Maple Grove Gives Initial Okay to New Senior Living Development in 3-1 Vote
A new senior living complex that would provide a full continuum of care has received initial approval from the Maple Grove City Council.
A proposal by Excelsior-based Oppidan Investment Company would provide a 195-unit development on a 10-acre site north of Highway 610 near the intersection of Niagara Lane and Arbor Ridge Parkway.
According to city planning documents, the development would feature a four-story, 74-unit independent living wing; a 73-unit, two-story assisted living wing; a 36-unit, one-story memory care wing; and 12 townhomes.
“Senior housing is a very needed use, not just in Maple Grove, but across the country,” said Eric Martin, a developer with Oppidan, at the Feb. 2 city council meeting. “We are short by approximately 1.6 million units across the country.”
Oppidan is partnering with Plymouth-based Great Lakes Management, which will oversee the health care operations of the project.
The Maple Grove City Council approved a planned-unit development concept stage plan, the earliest of development stages, in a 3-1 vote.
Some Concerns About Fit
Maple Grove City Council Member Mike Ostaffe raised a concern whether this project was the best fit for the land. He pointed out that in 2019 the council intended this area to be an office or commercial development that could generate significant job growth.
“It’s a great project. I hope we can find a space for it in Maple Grove. I don’t think this is the space,” said Ostaffe.
Maple Grove Planning Manager Peter Vickerman said the property is zoned for mixed use, a designation that could include high-density housing.
A Bell Bank building is located to the south of property with townhomes to the north of the site.
Council members who supported the project expressed the need for this type of senior housing in Maple Grove, particularly with an aging population.
According to Age-Friendly Maple Grove, a city-supported initiative, nearly 28 percent of the city’s population is 55 or older, up from about 11 percent in 2000.
“I do like the idea of having a continuum of care campus,” said Maple Grove City Council Member Rachelle Johnson. “That’s something we don’t see very often and that we don’t have here in Maple Grove. I find value in that.”
Also See: Developer: Code Changes Led To Removal of Memory Care Units from Maple Grove Senior Apartments
