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art � x y ted natulally," Luhoccurr
<br /> nears persuading upeoPle to
<br /> said. "The shops that went
<br /> gather where e they tiicirr't coir- y` v
<br /> r there appealed tti shoppers.
<br /> gregate naturally before. The ? r• °' t became a destination."
<br /> standard recipe is to combine
<br /> small shops, apartments and #., f 5SPLIT BY A FOUR-LANE
<br /> parks in a pedestrian-friendly
<br /> way Loher experienced anoth
<br /> But its easier to build a walk a s drawback firsthand, as sl
<br /> able area than to get people to scooted across Nicoll
<br /> walls there. In some suburbs, Avenue to avoid an oncoadi
<br /> I the promise of re-creating
<br /> small-town life is as empty as The Heart of the City is sp
<br /> the sidewalks. >: by a busy foul•-lane thoroug
<br /> i "'Those places can be attrac fare.
<br /> uv»
<br /> Live.But if there is charm it is � � � "I don't perceive this to l
<br /> faux charm," said Kurt IIeg r 9 pedestrian-fr•icndly, she sak
<br /> land,president of a group that i<. She said there never will l
<br /> iomotes White Bear Lake's
<br /> p r • enough unique morn-Arid-pt
<br /> historic downtown. "It is not stores to Tule shoppers aw:
<br /> the same we-have-lived-here- a , from the,malls
<br /> for-100-years kind of char Inas t • There is a flower gift sho
<br /> The projects also can be „� a Y Can 1 told the same mei cha
<br /> expensive -- and controver n ; a *.. .= 1,'; dise elsewhere?"Lolier Fiske
<br /> i sial. N„ ._ f 1 Pointing across the st'r'eet,sY
<br /> Burnsville is spending
<br /> aid, Yes, there is' ice erear
<br /> s
<br /> $30 million on a new perform .z:a.. but is that enough of a draw!
<br /> ing arts center to jump-start
<br /> ,y Nar'uin pointed out a vacw
<br /> pedestrian traffic and small ;�
<br /> �' �, � bank building on Nicollet. "
<br /> businesses in the Heart of the y moved to the real heart of tl
<br /> ( City -- after foul' developers PIONEER PRESS PHOTOS:SHERRI LAROSE-CHIGLO � � city," the retail district e
<br /> backed away from the plan. In an effort to create the small-town center it lacked, highway 42,Narum said
<br /> The move has triggered an Burnsville spawned the Heart of the City development,a$400 a� Narurn acid Loher walke
<br /> organized effort to oust the million project that would include apartments,shops,a hotel, a kz' through Nicollet Coinmor
<br /> j officials who approved it. park and a performing arts center. Go to twincities.cotn to seePalk, where mothers and tot
<br /> I "It won't work," said Vickie more photos. Elwood Narum, left, and Vickie Loher are members of a tilers cavorted in the waterfe;
<br /> Lolrer;an ally of Narum's who group that opposes Burnsville's Heart of the City.Standing in fur-e. They sidestepped tl:
<br /> f walked with hint through the town charm was absolutely and then backed out.They said front of a large space that has never been rented in the pro- spray as one kid squirte
<br /> project. Although officials say the whole idea. the same thing—the site and jest's cornerstone, the Grande Market Place,they say the plan water from the mouth of
<br /> they are in the process of ere- At that time, Ed Delmoro the market would not support is fatally flawed and that chasing charm is a waste of money. frog-fountain at his friends.
<br /> ating old-fashioned charm in a argued that the small-towel- the projects. They stopped beside Reny.
<br /> modern age, they have failed, style meeting place would The project's cornerstone, $30 million to build it them- long string of warnings. Hagan, who said site In
<br /> Loher said counterbalance the isolation of the Grande Market Place,was selves. "It's clear businesses do not brought her children to tl
<br /> j "No one wants to give them suburban life. completed in 2002.It has sever- That's a small price to pay, thins they can make a profit— park 20 times since moving 4
<br /> the bad news. It's like the "Do you want just a place to al occupants, including one say supporters,for the region- or they would have been Burnsville in July.
<br /> emperor's new clothes," she drive to,open the garage door restaurant,but other high-pro- al magnet they are certain will there," said Charlie Crichton, "I love this,"she said"I Iov
<br /> said and watch TV?"said Delmoro, We restaurant spaces have spawn foot traffic,restaurants the only City Council member Burnsville."
<br /> a retired marketing executive. remained empty for six years. and small shops. who opposed the project from But slid she support the bus
<br /> REINFORCE "Hanging baskets are just The unique shops have been "You don't build that as a the start. "I don't see the tresses?To her;it seemed til+
<br /> WHAT'S LEFT ambience.Chapin is the people slow to move in.Some,like the profit center but as a catalyst," charm." an odd question. "Only Car
<br /> getting together." Day Spa If, opened and then Delmoro said. "'They put their own judg- bou Coffee and the nail salon
<br /> Sometimes, suburbs build Supporters cited success sto- closed. City Council Member Dan went ahead of the private sec- Hagan said.
