Plymouth Prudential Redevelopment Plan Includes Grocery Store, New City Park
A grand vision to redevelop the former Prudential campus in northeast Plymouth took a step forward this week.
Plans for the 75-acre site, located east of Interstate 494 and south of Bass Lake Road, came before the Plymouth Planning Commission on Feb. 21.
The joint proposal by Minnetonka-based Roers Cos. and Indianapolis-based Scannell Properties includes four apartment buildings totaling 925 units. Other features of the proposed redevelopment include:
- Two med-tech or business buildings for medical office, light manufacturing, R&D or similar uses
- A possible 65,000-square-foot grocery store
- Six retail buildings along Bass Lake Road totaling about 26,500 square feet
- A waterfront restaurant with walkable plaza
- A 13-acre park that includes a walking bridge over a pond.
The first company to sign on to the development is Woodbury-based Summit Orthopedics, which is planning an 80,000-square-foot facility to make Plymouth a primary “hub” for its services.
The vision for the Prudential site has taken a couple years to come together, but those behind it believe plans will start advancing quickly.
“We’re really excited to be at a point now where we can start putting some flags in the ground and saying this is where you can operate your business,” said Dan Salzer with Scannell Properties at this week’s planning commission meeting. “We’ve had a lot, just in the last two months, had a lot of in-depth conversations on that front with some users. I think you’ll see come together very quickly.”
According to city planning officials, the developers have also committed to spending $200,000 for public art.
The city has previously pointed to Edina’s Centennial Lakes area as inspiration for the new development.
Rendering of proposed park/Courtesy Roers Cos. and Kaas Wilson Architects
Affordable housing component in the plans
Planning officials say development would be done in multiple phases over a period of four to eight years.
The apartments, which could 4 to 6 stories in height, would feature an array of amenities including a coffee lounge, golf simulators and a fitness center.
Plymouth Senior Planner Shawn Drill said the developer is also expected to pursue tax-increment-financing (TIF), a tool used to divert taxes to help pay for infrastructure needs. In this case, the TIF would help fund affordable units.
The first phase of housing construction would be 400 units, officials said.
The Plymouth Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval this week of the overall plan.
“I think it’s a nice plan. It encompasses a little bit of everything,” said Jennifer Jerulle, planning commission member.
“I do think in general this is a great project for the city of Plymouth,” said Michael Boo, chair of the planning commission. “I think it’s a well thought-out development addressing pretty much everything the city has thought it could have on this site.”
The Plymouth City Council is expected to review the project March 12.
Rendering showing apartment next to walkable plaza and restaurant/Courtesy Roers Cos. and Kaas Wilson Architects
