Northfield Economic Development News SPRING 2011
Downtown Remodels Economic Development Authority 801 Washington Street Northfield, MN 55057 507-645-3018 www.ci.northfield.mn.us/business eda@ci.northfield.mn.us
Home to two premier colleges, close to the Twin Cities and centered on a thriving riverfront and vibrant downtown, Northfield, Minnesota is a great place to live and work.
Northfield is widely recognized for the historic charm of its downtown. Over the years, the community has proudly supported a constantly evolving roster of businesses that have kept Northfield lively. Local business owners and investors have a long tradition of investing is commercial and civic improvements. Construction season is once again underway in the heart of the community. Several projects will bring more than two dozen jobs to Division Street. ■
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With a wide range of businesses from large food manufacturing and distribution firms, to small high-tech start-ups, Northfield enjoys the strength of a diversified local economy.
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The City of Northfield and the Northfield Economic Development Authority are committed to helping current and prospective businesses obtain the resources necessary for success.
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Photo curtesy of Griff Wigley
Neuger Communications Group (neuger.com) is remodeling the former Community Resource Bank building on Bridge Square, in anticipation of relocating its staff of a dozen communications professionals to new office space. Coldwell Banker South Metro (cbsouthmetro.com) – a local realtor with a staff of 13 – will be relocating to a downtown storefront at 419 Division Street in July. The Northfield Historical Society (northfieldhistory.org) is in the middle of a major remodeling project to improve accessibility to its galleries and exhibits. Bodysmith of Northfield, a personal training studio is remodeling the former Tiny’s space at 321 Division Street, where it will soon be joined by Fit to be TRI’d (fittobetrid.com), a multisport equipment supplier. Just two blocks east of downtown, Carleton College is nearing completion of a $40 million development of the Weitz Center for Creativity. The project is a complete remodel of the former Northfield Middle School and 30,000 square feet of new construction to house a wide of arts, film and academic programs, and will serve as an anchor to the actively developing Northfield Arts Corridor. The Weitz Center is expected to open in 2012.
Business Park Plan and Land Development Code Move Forward
New Businesses Open The Measuring Cup, a charming new kitchenware store at 320 Division Street, opened in April. It is a second venture for the Osterkamp family, owners of Monarch (monarchgiftshop.com), a gift store at 405 Division Street. A new restaurant is set to open in the former Ole Store Café at 1011 St. Olaf Avenue. Chuck Pryor, owner of the Grand Entertainment Center (thegrandevent.com) and the Tavern of Northfield (tavernofnorthfield.com) in the Archer House River Inn expects to be up and running in June. eco gardens, 600 South Division Street, has reopened for the season in a newly refreshed building. The stylish renovation of an abandoned tire store compliments the organic plants and gardening supplies. It's a welcome addition to Northfield's main commercial district.
Two year-long processes of keen interest to businesses are moving toward final action by the Northfield City Council. The city’s Land Development Code (LDC) – the first major overhaul of local development regulations in more than two decades – is receiving its final revision by the Planning Commission. The LDC provides a detailed guide to the standards and requirements for all new building and development projects in the city, while the Business Park Master Plan presents a conceptual vision to guide development of a 530-acre parcel of land annexed into the city in 2009. “This is the first major update of the land development code in 30 years," said Tracy Davis, chair of the Northfield Planning Commission. "The new regulations reflect the city's Comprehensive Plan and current best practices in land use and development, and is clearer about the characteristics of the built environment Northfield is looking for. We want to take some of the guesswork and unpredictability out of the development process.” The Business Park Master Plan process has been led by Jeff McMenimen, of Hoisington Koegler, Inc., and a steering committee comprised of local business leaders and elected officials. The plan presents a mixed-use business park for an area in the northwest corner of the city, straddling Dakota and Rice Counties. Interstate highway 35 is approximately five miles to the west. “For many years, Northfield has had little or no industrial expansion land,” notes Jody Gunderson, the city’s community and economic development director. “We couldn’t accommodate any significant expansion by our current employers, much less attract new businesses wanting to take advantage of the local workforce, or locate in a community with Northfield’s assets.” To see the most recent draft of the Land Development Code, visit the Planning Commission page on the City of Northfield website. For the latest Business Park plans, visit northfield-businesspark.com. Both plans are expected to go before the city council for final action in early summer.
City Receives Flood Relief Grant The City of Northfield has been awarded $257,000 in flood recovery assistance funds from the Business and Community Photo curtesy of Griff Wigley Development Division of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The grant comes from the Minnesota Investment Fund, and will finance revolving loans to help downtown businesses cope with the economic effects of the severe flooding that inundated the city in late 2010. “City staff pursued several opportunities to attract funds to help local businesses repair and rebuild after the floods last fall,” said Jody Gunderson, the city’s community and economic development director. “ We are fortunate to have a good working relationship with DEED, and they understood how important this support will be to our downtown businesses.” The grant will restore the Economic Development Authority’s revolving loan fund, which was used to help nearly a dozen businesses make immediate investments to reopen after the flood.
