Golden Valley Leaders Chart Course for Future Development
City leaders in Golden Valley want to add a more “urban flavor” to the city’s development goals, while trying to maintain the suburban charm of the inner-ring city by tackling more comprehensive redevelopment opportunities and trying to add more transit options.
“The whole city here is developed, through the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s,” said Director of Community and Economic Development Emily Goellner. “We have a much different development pattern, though, that we’re seeking for the new century.”
The Sentinel apartments are going up in Golden Valley near the reconstructed Wells Fargo Branch at Golden Valley Drive and Golden Valley Road.
Goellner pointed to the Sentinel apartments near downtown Golden Valley that are still under construction. The 302-unit building will offer a variety of housing options and is the largest of its kind for the city.
“It’s very exciting,” said Goellner. “The building be opening hopefully by the end of 2025 or early 2026.”
Nearby, the city is continuing work on rebuilding much of its civil complex, with public works moving to a yet-to-be-finalized other site in the city and the public safety facility expanding. Much of this is being paid for by a local sales tax option approved in 2023.
“In a few years, we’ll be looking at replacing our water tower,” added Goellner. “In a few years we’ll be looking to partnering with Hennepin County to build a new Golden Valley Library in the same location.”
As for transit options, Goellner identified bus rapid transit as the next logical step to offering residents and business owners more options in Golden Valley.
“We’re going to study, actually, bus rapid transit this coming year, and we’re looking at four new potential bus stops along Highway 55 at our most common intersections: Theodore Wirth Parkway, Douglas Drive, and Winnetka Avenue,” she said.
All along, Goellner said the city values the input of residents and business owners.
“We are here to serve the residents of Golden Valley, so we need to match what their input is with what the market can bring us,” she said. “It’s important that we have developer partnerships, in addition to taking in input from the planning commission and the city council as well, which are here to represent the residents in the process.”
