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The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents November 2015 by Tina KulzerThe Arden Hills City Council and the Economic Development Com- mission hosted two “State of the City” meetings during the last week of September. Here is a summary of the top- ics discussed: Rice Creek Commons—Master Plan and Redevelopment Code: Mayor David Grant presented the milestones achieved and progress made over the last year refining the Master Plan and Rede- velopment Code for the Rice Creek Com- mons development project. Soil remediation work at the site is anticipated to be complete by year’s end. Work in 2016 and 2017 will focus on the construction of project infrastructure, including the County Road H interchange and the trunk and spine roads within the development. Private development in Rice Creek Commons is anticipated to begin in 2018. City Development Projects: Council- member Brenda Holden summarized some of the City’s significant development projects, including: • Red Fox Business Center – Two light industrial buildings are being developed on Red Fox Road for a combination of office, light industrial, manufacturing, and service retail uses. • Johanna Shores Brownstones – Forty independent senior units are planned during this phase of the Presbyterian Homes redevelopment. • Valentine Bluff – Seven single-family, custom homes are being built in a new residential development on County Road E2. • Goodwill – The retail store is cur- rently under construction on the northwest corner of County Road E and Lexington Avenue. • Tavern Grill – Construction of this upscale restaurant in Arden Plaza (County Road E and Lexington Avenue) is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2016. MnDOT—Transportation Improve- ments: Mark Lindeberg, North Area Engineer for MnDOT, outlined highway construction project maps for 2016 and 2017. Upcoming projects of greatest impact to Arden Hills residents include the I-694 “Corridors of Commerce” project, County Road E2 bridge work over I-35W, County Road H bridge work over I-35W, and repaving of I-35W between Highway 36 and I-694. Business Retention and Expansion Program: Councilmember Fran Holmes updated residents about the City’s Busi- ness Retention and Expansion Program. The City has been reaching out to area businesses and conducting site visits all year, gathering feedback from employers State of the City meeting features wide-ranging discussion A new program has debuted at Bethel University this fall, a two-year post-secondary program called Bethel University Inclusive Learning and Devel- opment (BUILD), designed for students with intellectual disabilities. The focus is on academic, vocational, residential, and social learning experiences. There are 12 students in the inaugural class and plans to enroll 12 more next year. Bethel has applied for funding for program enhancements through a U.S. Department of Education TPSID grant (Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities). The impetus for Bethel University introduces BUILD program continued on page 4 by Susan Cathey and employees in an effort to identify what City busi- nesses need to continue to thrive in Arden Hills. The program also seeks to identify what the City can do to attract new businesses to the area. The Economic Development Commission and the City Council will begin the evalu- ation stage of the program in early 2016. Parks and Recreation Update: Council- member Dave McClung highlighted some of the new Parks and Recreation Depart- ment events and programming additions from the past year. Targeted Active Adult Activities and dedicated Pickleball courts are now being offered to meet the needs and interests of the City’s aging, “long- term” residents. Family-oriented events and programming such as “Bark and Rec Day” and Bubble Soccer have been cre- ated to respond to the expanding interests of resident families. continued on page 4 The Bethel library offers a mentorship for BUILD students. At work are Kerry Bloomfield, Lauren Thysell and Eli Miletich.