Plymouth Prudential Redevelopment ‘Like Designing a Small City’
The Plymouth City Council on Tuesday approved the redevelopment of the former Prudential campus.
The project will significantly reshape a highly visible location in the city at the corner of Interstate 494 and Bass Lake Road. The site is nearly 80 acres of land.
“This project is probably one of the biggest projects that any of us will see in our careers,” said Plymouth Planning and Development Manager Chloe McGuire.
That Prudential site been the subject of council conversation for the last two years. Prudential decided to sell the site when it no longer needed the amount of office space the building offered, according to planning commission documents.
3D rendering of the proposed Prudential Site.
Indianapolis-based Scannell Properties is partnering with Twin Cities-based Roers Cos. on the new development. They worked with city planners and the Plymouth Parks and Recreation Department to develop a mixed-use plan.
“It is almost like designing a small city in it of itself, where most of our redevelopment sites are significantly smaller,” McGuire said.
Looking to the Future
Developers fielded questions about the proposed design from members of the council. Many were curious about how the design process will play out.
“In terms of construction, what you’ll see is demolition of the building. So that’s ongoing right now. It might not look like that, but we’ve got interior demo going,” said Dan Salzer, director of development with Scannell Properties. “The building will start to come down mid-April.”
The council approved the preliminary plat, which shows lot lines, right-of-ways and dimensions. That space includes plans for Summit Orthopedics, retail space, a business park, a grocery store and apartments.
The three proposed apartment buildings are planned to be about 60 feet tall — the highest on the property.
The middle of the property contains a pond, which the developers plan to keep, along with a number of trees throughout the site. Developers say they plan to make it similar to the Centennial Lakes area in Edina.
City council members got a look at the preliminary plat during their meeting Tuesday.
“I feel like its a celebration for us. I do think this is a big win for the city. The huge park, all those amenities we are hearing residents ask for,” McGuire said.
Two residents spoke at the meeting as well. One asked for more green space on the property, while another requested the residential units offer some opportunities for affordable ownership.
Once demolition work begins in April, the group is looking at about a four-to-eight year timeline for building. Woodbury-based Summit Orthopedics plans to break ground first and receive its first patient on Oct. 1, 2025.