Perkins Continues to Innovative Northfield’s Perkins Specialized Transportation Contracting (heavyhaul.com) has once again pushed the technical boundaries of over-the-road transportation. To serve its nation-wide customer base, the company recently deployed its new Quantum™ hydraulic transporter, a flat-bed rig capable of handling cargos up to 136’ long at weights up to 160,000 lbs to 240,000 lbs, depending on allowable axle loadings on the route. The first Quantum move involved a single 115’ long piece of industrial equipment from Minnesota to Tennessee. “The Quantum transporter is designed as a ‘load-and-roll’ system, providing a single, highly maneuverable platform that protects the cargo from the transfer of tortional forces,” says company president, Neil Perkins. “It is a revolutionary new way to move oversize shipments.” The company’s next innovation is the “Road Train by Perkins,” a 192-tire rig custom built to move a 400-ton shipment from California to Utah. It is an extraordinary piece of engineering designed to solve a customer’s unique challenges, and it represents Perkins Specialized at the top of its game. The Road Train utilizes one tractor pulling and four pushing, bringing the total tire count up to 242 and the overall length when connected to 399'6". “We have a tremendous team with world-class design and manufacturing skills. Our expertise is in solving extremely complex engineering challenges,” says Perkins. “By the time our trucks accept the cargo and hit the road, we’ve had some very smart people in our Northfield plant find technical and logistical solutions that ensure our customers’ cargoes arrive safely and on time, every time.”
Photo curtesy of Griff Wigley
Development Opportunities Three prime gateway sites at the northwest entrance to downtown are available. For more detailed information on these and other available properties, visit the Economic Development page on the City of Northfield website.
THE CROSSING Approximately 2.5 acres of undeveloped commercial land immediately adjacent to downtown. Full utility services, direct access to TH 3.
THE “Q” BLOCK Approximately 2 acres with highvisibility frontage along TH 3. Perfect for high-traffic commercial uses.
Malt-O-Meal Company Wins Environmental Award Malt-O-Meal Company (malt-o-meal.com) has won the Industrial Environmental Achievement (IEA) Award in recognition of its outstanding contributions in waste minimization, pollution prevention, environmental compliance, and environmental stewardship. Awarded by the Central States Water Environment Association (CSWEA), the IEA Award companies taking steps to increase environmental awareness, and reduce pollution and wastewater emissions from manufacturing operations. Malt-O-Meal was chosen for this award due to its efforts to reduce the amount of food waste generated at its manufacturing facility located in Northfield. The company developed a unique system to collect unusable liquid food materials and use this material as animal feed or soil additives. With these practices, Malt-O-Meal is able to find additional uses for its food waste, eliminating the need for expensive treatment of wastewater. Over past decades, the company has made extensive investments in a variety of environmental programs that reduce energy and water consumption at the Northfield plant. Its packaging innovations – including its elimination of an exterior box — have significantly reduced consumer packaging and disposable waste. “Malt-O-Meal is Northfield's leading employer, and a great corporate citizen in all of its communities,” said Northfield mayor, Mary Rossing. “This award clearly demonstrates the company’s leadership and continued commitment to investing in creative solutions to help solve environmental problems. They are a shining example of the kind of company we want to call Northfield its home.”
WATER AND SECOND STREETS Approximately .65 acres zoned for retail, office or residential development. A high-visibility corner at the gateway to downtown Northfield. Full utility services, highway access. THE CROSSING - COMMERCIAL Commercial condominiums ready for immediate occupancy. Perfect for retail or office, with high visibility and direct highway access.
Economic Development Authority 801 Washington Street Northfield, MN 55057 507-645-3018 www.ci.northfield.mn.us/business eda@ci.northfield.mn.us
Get to Know Northfield “Get to Know Northfield,” a series of web videos, offers an inside look at some of the people who make Northfield a unique community. The nine segments highlight the city’s rich history and traditions, it’s arts and cultural activities, its high quality education and healthcare systems, and a number of businesses that have chosen to locate here. Each webisode also features some of the quirky personalities that make Northfield an entertaining place to live, work, and play. The video project was sponsored by the Economic Development Authority, Northfield’s two colleges – Carleton College and St. Olaf College, Northfield Hospitals and Clinics, the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce, and three local businesses. You can find a link to the videos at ci.northfield.mn.us/assets/e/ EDA/northfield_videos.html
Summer Events in Northfield Taste of Northfield June 16 and 17 JuneBug Music Festival June 22–24 Crazy Daze July 28 Bridge Square Chamber Music Festival August 18, 23, 25 Thursdays on the Square Thursday evenings Riverwalk Market Fair Every Saturday June – October (food, farmers market, arts, crafts and street performers) Defeat of Jesse James Days September 8-11