April 30th, 2005

NORTHFIELD — The public will get its chance to see the preliminary site plans for the Riverfront Redevelopment site in a series of public meetings in May.

Northfield’s Economic Development Authority received an update on the project at Thursday’s meeting.

Mendota Homes, a Little Canada-based developer, has a preliminary redevelopment agreement with the city for the 7-acre site.

As part of this preliminary agreement, the developer has until May 31 to present a number of documents to the city. These include preliminary financing for the site, a market feasibility report and a development phasing schedule.

On May 10, the city’s Design Advisory Board will review the developer’s site plan.

Two days after that, the EDA and the Northfield City Council will have a chance to see the plans at a joint meeting.

The public will have a chance to weigh in at open houses that will be hosted later in the month.

“We’re not discussing financials and all of that, we’re purely looking at aesthetics” in these meetings, said Deanna Kuennen, the city’s economic development specialist.

Last fall, members of the public got to weigh in on a number of preliminary expectations and goals for the developer to follow in their development of the site.

“This is a chance for the Mendota Homes team to present to us how they, in their minds, have accomplished these goals and objectives,” Kuennen said.

Public meetings will be held on May 17 and 19.

– Michelle Kubitz

Reprinted with permission from the Northfield News.