Katie Simon-Dastych of Ward 9, Cooper/Longfellow wrote, in part,...
> Okay, speaking about affordable housing would someone like to
> educate me and others regarding the housing units near the Stone Arch
> bridge? I don't remember the actual name of either of the two projects.
One is new
> construction and the other loft renovation I believe. I also think
public
> money went into several of the developments but I heard that "those" units
do
> not include the affordable housing formulas and I guess I want to know
why?
> And I think part of the answer is that there "is" affordable housing
> elsewhere on the river front so maybe this satisfies the requirements, but
it
> isn't clear to me.
>
> So I'm ready to listen to others (MCDA) to explain this to
> citizen's. And by the way there is lot's of good information on the
Website,
> (www.mcda.org) but not all project have all the details of the funders and
financial
> package.
There are actually three projects, all being done by the same developer --
Brighton Development. The first is North Star Lofts directly on Portland
Avenue and Second Street So. (across from the Hyatt Whitney Hotel). This is
the historic North Star Woolen Mill. The project is complete, was sold out
before construction began, and is occupied. Down river is the Stone Arch
Lofts. This is new construction in a formerly vacant space between the North
Star and the Utility Building. Finally, there is construction of lofts in
the renovation of the Utility Building.
As Ms. Simon-Dastych indicates, there are affordable rental units under
construction up river (Heritage Landings in the Itasca warehouse area).
However, there is no connection between the two and that is not a reason for
the absence of affordable housing in the Mills area.
There is no affordable housing component to these projects for several
reasons. Prime among these is that the city's Affordable Housing Policy
relates to rental housing. That is, all rental projects assisted by the MCDA
shall have at least 20% of the units be affordable. Since these are all
ownership units, the policy does not apply.
There is, however, a public investment in the mills restoration. It is tax
increment that will be repaid from the new taxes received from these units.
The reason for the investment was historic preservation, another component
of the MCDA's mission. The City has long desired to preserve this important
part of our history and this re-use accomplishes that. Long before this
construction and renovation began, the MCDA has invested funds here. Except
for the North Star Mill, the rest of these were purchased to preserve them.
Indeed the elevators beyond the Washburn Crosby Mill are also owned by the
MCDA. Considerable money has been spent over the years doing emergency
repairs, providing security for the buildings and even holding up the south
wall of the Washburn Crosby mill ruins.
For those who haven't been able to get down here (MCDA offices are in the
Crown Roller Mill, just a block up from the Hyatt Whitney), work is under
way to develop a St. Anthony Falls History Center in the ruins of the
Washburn Crosby, along with the Washburn Lofts. The Minnesota Historical
Society will build what is essentially a glass building inside the mill
ruins, thus preserving and displaying the ruins and telling the story of
milling
(check out http://www.mnhs.org/events/saf/safdesign.html to see the plans).
Across the street, the Park Board is underway constructing the Mill Ruins
Park, which will be a park that features an archeological dig, places for
kids to play and climb on old mill equipment and an interpretation of
milling history by viewing the uncovered mill-races and turbines and other
machinery. Comedown and take a look while the weather is still reasonably
nice.
Finally, I'm sorry not all our projects and programs are on the website.
Although we recently received several awards for our site, it is a
considerable chore getting everything up on the site and keeping it current.
Thanks.
Keith Ford
Deputy Executive Director
Minneapolis Community Development Agency
(612) 673-5013 Fax (612) 673-5293
http://www.mcda.org/
