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39 <br /> CONSULTING PLANNERS <br /> LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS . <br /> 300 FIRST AVENUE 1\TORTH <br /> SUITE 210 <br /> NIINNEAPOLIS. N1N >5401 <br /> 612.339.3300 <br /> June 2, 2000 <br /> Joanne Barron <br /> Metropolitan Council <br /> Mears Park Center <br /> 230 E. 5'h Street <br /> St. Paul, MN 55101 <br /> RE: City of St. Anthony Village Livable Communities Demonstration Account Grant <br /> • Dear Ms. Barron: <br /> ].am pleased to provide the City of St. Anthony Village's application for a Livable Communities <br /> Demonstration Account Grant. St. Anthony Village is a first-ring suburb located northeast of <br /> Minneapolis, straddling the border of Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. It is a small city <br /> (population 8,000) of 2.35 square miles, surrounded by larger ones. Roseville lies directly to the <br /> east,New Brighton to the northeast, and Columbia Heights to the northwest. Incorporated in <br /> 1945, most of the city has reached buildout, and similar to so many other first tier suburbs, its <br /> opportunities to change and build tax base is limited to-infill and redevelopment.. <br /> The City recently completed an update of its Comprehensive Plan, which identified the need and <br /> desire to evolve into a true "suburban village." This goal recognizes the existing elements.that <br /> support such a vision, including active residential neighborhoods, an independent and contiguous <br /> school district, and a strong sense of community spirit. The Plan also recognizes the shortage of; <br /> and need to develop, gathering places and destinations for community residents. With the recent <br /> construction of a new City Hall and the ongoing restoration of the parks system, the City has <br /> started on its way to realize this goal. However, in order to enhance its sense of community, the <br /> need still remains for St. Anthony to redevelop into a compact,pedestrian-friendly village. <br /> Two recent developments present major opportunities for the City. The first is the pending sale <br /> of the Apache Plaza shopping center. This 1960's retail mall, which has suffered a long period of <br /> decline, was one of the first indoor malls to be constructed in the country. Recently, the City has <br /> come to the realization that 100 percent dedicated retail use may no longer be viable for the <br /> • center. Simultaneously, a private redevelopment company has begun negotiations with the <br /> current owner(a bank through foreclosure) to purchase the entire property. The developer wants <br /> to convert the existing structures to primarily an office high tech facility and anticipates <br />