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development geared to serving the resident population. This is, of course, due to the City's small population. 3.7 Development of Region -Serving Facilities Within the last thirty years there has been a very major change in the provision of region -serving facilities which will tend to accelerate and shape the development pattern in that portion of the metropolitan area in which Gem Lake is located. These facilities include the following: • The completion of the Interstate Highway segments including I- 694 located approximately one mile south of Gem Lake and I-35E located to the west with only a small segment of Vadnais Heights intervening. • The extension of metropolitan trunk sewers to and beyond the City of Gem Lake. This provision of major trunk interceptors has enhanced the potential for large scale development in the Gem Lake vicinity. • The construction of a regional shopping center, Maplewood Mall, approximately two miles southeast of Gem Lake will serve as the major shopping complex in the area for the foreseeable future. • Regional Open Space Acquisition and Development Ramsey County has pursued an aggressive open space acquisition and development plan. This plan should affect urban development patterns as well as recreational opportunities in the area. 3.8 Land Development in Gem Lake and Vicinity 3.8.1 Residential Development Gem Lake residents are overwhelmingly house din single-family homes (99.3 percent of dwelling units) as atypical of other suburban communities in this'suburbart• portion o_fhe-metropolitan area. However, there is a considerable diversity of housing types in the vicinity of the City both in terms of types and in values (see Table 5). For example, 7.4 percent of all housing units in adjacent Vadnais Heights are mobile homes. Substantial shares of housing are in multiple -family structures such as in White Bear Lake (27.9 percent), and Vadnais Heights (18.0 percent). Housing values are very similar amongst the adjoining communities with threeat $97,000 and White Bear Lake City at $87,000. 3.8.2 Commercial Development Prior to the construction of Maplewood Mall there was a decided lack of a full service retail commercial center to serve the Gem Lake area. This center is the dominant retail outlet within the area for major shopping purposes. Residents of Gem Lake are able to obtain some convenience items in the traditional "Hoffman's Corners" area located in the southeastern portion of the City. Lands immediately Comprehensive Plan A-GEMLK9501.00 Gem Lake, Minnesota Page 7