PCAgenda_07Aug28 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

2006. Since 1990, small businesses catering to neighborhood needs have somewhat given • way to larger "destination" retailers, though these locally owned businesses are still in scale with the limited space and parking available on the site. These limits, along with proximity to a residential neighborhood and access issues imposed by the highways pose challenges for any future redevelopment. None is anticipated at this time. Falcon Heights' last Comprehensive Plan characterized the southeast quadrant of the Snelling/I-arpenteur core as the best opportunity for redevelopment. The redevelopment of this site was accomplished between 2003 and 2007 with the construction of Falcon Heights Town Square by Sherman Associates, Inc. The new mixed-use development provides 175 apartments, 56 in a senior apartment building and 119 in amulti-family building, of which -are designated affordable. Fourteen owner-occupied town homes are also part of the complex. The multi-family building contains 12,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor. Parking is removed from the streetscape into the interior of the block and underground. In the next two decades, the most likely quadrant of the Snelling/Larpenteur Core to see redevelopment is the southwest. Preserving the original art deco building would be a high priority in any future re-purposing or redevelopment of the southwest quadrant. The property, long the home of Harvest States Cooperative, is now owned by T.I.E.S., a non- profit corporation serving technological needs of school districts. Although T.I.E.S. leases out space to other entities for office use, the site as a whole is underutilized, and the western portion of the property, still occupied by the building that once served as Falcon Heights fire station and city hall, is used for little besides overflow parking. • General improvements to the Snelling/Larpenteur commercial district since 2000 include: • Increase in landscaped area, container plantings and trees • Elimination of billboards and replacement of unattractive and disorganized signage by new, less intrusive signage at all three commercial corners • New bus shelters • Refurbished street lights Remaining problems: • Street and walkway configuration that is hazardous to pedestrians • Minimal landscaping separating walkways and streets from parking lots • Visually obtrusive overhead electrical and telephone lines and utility structures • Difficult vehicle access from public streets due to street improvements that have improved traffic flow at the expense of retail accessibility. • High proportion of paved surface contributing to storm water run-off and detracting from the visual attractiveness of the area. Based on its size limitations and fragmentation, the Falcon Heights commercial core will not be able to compete successfully with nearby retail centers in Roseville for specialty retail and "mall" shopping. Its primary role will be that of satisfying the neighborhood convenience retail needs of a relatively small market area consisting of Falcon Heights and parts of Roseville and St. Paul. Its secondary role will be to function as a specialty • Assembled Elements, Draft 1 FH Comp Plan 2007 Page 22 of 42