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4.01 Informational Interview: Kraus Anderson <br /> City Administrator Ulrich stated this case is a follow up to the EDA's ongoing discussion RE <br /> marketing strategies for The COR, and the sale of City-owned land. Staff met with Jaci Bell <br /> before the EDA meeting and she is prepared to answer questions from the EDA. <br /> Ms. Jaci Bell, Director of Development, Kraus Anderson, was at the meeting to answer <br /> questions. She provided a handout to the EDA and reviewed the background on her company. <br /> Mr. Dan Mossy, Krause Anderson was also at the meeting. <br /> Ms. Bell stated one thing to note is Kraus Anderson is a family owned company. The projects <br /> they historically have worked on are owned. She stated there is a differentiation between Kraus <br /> Anderson as a developer and construction company from some others. They tend to buy and <br /> keep because they are supplementing their own owned portfolio. This is not the only format; it is <br /> just the historical format. <br /> Ms. Bell reviewed projects in the packet that Kraus Anderson has done in the past and is <br /> currently working on. <br /> Ms. Bell stated their general perception of The COR as a development project and what are <br /> Ramsey's strength and weaknesses. From a development perspective, some of Ramsey's <br /> strengths are that it is a transit-oriented development and she can tell there is a lot of heart in <br /> planning that has gone into The COR. She understood there is a desire to refresh the initiative to <br /> pushing things further along and really executing their vision and trying some different things. <br /> What she does not know is what Ramsey's partnerships have looked like to date and what they <br /> have leaned on each other for and how they have gotten there. She noted if they were working <br /> together, she would want to hear more about that and learn what has and has not worked well. <br /> Mr. Mossy thought one of the biggest challenges from a demographics side of things is the river. <br /> They are kind of in between the river crossing access of Anoka and Otsego. When looking at a <br /> demographic study, it is done by a radius base and he thought it made some sense to alter that <br /> and go north up to Nowthen and touch on St. Francis and northern Andover, which would be The <br /> COR retail shoppers and the City of Ramsey and the residents who reside there are the everyday <br /> retail shoppers. He has noticed a little bit more activity as he came into The COR area along <br /> Ramsey Boulevard. There are a number of employers that are growing that way and from a <br /> retailer's perspective; daytime population for a restaurant is an important number for them to <br /> look at. He thought the City might want to hone in on the demographics a little more and present <br /> that in a more appropriate fashion to some retailers that are out there. He stated a lot of retail is <br /> tenant driven so if they could get a strong anchor, that would be the most important step to take, <br /> which will bring other tenants and shoppers into the market. <br /> Ms. Bell stated when they brought up market study, it is something they have not done in <br /> Ramsey and have not released any work as far as a market study. She understood Ramsey has <br /> done this to some degree but it is something that Kraus Anderson would do as a first step in any <br /> Economic Development Authority/February 9, 2017 <br /> Page 2 of 10 <br />