Minnehaha Creek Restoration Progresses with Cold Storage Property Purchase.
Partnership with Hopkins Helps Achieve Watershed and City Goals
The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) Board of Managers has approved the purchase of a 16.9 acre piece of property adjacent to Minnehaha Creek in Hopkins. The property, located at 325 Blake Road, is an older industrial property with cold storage buildings currently operating the site.
The $14.95 million purchase is part of a larger effort by the MCWD to restore Minnehaha Creek, which has been adversely impacted by industrial development over the years. At the Blake Road property, the MCWD plans to restore about 1,000 feet of shoreline in one of the most degraded sections of the creek. The area will become a natural buffer to help clean and slow run-off water before it enters the creek, provide reasonable public access and improve water quality. The rest of the property will be sold for re-development, which is consistent with the city’s comprehensive land use plan.
The acquisition will be financed by MCWD bond proceeds with repayment through the MCWD watershed tax levy. Lease payments by the existing tenants will help cover annual financing costs and tenants will continue regular tax payments to the city of Hopkins. Proceeds from the sale of the balance of the property, once tenant leases have expired, will allow the District to recover a good portion of the original acquisition costs.
Initially, the MCWD approached the current property owner for an easement that would have allowed restoration of the Minnehaha Creek shoreline, but buildings and other infrastructure on the property would not have allowed enough access to the site to complete the restoration project. The MCWD determined that a purchase of the property was the best option for achieving MCWD and city goals, while being fair to property owners and responsible to taxpayers.
Prior to the Board’s approval of the purchase, the MCWD obtained an independent market appraisal and conducted due diligence and negotiation to ensure that it was paying market value for the property and that there is a sufficient market interest in the eventual resale of the property for the District to recoup a large portion of its purchase costs.
The restoration project by the MCWD is one component of a larger partnership with the cities of Hopkins and St. Louis Park aimed at restoring creek watershed areas between Highway 169 and Methodist Hospital.
Job Opening: Aquatic Invasive Species Technician
The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District seeks a qualified candidate to plan, support, coordinate, and conduct the District’s aquatic invasive species (AIS) activities. This position will work with internal staff, the Board of Managers, other government agency personnel, and the general public.
