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City of Coon Rapids Economic Deve .... .......
<br />
<br /> The City of Coon Rapids enjoyed a productive year in the
<br /> area of commercial and industrial expansions during 1986.
<br /> Building permit values for the new construction of industri-
<br /> al and commercial projects totaled $14,799,952 with ex-
<br /> pansions/remodeling of existing commercial-industrial facili-
<br /> ties totaling another $4,182.752. The $18,982,704 worth
<br /> of commercial-industrial construction represents the City's
<br /> best year of economic development activity. From 1980 to
<br /> 1986, inclusive, the building permit value of all commer-
<br /> cial-industrial construction totals $69,209,889.
<br /> Below are numerous updates on a variety of projects
<br /> within Coon Rapids:
<br />
<br /> Minnesota Medical Enterprise Park
<br /> Construction is nearly completed on the 72,000 square
<br /> foot multi-tenant building known as the Minnesota Medical
<br /> Enterprise Center I (MMEC-I). It will provide lease space
<br /> for established medical companies and their support ser-
<br /> vices.
<br /> Also under construction is the 41,000 square foot
<br /> MMEC-II, an "incubator" facility that provides start-up
<br /> medical companies with shared access to clean environ-
<br /> ments, tool rooms, computer assisted design equipment,
<br /> plus personnel and financial assistance during their
<br /> research and development phase.
<br /> Co-developers of both projects are Coon Rapids based
<br />The Gaughan Companies and The Alpha Business Group, a
<br />bio-medical consulting/venture management partnership.
<br />Additional buildings which will provide assembly and labo-
<br />ratory space for medical product companies are planned by
<br />the development team.
<br /> The 1lO-acre Enterprise Park is designed exclusively for
<br />medical product companies and their suppliers. In addition
<br />to assisting emerging companies, during their initial
<br />research phase, the Park also provides sites for sale or
<br />lease t6 established medical technology companies inter-
<br />ested in relocating, expanding, or consolidating operations
<br />into a business campus setting.
<br />
<br />Video Cassette Highlights Enterprise Park
<br /> In January, the City of Coon Rapids prepared an eight
<br />minute video cassette, highlighting the Medical Enterprise
<br />Park. The completion of the video coincided with an
<br />overseas trade mission by the Minnesota Trade Office. The
<br />two month mission to China, Korea, and Japan was aimed
<br />at opening new foreign markets for the State's medical
<br />product companies. The Trade Office agreed to translate
<br />the cassette into Chinese, Korean, and Japanese narrations
<br />for its use as a display at the trade shows. Glacier Park
<br />Company, The Gaughan Companies, Endotronics, Stanton
<br />Realty, and The Alpha Business Group shared the cost of
<br />producing the tape with the City.
<br />
<br />Coon Rapids Industrial Park
<br /> Two new tenants completed expansions in the City-
<br />owned industrial park in late 1986. Model Engineering, a
<br />precision engineering company, acquired a 1.9 acre parcel
<br />for the construction of a 16,000 square foot facility and
<br />Majestic Woodworking acquired a one acre tract for a
<br />5,000 square foot cabinet shop. Majestic is considering an
<br />expansion to the building.
<br />
<br /> Evergreen Industrial Park
<br /> Two other industrial projects were recently completed in
<br /> Evergreen Park. Lund Industries completed construction of
<br /> a 50,000 square foot office and manufacturing facility at
<br /> Evergreen Boulevard and 90th Avenue. Erickson Metals of
<br /> Minnesota also finished work on a 25,000 square foot
<br /> building at Evergreen and 93rd Avenue.
<br /> Construction of a 10,000 square foot building for Air-Mo
<br /> Hydraulics is expected to begin this spring.
<br />
<br /> Bartley Supply Project Underway
<br /> Groundbreaking for Bartley Supply Company's 80,000
<br />square foot distribution center occurred at 94th and East
<br />River Road in January. The building will serve as Bartley's
<br />Twin Cities Distribution Center of plumbing supplies.
<br />
<br /> Commercial Projects
<br /> The 89-unit Travel Suites Inn at 155 Coon Rapids
<br /> Boulevard opened in early March. In addition to providing
<br /> overnight lodging, Travel Suites offers banquet and
<br /> meeting room facilities.
<br /> Adjacent to Travel Suites Inn is a new office developed
<br />by The Gaughan Companies. Located at 199 Coon Rapids
<br />Boulevard, the office contains 33,000 square feet of lease
<br />space and is 50 percent occupied. Tenants include
<br />Remington Builders; A.L. Williams; Dr. Bruce Waterman;
<br />Land and Sales; Margarettan and Company, Inc.; Don
<br />Preston, CPA; Innovative Packaging; and a secretarial sales
<br />company.
<br /> Occupancy at the 40,000 square foot Coon Rapids
<br />Square Shopping 'Center is underway. Walgreen Drug
<br />Store located at 3005 Coon Rapids Boulevard, next to
<br />Cheep Skate, will open in mid-March, and the other anchor
<br />tenant, Old Country' Buffet Restaurant, opened at the end of
<br />March.
<br />
<br />Star City Recertification
<br /> The Economic Development Department recently submit-
<br />ted its recertification package to the Department of Energy
<br />and Economic Development (DEED) for continued par-
<br />ticipation under the Star City Program.
<br /> Since its recognition as a Minnesota Star City in :1982,
<br />Coon Rapids has completed annual recertification require-
<br />ments as established by DEED.
<br /> The basis of the Star City Program is to encourage com-
<br />munities to become more involved in their economic devel-~
<br />opment efforts to strengthen their potential for attractin,~;~
<br />new businesses and retaining existing ones.-
<br />
<br />Economic Development Brochure Available '.
<br />Work is completed on a four-color Economic Devel0'~i~'.,-~
<br />ment Brochure. It highlights the City's educational and re~;~-&~
<br />reational facilities and provides an overview of commerciaJ~
<br />and industrial opportunities throughout the commun~-_'.~
<br />The brochure will be used as part of the City's marke~'.t~,_~
<br />efforts during the year. A copy of the brochure can I:~
<br />tained by calling the Economic Development Depa ....
<br />
<br />The Housing and Community Development
<br />completed their public hearings for the upcoming
<br />
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