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<br /> "ORTH METRO
<br /> DEVELOPMENT ROUNDUP 7-10-9(,
<br /> BbFl~ Rt#SS
<br /> Complex anchor may cials thought the prtce was fair, despite a .
<br /> city appraisal that showed the property --
<br /> have Mexican flavor worth $130,000.
<br /> "We looked at his appraisal, which was
<br /> F or a while, it $160,000, and ours. . . but ours was old
<br /> and his was new, he was paying all the
<br /> seemed that Pasta taxes on the building, and his rents were
<br /> Semplice 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 /> part of the Wall Look for the city to settle soon with
<br /> Companies 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 /> complex. BLAKE Bureaucracy at work
<br /> But now, city of- MORRISON
<br /> ficials say, it ap. He called a news conference weeks ago -
<br /> pears Mexican fare STAFF WRITER to announce plans to push legislation that
<br /> may be more likely would essentially take the Twin Cities -
<br /> than Italian. Army Ammunition Plant out of U.S. Ar-
<br /> E"steban's restaurant, a full-service my hands.
<br /> Mexican eatery, has become the front- But since firing a letter to Defense
<br /> runner in Wall's quest to secure a restau- Department officials, U.S. Rep. Bruce
<br /> rant for the complex, said Jim Robinson, Vento, D-Mlnn.. has been greeted with
<br /> community development director. silence.
<br /> "They've come to a cooeeptual agree- In his letter to the assistant secretary
<br /> ment on what the terms of the lease of the Army for installations, logistics ~
<br /> would be," Robinson said of talks be- and environment, the congressman sug.
<br /> tween Wall and Steve Tanner, the de vel- gested the Defense Department "ought to
<br /> oper 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 /> Companies to land a restaurant for its The reference about community efforts e-
<br /> new retail complex, City Council mem- was based on work done by a citizen's
<br /> bers had decided to allow Wall President committee Vento had appointed to ex-
<br /> AI Esther another 120 days to ink a deal p10re ways to reuse the 2,370-acre arse-
<br /> with an upscale, sit-down restaurant to nal. He had appointed the group after De-
<br /> help anchor the firm's 34,500-square-foot fense Department officials told him they ....
<br /> complex along U.S. 61. anticipated declaring the land "excess"
<br /> Esther said last month that he was and relinquishing their rights to it.
<br /> close to a deal with Pasta Sempliee, an But by late last year, defense officials I
<br /> Italian eatery that also has a restaurant did an about-face, saying they had no 1m-
<br /> in HarMar Mall in Roseville. He could mediate intention of letting go of the
<br /> not be reached for comment Tuesday. land. That prompted Vento's letter and
<br /> Last year, the council had approved subsequent plans to try to get the land I
<br /> two new retail complexes to be built on from the Army regardless.
<br /> along U.S. 61 between Third and Seventh Although the letter was sent to Army
<br /> streets. officials more than a month ago, are-
<br /> The decision to launch the massive re- sponse has not been forthcoming. Vento
<br /> development effort stemmed from the aide Molly Grove said Tuesday that Ar- I
<br /> cily's desire to creale a destination-type my officials told her they had drafted a
<br /> shopping area while ensuring that the response that was vetoed by Defense De-
<br /> land was not developed piecemeal. But partment lawyers. Since the first draft
<br /> since announcing the initiative, the city was rejected, they are working on anoth. I
<br /> has grappled with difficult decisions over er, Grove said. Until a response letter is
<br /> what should happen to existing business. 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. I
<br /> $152,500 settlement with Keith John- "He's waiting to hear first so he under.
<br /> stone, whose property at 2120 Fourth stands what hurdles need to be cleared,"'
<br /> St. was to become a casualty to redevel- Grove explained.
<br /> opment. The building there housed All If Vento succeeds with legislation, the I
<br /> Sports sporting goods store, which the land would be declared government "ex-
<br /> city agreed to help relocate to the former cess" land and recommendations of Ven-
<br /> Vadnais Motor building along U.S. 61. to's reuse committee would take effect. e.
<br /> And two tenants renting living space Those recommendations call for main-
<br /> from Johnstone were also relocated at taining at least 1,100 contiguous acres of
<br /> the city's expense. One was able to buy a land for a regional park reserve and
<br /> house with the settlement, Rohinson said, making about 400 acres available for
<br /> the other is now paying the same rent at housing.
<br /> the city-owned Pioneer Manor senior Blake Morrison's development roundup appears I
<br /> housing complex.
<br /> As for the $152,500 the city paid John- Wednesday in the St. Paul Pioneer Press North
<br /> ,lone for the site, Rohinson said city offi- Metro edition.
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