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Metropolitan Council awards $11.3 million in Livable Communities gr... http://www.metrocouncii.org/news/2011/news_723.htm It Metropolitan Council > News+Events > News Releases Metropolitan Council awards $11.3 million in Livable Communities grants Funds promote economic development, housing affordability and mixed land uses with access to transit and other amenities Contact: Bonnie Kollodge 651.602.1357 ST. PAUL—Dec. 14, 2011—Today, the Metropolitan Council approved more than $11 million in grants to promote economic development and affordable housing in the region. The grants are awarded to cities participating in the Livable Communities program and will help to advance Grant award types redevelopment such as the Lyndale Garden Center in • Pre-development Richfield, for example, redevelopment of the Schmidt Brewery Brew House and Ford Plant site in St. Paul and • Development projects affordable housing opportunities in Maple Grove and • Affordable housing Wayzata. • Land Acquisition Loan for affordable new "The Livable Communities program has been in place since development 1995 and continues to experience one success after another, including the Excelsior and Grand redevelopment in St. Louis Park and the Town Square project in Falcon Heights," said Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh. "These grants, year after year, performing extreme makeovers on outdated development, improving connections between people and jobs and helping to ensure the region maintains the quality of life that continues to attract quality employers." Since 1995, the Council has awarded about $230 million in Livable Communities grants, creating or retaining tens of thousands of jobs and leveraging billions of dollars in other investments. In addition to the grants, the Council today approved a new funding mechanism for projects that promote economic development and jobs along metro transitways. The Transit-Oriented Development Fund (TOD Fund) is a new category within the framework of the Livable Communities program and will offer grants to cities to support development along rail and high-frequency bus routes. TOD projects will be high density, mixed-use, near transit stations and designed to be pedestrian friendly. "Encouraging economic development and job growth along transit corridors is the Council's No. 1 priority," said Haigh. "It promotes efficient use of resources and infrastructure. It improves connections between where people are and where they want to go. It enhances livability and quality of life. And, it encourages development patterns that integrate housing choices and household incomes." The Council approved 14 grants today for mixed-use development projects and six grants for projects that are in the pre-development stage for activities such as design and site evaluation, for example. The Council also approved nine grants for affordable housing activities, including rental and homeownership projects. Grant awards for projects in pre-development • Lyndale Garden Center, Richfield—$100,000 to assist local design efforts to redevelop the vacant site to include a mix of market rate and affordable housing, commercial and retail opportunities aimed at promoting local businesses. The project will make improvements to connections to existing parks and trails and a bandshell or amphitheater. There is also potential for a public parking ramp and site improvements that connect the project to the existing lake and park. • Louisiana Avenue LRT Station Development Area, St. Louis Park—$80,000 to assist local efforts to prepare station area plans, conduct soil testing and determine strategies for land acquisition at the site of a future station for Southwest LRT between Minneapolis and Eden Prairie. The project will demonstrate how to retrofit an auto-oriented employment center into a neighborhood that connects natural areas, housing and regional transit infrastructure. • Zoning Framework for the St. Paul Ford Site, St. Paul—$100,000 to help the City research and draft a comprehensive vision and goals for redevelopment of the large industrial St. Paul Ford Site to address economic, social and environmental sustainability. • Highway 36 Corridor Master Plan, North St. Paul—$100,000 to help the City analyze and plan for development that connects new development opportunities with adjacent historic and civic amenities and attracts new employers. The plan will address more compact development that is transit-oriented and pedestrian friendly, multi-modal transportation options, infrastructure investment, employment, diversity 1 of 3 12/30/2011 10:04 AM