<br /> modern small-town centers ries,including 50th and France Supporters insist the project Gustafson said the Heart of the for.The Heart of the City is an Next to her,Amber Barger;t
<br /> around the smallest scraps of in Edina and Excelsior & is on the verge of a turn- City is"absolutely a success." absolute disaster" said Gene Burnsville,laughed at her sU
<br /> their pasts. Grand in St.Lotus Park. around. It is a temporary victim of a Happe, a developer who has sliding in a man-made strean
<br /> Otte example is Lake Elmo, The task force spawned the Nicollet Commons Park is national recession, he said. built 45 commercial buildings Having grown up in an Iovv
<br /> which doesn't have much real Heart of the City—a$400 nail- thriving,visited by 40,000 peo- "Otherwise, all those empty in Burnsville. town of 4,000, she consider
<br /> f history left—only a handful of lion project with a 500-room ple each year, mostly for the storefronts would worry etre," "Everyone in Heart of the herself an authority on snud
<br /> businesses spread over two hotel, park, performing arts special events and concerts.It he said. City is near bankruptcy," town charm.
<br /> blocks. center;shops and apartments. sits next to the site of a restau- Happe said,rattling off names "I like this park. It's pretty
<br /> But suburban planner Bob bbl'orn the beginning, busi- rant under construction, the 'DON'T TOUCH IT' of condo builders and busi- she said."But it does not hav
<br /> Engstrom wanted to replicate nesses didn't seem to cooper- Mediterranean Cruise Cafe. nesses. "My advice to anyone small-town charm."
<br /> y the small-tower feel.So his Old ate. And city officials have aban- Critics of the Burnsville proj- else about small-towel charm
<br /> Village plan would add as four developers came to doned efforts to get a private ect say officials are blinded by is:Don't touch it." Bob Shaw can be reached of
<br /> t marry as 1,600 new homes Burnsville,promised to build a developer to build the perform- nostalgia and have ignored a The plan,critics say,is fatally 651-228-5433.
<br /> around the historic downtown, hotel complex with the center ing arts center,opting to spend
<br /> along with strops,parks, side- a#rr^ t
<br /> walks and—he says—some ti e t x v
<br /> Of the charm of the original. Donate \/�U Jeremiah,sh to gbia Heights
<br /> ` the small-town charm rs i Iito oto �
<br /> Walt Disney World"
<br /> not gone forever.What is thele to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation"of Minnesota
<br /> can be reinforced," Engstrom Share The Power of a Wish®
<br /> said. CALL 651-251-7662
<br /> Rosemount only has two his- (7days a week)
<br /> r
<br /> toric buildings left in its down-
<br /> town.Yet the city has lawlched "Free vehicles pick up i
<br /> •We accept all vehicles-running or not
<br /> a revitalization project with a .we also escape.Boats and RVs
<br /> 110 unit apartment complex, `
<br /> parking and space for small , '
<br /> shops. Nt L'`�,.M�. I,SH,,
<br /> Flowerpots hang from light
<br /> poles, beckoning pedestrians www.wheeisforwishes.org,
<br /> who have not yet arrived.
<br /> Mayor Bill Droste hopes a 1 1 1 1
<br /> library opening next year will
<br /> be the catalyst that pulls
<br /> pedestrians and small bust '? +�
<br /> ness into historic Rosemount. Is io u r w..
<br /> How can a city tell if a revival r
<br /> �.
<br /> of small-town charm is hope-
<br /> lessn
<br /> '? Furnace Old
<br /> "When you are in the noddle
<br /> of a cornfield trying to build a
<br /> quaint downtown," Droste i� l its
<br /> said."A lot of people would be �suspicious." p p But Not Broken? � � I 4
<br /> COUNTERBALANCE Horne Energy Center is looking for CenterPoint or Xcel Energyh
<br /> TO ISOLATION customers who: 1)are thinking about replacing their old furnace
<br /> or 2)want central air conditioning.You will receive up to$2,500
<br /> In 1994, Burnsville started for participating in this program.Call for details.
<br /> not with a cornfield but a
<br /> seedy 54-acre patch of dying You will receive: To qualify you must:
<br /> businesses.There were no his- •Up to$400 cash from utilities •Be a CenterPoint Energy or Xcel
<br /> toric buildings, no trees, no •Up to$500 cash on selected •Energy residential customer
<br /> parks. models •Reside in our service area
<br /> The city already had one of •Up to$600 guaranteed energy .install a qualifying model
<br /> •
<br /> the state's largest business cen- savings •Arrange for an immediate
<br /> tern a cluster of conventional •up to$1000 installation savings
<br /> malls along Dakota County 100%financing with 0 down and installation
<br /> Highway 42. But a task force low tauntlily ter,6oac
<br /> convened to create something ���
<br /> special -- a centralized meet- Call today GIVE All D RECEIVE AT T f 1E SAM.E "T'I M E.
<br /> ing area with small shops,
<br /> parks,flowers and trees. 763-476-199u
<br /> It wasn't some politician
<br /> doing this," city spokesman
<br /> Jinn Skelly said -- it was the
<br /> resideIlts of the city. "Small- Home Energy Center isnot related to any energy provider _........ _.._
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