for the complex, said Jim Robinson, Vento, D.Mlnn., has been greeted with
<br />ommunity development director. silence.
<br />"They've come to a conceptual agree. In his letter to the assistant secretary
<br />ment on what the terms of the lease of the Army for installations, logistics
<br />lOUld be," Robinson said of talks be. and environment the congressman sug.
<br />ween Wall and Steve Tanner, the devel. gested the Defen~e Department "ought to
<br />per pushing Esteban's. get its act together rather than waste the
<br />Despite a June 1 deadline for the Wall time and effort of the community."
<br />Ijmpanies to land a restaurant for its The reference about community efforts
<br />~ etail complex, City Council memo was based on work done by a citizen's
<br />ad decided to allow Wall President committee Vento had appointed to ex-
<br />AI sther another 120 days to ink a deal plore ways to reuse the 2,370.acre arse.
<br />lith an upscale, sit.down restaurant to nal. He had appointed the group after De.
<br />elp anchor the firm's 34,500.square-foot fense Department officials told him they
<br />omplex along U.S. 61. anticipated declaring the land "excess"
<br />Esther said last month that he was and relinquishing their rights to it
<br />Ilose to a deal with Pasta Semplice, an But by late last year, defense officials
<br />talian eatery that also has a restaurant did an about. face, saying they had no 1m.
<br />n HarMar Mall in Roseville. He could mediate intention of letting go of the
<br />not be reached for comment Tuesday. land. Tbat prompted Vento's letter and
<br />Last year, the council had approved subseqUent plans to try to get the land
<br />_wo new retail complexes to be built on from the Army regardless.
<br />long U.S. 6t between Third and Seventh Although the letter was sent to Army
<br />treets. officials mare than a month ago, are.
<br />The decision to launch the massive re. sponse has not been forthcoming. Vento
<br />levelopment effort stemmed from the aide Molly Grove said Tuesday that Ar.
<br />ity's desire to create a destination.type my officials told her they had drafted a
<br />hopping area while ensuring that the response that was vetoed by Defense De-
<br />l~nd was not develop~d~ie~emeal. B.ut partment lawyers. Since the. first draft
<br />Ince announcmg tbe 1~ltJatJve,. the cIty was rejected, they are workmg on anoth.
<br />as grappled WIth diffIcult declSlons over er, Grove said. Until a response letter IS
<br />'hat sbould happen to eXlstmg busmess. received, Grove said, Vento WIll not pro-
<br />es near the proposed developments. ceed with legislation that could take the
<br />Late last month, the city agreed to a arsenal out of Army hands.
<br />1152,500 settlement with Keith John. "He's waiting to hear first so he under.
<br />tone, whose property at 2120 Fourth stands what hurdles need to be cleared,"
<br />St. was to become a casualty to redevel. Grove esplained.
<br />_pment The building there housed All If Vento succeeds with legislation, the
<br />ports sporting goods store, which the land would be declared government "ex-
<br />ity agreed to help relocate to the former cess" land and recommendations of Ven-
<br />adnals Motor building along U.S. 61. to's reuse committee would take effect
<br />A.O tenants renting living space Those recommendations call for main.
<br />, ohnstone were also relocated at taining at least t,100 contiguous acres of
<br />e city's expense. One was able to buy a land for a regional park reserve and
<br />ouse with the settlement, Robinson said. making about 400 acres available for
<br />the other is now paying the same rent at bousing.
<br />Ie city-owned Pioneer Manor senior
<br />Dusing complex. Blake Morrison's developmer:t roundup appears
<br />As for the $152,500 the city paid John- Wednesday in the St. Paul PIoneer Press North
<br />stone for the site, Robinson said city offi- Metro edition,
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