New Social Security Office Headed to Brooklyn Center
The Social Security Administration has plans to open up a new office in Brooklyn Center.
The new office will be attached to the HOM Furniture near the Shingle Creek Crossing Shopping Center.
HOM built a 12,500 square-foot expansion to the building in 2019 expecting to find a retail tenant.
No such tenant ever materialized, leaving the space vacant.
John Pierce, real estate director for HOM Furniture, told the Brooklyn Center City Council that retail users have been hard to come by.
“We’re all for seeing vacant space be filled,” he said. “The worse thing is that it sits empty.”
Previously, Kohl’s occupied the HOM building at 2501 County Rd. 10, which was adjacent to the former Brookdale Mall.
The Social Security Administration plans to open an office in this Brooklyn Center building. It’s attached to the HOM Furniture near Shingle Creek Crossing Shopping Center.
Brooklyn Center Council Approves Social Security as Tenant
The developers of HOM requested that the city allow a governmental user — that is, the Social Security Administration — in the space it had planned for a retail use.
Brooklyn Center city staff members recommended the city council reject the application.
“‘Governmental offices’ are not typically a catalyst for vibrant, customer-driven development that will attract foot traffic and economic activity to the shopping center area, as they do not rely on regular visits from customers and purchases,” wrote Planning Director Ginny McIntosh in a Dec. 9 memo to the council.
The council disagreed, saying a governmental use was better than a vacant building.
“These are basic, essential services to our community and that trumps the concern of the highest and best use,” said City Council Member Dan Jerzak. “I understand it, but sometimes the best use is not available.”
The vote to approve the project was 4-1 with Council Member Teneshia Kragness dissenting.
Kragness said she believed the office building isn’t compatible with the existing development at the site.
The Social Security Administration has an existing office in Brooklyn Center. That office, which is located near Brooklyn Boulevard and Bass Lake Road, is expected to close.
The Minnesota Department of Vehicle Services opened a vehicle inspection site in a former Big O Tires location earlier this year.
This story was corrected on Dec. 16. The Social Security Administration’s Twin Cities Card Center, located at 1811 Chicago Avenue, Suite 2, Minneapolis, is the only office in the Twin Cities area providing Social Security Number cards service.
The Social Security Administration plans to close its existing Brooklyn Center office near Brooklyn Boulevard and Bass Lake Road.
