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From: Christine Costello, Economic Development Director
Date: November 1, 2020
Activites that have taken place in the community that may have a potential impact on economic
development activity:
Discussion
Staff Action
Thursday, August 13, 2030
Economic Development Director Costello and Economic
Meeting with Xcel Energy
Development Coordinator met with Xcel Energy's Economic
Development staff to discuss certifying property south of
100th Street n the Business Park as part of Xcel Energy's
Shovel Ready program
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Economic Development Coordinator Wolf les the sub
Sub Committee Meeting of
committee meeting and staff of the sub committees
Visitor's Bureau
discussed marketing efforts for each of the five sub groups
that the Visitor's Bureau will focus on.
Friday, August 21, 2020
Met with the Washington County staff representative on how
Meeting with Washington
a BRET station could be included in the Red Rock Corridor
County
Implementation Plan
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Discussed proposals for a website and marketing ideas for
Cottage Grove Convention
budget.
and Visitors Bureau meeting
Thursday, August 27, 2020
Economic Development Director Costello attend the Board
Chamber Board Meeting
meeting on behalf of Councilmember Dennis and provided a
update on the last two Council meetings.
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Economic Development Director Costello and Assistant to
Meeting with Gene Smallidge
the City Administrator Matt Wolf met with Gene Smallidge
and his broker Jeff LaFavre of IAG Commercial to discuss
the land Mr. Smallidge has south of 100th Street for
development and the need for an easement to extend the
sanitary sewer which will allow for development of Mr.
Smallidges property and additional property west of Ideal
Avenue and south of 100th Street.
Tuesday, September 15,
Economic Development Director Costello and Senior
2020 Meeting with Carmen
Planner Emily Schmitz met with Carmen Carter about
Carter
development of a potential event venue center. Director
Costello shared with Carmen Carter potential sites, grants
funding, and additional business resources. Carmen Carter
is in very preliminary stages of development.
Tuesday, September 15,
Economic Development Director Costello attended a transit
2020 Transit Meeting
meeting hosted by Community Development Director Boike
and Senior Planner John Burbank. The meeting was to
discuss Metro Transit services that could be added to
Cottage Grove such as local circulators.
Tuesday, September 21,
Economic Development Director Costello met with
2020 Meeting with
Councilmember Dennis who introduced Dan Parker, who is
Councilmember Dennis
a chef and craft beer consultant. Mr. Parker is interested in
opening his own brew pub. During the meeting potential
locations for a brew pub were discussed. Director Costello
followed up with Mr. Parker on additional site details, open to
business and green grant opportunities.
Tuesday, September 22,
Economic Development Director Costello and Director of
2020 Meeting with Gerry
Public Works Ryan Burfeind met with Gerry Herringer, the
Herringer
landowner for the property at Shoppes at Cottage View.
Director Burfeind discussed the draft feasibility report and
shared with Mr. Herringer that the report allowed the City's
engineering consultant Bolton and Menk to refine the road
alignment and the associated costs with utilities and road
construction. The report also clarified that the site still needs
considerable grading for the construction of street and pond
improvements.
Monday, September 28,
City Administrator Levitt and Economic Development
2020 Chamber Golf Classic
Director Costello attended the event since the EDA
sponsored the putting contest. It was an opportunity to chat
with local business owners during the event.
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Economic Development Director Costello attended a virtual
Virtual Conference
land development conference by Minnesota Real Estate
Journal. Conference takeaways:
• Multi -family development took a pause this Spring and Summer
but now seeing the market come back.
• Another challenge for multi -family development is retail on the
first floor. With the pandemic it is hard to say what the full
impacts will be to the retail market.
• Urban core development is difficult at the moment due to office
market related to the pandemic, so this is impacting residential
market in the urban core. This is a positive for suburban
markets where it is seen more palatable.
• National retail tenants are also wanting a drive thru, so a
development that wants retail but does not allow for a drive
thru will find it difficult to incorporate any national chain
retailer.
• Industrial competitors for Cottage Grove may include the City of
Dayton which has 500 acres north of the new 1-94 interchange
to be completed in 2021 and Woodbury, who has 200 acres
located at 1-94 and Manning Avenue. Cottage Grove Business
Park still has "shovel ready' compared to these communities so
we are able to move quicker through the development process.
• Transportation Corridors from a broker perspective are
important. Their clients want what is called "Two Rights", they
want to be able to take two turns only to get into their facility.
• Concern for 2021 is still the supply chain. Lumber costs are
through the roof, timing of projects is being impacted so for
instance, the delivery of appliances for a multi -family
development or windows. Some suppliers can't make or provide
it fast enough for developments. A second concern from
developers is the investor and lender community and getting
them through the pandemic concerns and open to financing of
projects during this time. They also mentioned they are seeing
contractors pass on a project or bidding for a project because
they are too busy to take on another job.
• In the housing market developers are starting to see single-
family rental projects, slab on grade developments, and people
wanting a "zoom" room in their home.