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Year ahead looks good for Minnetonka
<br />Minnetonka is in the midst of
<br />unprecedented growth and
<br />construction. A review of the
<br />valuation of new buildings added in
<br />recent years strongly supports this
<br />contention. For example, in 1984,
<br />new valuation exceeded $135
<br />million, in 1985 it was about $100
<br />million and is again estimated to
<br />be close to that amount for 1986.
<br />While it is too early to act.urately
<br />project the level for 1987, certainly
<br />it will rival that of our most recent
<br />history. Construction on the long-
<br />awaited Carlson Center at
<br />Highway 12/1-494 will commence
<br />this spring. The Trammell Crow
<br />Company, the country's largest
<br />developer, became a partner with
<br />Carlson Companies in the project
<br />last year, and revised plans are now
<br />being reviewed. Upon completion,
<br />the project potentially represents
<br />about a $500 million multi -use
<br />investment in Minnetonka.
<br />Other significant development is
<br />likely to occur. Opus 2, the City's
<br />first premier and nationally recog-
<br />nized office park, is nearing
<br />completion. Several key parcels
<br />remain to be developed. One,
<br />scheduled for 1987, will be the site
<br />of a 320 room Marriott Hotel. In
<br />addition to providing se�reral
<br />restaurants, it will have 10,OuJ sq.
<br />ft. of conference space as well as
<br />many other amenities. Minnetonka
<br />Corporate Center, located at 1-494
<br />and the Crosstown Highway, wili
<br />also continue to develop with
<br />several new major office buildings
<br />planned for 1987.
<br />T accommodate growth in
<br />Mini,t,onka and this part of the
<br />metropolitan area in general,
<br />several major roadway projects will
<br />continue or be completed in 1987
<br />Most notably. the Crosstown
<br />Highway will be opened in the fall,
<br />and work will continue on 1-394
<br />(Highway 12) Concerning the
<br />latter, work will continue through
<br />the year on the new interchange at
<br />1-494 and Highway 12. while
<br />construction will begin on the
<br />segment between Co Rd 73 (not
<br />including the new interchange)
<br />and Boone Avenue
<br />r • I-n-ied balanced and
<br />s -weiopmen is crucial to
<br />the City's future financial well-
<br />being. Because Minnesota cities
<br />are, by law, so heavily dependent
<br />on property taxes as their primary
<br />revenue source, it is in the City's
<br />interest to provide a diversified tax
<br />base, incorporating significant
<br />commercial office and multi -family
<br />components to alleviate the burden
<br />that otherwise would fall on single-
<br />family property owners.
<br />Tu help ensure that the City
<br />maintains its high level of service
<br />and the livability of Minnetonka is
<br />preserved, a number of public
<br />improvements will oc,,ur this year.
<br />By late summer, the City's new
<br />community and senior citizen
<br />center will be completed, offering a
<br />wide variety of services and
<br />facilities, such as meeting rooms
<br />anti a kitchen/dining room
<br />available for community use.
<br />Construction will be completed on
<br />one, and begun on another, of
<br />three new fire stations. Council will
<br />soon be reviewing plans for a new
<br />police facility, which, if built, could
<br />be started this year.
<br />As this article is being written,
<br />the City Council is considering
<br />adoption of a park dedication
<br />ordinance which would generate
<br />funds for park improvements from
<br />new developments. Council will
<br />also be considering substantial
<br />trail and park improvements as part
<br />of its Capital Improvement
<br />Program review.
<br />Minnetonka is ndeed a dynamic
<br />community, and it is fortunate to
<br />have the quality of responsible
<br />elected leadership that has guided
<br />it through these iransitional years I
<br />am confident such leadership will
<br />sgain be evident as the City deals
<br />with these and other challenq^s
<br />which will undoubtedly occur In
<br />1987
<br />�r+k, / k-
<br />�I,u�r.
<br />/
<br />Another exciting and eventful
<br />year is ahead for the City of
<br />Minnetonka. Several important
<br />City improvement projects will be
<br />completed this year and others,
<br />currently being reviewed, should
<br />be started.
<br />• Community Center — The $3
<br />million Community Center, located
<br />at the Civic Center complex at
<br />Minnetonka Blvd./Williston Road,
<br />should be completed by late
<br />summer or early fall. In addition to
<br />facilities for the City senior
<br />program, the Center will include
<br />several community meeting/con-
<br />ference rooms, a kitchen/dining
<br />room with a seating capacit; of 250
<br />to be used for the senior
<br />congregate dining program and
<br />other community events, and anew
<br />Council Chamber which will have
<br />state-of-the-art video technology
<br />for possible cable broadcasts of
<br />public meetings. Construction of
<br />the Center, along with its related
<br />improvements such as relocation
<br />and boulevarding of Williston Road
<br />and construction of an entrance
<br />plaza and open water pond, will
<br />complete the first phase of the
<br />Civic Center Master Plan
<br />• Police Department — The City
<br />Council is presently considering
<br />various concept plans for
<br />expansion of the Police Department.
<br />This department has continued to
<br />grow and expand its community
<br />programs and is very short of office
<br />space; security facilities are also in
<br />need of improvement. It is hoped
<br />that architectural plans for expan-
<br />sion of the Police Department will
<br />be completed soon; construction
<br />could begin this year.
<br />• Fire Department — To further
<br />improve public safety services for
<br />our residents, the southwest satel-
<br />We fire station is expected to be
<br />completed rr June. Construction
<br />will begin on the southea-' station,
<br />the second of 3 stations approved
<br />by voters in 1984
<br />• Carlson Center - 1-394 — The
<br />City looks forward to the first con-
<br />struction ui Carlson Center, located
<br />in the northwes. area of the com-
<br />munily Carlson Companies
<br />.elected Trammell Crow Company
<br />(Continued on page 3)
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