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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes June 14, 2005 Page 9 Councilmember Horst questioned how the 4,500 square feet building would work. 4 Mr. Tucci said that they would be put in the new building at 4,500 square feet out on the point. 6 Councilmember Horst questioned how the name ended up being Huskies. 7 8 Mr. Foster said Huskies is no longer the name of it. The Planning Commission voted that down. 9 Since the last meeting, and as the result of questions from Council, they hired a marketing person 10 to review what the City wants in terms of a restaurant. That marketing person interviewed a 11 number of area residents. They did not want a bar, and don't want a chain -type model in there. 12 They want a local place that had some ambience they could come to as a local neighborhood 13 restaurant that had liquor. The marketing person reviewed four different concepts: a 14 vintage /university theme; St. Anthony Pride; European pub; and location descriptor such as 15 Terrace or Grill. The developer has reviewed all of those and the concept they feel that would 16 work best is a name such as the Village Pub or Villager Pub and would have a European feel. It 17 would have TVs to view sporting events. It would be an upscale sports bar. He referred to 18 Councilmember Stille's earlier comment that it could look like the Jackson Street Grill in Anoka 19 and stated it would not. They would tailor the restaurant to meet what the community is looking 20 for. He has talked with the potential restaurant owners, and if the City makes the decision they 21 do not want them in the end cap, they would go out in a 4,500 square foot outlot building. It is 22 always difficult when professional staff that is experienced in development is asked to give and 23 opinion of what would work, and their recommendation is basically the same as from the 24 Council. He said they are trying to reach the happy medium. He said as a representative of the 25 group, and as a resident, he doesn't think the answer is for the City to take back that land. He 26 mentioned Trillium Park across the street as being a non -used park, though it does make a great 27 entrance into the city. However, it has no value for tax purposes. 28 29 Councilmember Horst stated along that line, the Council showed they are willing to redevelop 30 and showed good faith for two years to develop that land. It is only after frustration on that 31 project the Council is mentioning the possibility of taking it back. It is not his preference. He is 32 looking for something to enhance the City. What is being proposed is a concept; the Council 33 cannot see what it will look like, or even be sure it will be followed through. He said he wants to 34 see what it looks like in order to consider variances. He said the City was set to work like this 35 with Spectators because they had a good idea of what Spectators would look like. He had lunch 36 at Jackson Street and he saw what can be done. He said it appears to him that the building here 37 is designed more for retail and he can't imagine putting a bar in there. He said he does want to 38 see the developer put something in there and he would be willing to look at other options. He 39 wants to see what a proposed bar /restaurant looks like before he gives any approvals. 40 41 Mayor Faust noted the Jackson Street Bar was a hardware store, so it is evident what can be done 42 to a building. He noted a backroom service area is needed. He said at 3,500 square feet for a 43 bar, there is not enough space for a full fledged bar. The 6,000 square foot proposal was 44 probably what is needed for a full restaurant. 45 46 Councilmember Gray said he does want to see this. The $150,000 offer is a great offer. With 47 the building at 3,500 square feet, he said he has a hard time seeing how we would get to 50%