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EDC Minutes February 17, 2017 Page 3 of 6 developers, others where industrial and still others were retail and senior housing developers. Staff was told that the Rice Creek Commons development. They are afraid to develop in Mounds View until they find out what is being developed in Arden Hills. They felt the Crossroad Pointe site is awkward and irregular shaped and doesn't have good access. The developers mentioned that it would be about 30 years until they would be comfortable developing anything at the site. They offered that in the meantime the site may be able to support a convenience store, gas station, auto sales, affordable housing, and senior housing. They felt that either affordable or senior housing would be able to make it at that site, but none of them felt that they would be willing to put forth the risk to build there. One developer mentioned a restaurant. In general, the Council's vision for this site has not matched the current demand. They Council had mentioned a downtown destination but the developers are not willing to do this and there isn't enough room at the site for this type of development. Helgemoe asked if the Bel Rae Senior Living facility was full. Beeman said it is nearing capacity and the developers for that facility are looking for more locations to build. The developers had expressed some interest in the site in the past, but at that time they weren't ready to build. Now, they are back in the hunt for land. Dominion, another senior housing developer was very interested in Crossroad Pointe, but they were too busy at the time, and missed the deadline to submit their proposal. Instead, they ended up going to Spring Lake Park. Rieland, asked if it would be an extension to what they already have. Beeman said the group is looking to build a four story with underground parking. Freichels said he was part of the joint meeting with the City Council when they were expressing their vision for the property. He has all along been concerned with the Rice Creek Commons and how that will affect Crossroad Pointe. Commissioner Muckala asked if this would be the fourth senior housing facility. If this facility would be built then it was thought that it would become the fourth facility. Muckala said this type of development may spur a demand for another type of need in the community like attracting a medical use. Beeman reviewed the type of developments that have expressed interest in the past. Among those have been daycare, flea market, public storage, restaurant, retail strip mall, senior housing, affordable housing, churches, etc. Many of these uses don't fit the Council's vision for this site and they wouldn't be the desired highest and best use. The demand equation is what drives developers. A person can't create demand. If it isn't there then it isn't there. All that can be done is to create awareness. Having three vacant blighted and substandard buildings isn't the best idea and that is why the Council decided to demolish all three buildings in the past. Rieland asked when the building was taken down. Beeman thought it was around 2008. Three visioning sessions were completed for the site and the first one include community input as well as an engineering report. Council Member Meehlhause offered some history of the site saying the first building demoed was the gas station off of County Road H2 and Mounds View Boulevard in the early 2000's. The City purchased because it was left abandoned and the owners weren't doing anything about it. A wind storm had damaged the canopy and pieces were dangling. They City then decided to purchase the Japanese Sushi restaurant and the Roberts' site in around 2013. So, it has been only about four years since those parcels were acquired. Beeman said a redevelopment TIF could have been used at that time if a project had been imminent. Now the use of TIF would be questionable unless it was a Housing TIF. Beeman said if this was an easy site then it