‘We Have a Project That Will Turn Heads,’ Maple Grove Community Center Expansion Moves Forward

The next phase to renovate and expand the Maple Grove Community Center is moving forward, a project that comes with a slight cost upgrade due to several design changes.

Phase two of the project includes new indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an expanded banquet hall, additional space for senior programs and a new indoor playground. The expansion will come as a result of a deal that involves the city acquiring the adjoining Life Time space. Phase one involved adding a third sheet of ice to the Maple Grove Community Center ice arena.

On Monday, the Maple Grove City Council approved modifications as part of the 50 percent construction document plan. The modifications will add about $750,000 to the total project cost for phase two, which is now $70.1 million. 

“Not everybody got everything they wanted, but I think we have a project that will turn heads,” said Maple Grove City Council Member Mike Ostaffe at Monday’s meeting.

“Some of the changes we made cost a little more money and some we made cost a little less, and I think we made a lot of really good decisions in those perspectives,” added Maple Grove Mayor Mark Steffenson.

Rendering of proposed banquet hall/courtesy JLG Architects

What Changed?

The Maple Grove City Council met with the Maple Grove Parks and Recreation Board over the last few months to review the project. Notable additions include new exterior windows throughout, a new metal roof atop proposed arts space and refurbishing the flooring for the walking track.

The full list of changes per city documents are as follows:

• New exterior windows throughout
• Replace metal roof on art space
• Add more glass in the north natatorium (indoor aquatics and wading pool)
• Prefer less glass in the south natatorium (indoor lap pool and body slides)
• Add a kink in the skyway to maximize the existing conditions in the activity center walking track and fitness spaces
• Widen activity center hallway to 12 feet
• Add more glass to skyway
• Reduce the width of the skyway to 11.25 feet
• Maintain the size of the pre-function space at the banquet hall
• Refurbish the walking track flooring
• Eliminate outdoor body slide
• Maintain size of outdoor pool turf space

Despite the elimination of an outdoor body slide, two would still remain, providing cost savings.

“It results in a smaller pool and less expensive mechanical equipment because of that as well,” said Michael Jak, project architect with JLG Architects, which is leading the design.

Jak also noted the shape of the pyramid-style roof atop the arts space will stay when the roof gets replaced.

Rendering of outdoor pool area/courtesy JLG Architects

What Next?

After Monday’s approval, construction for phase two is expected to begin in September. The council is also expected to award bid packages in June and August.

Monday’s vote included approval of an early separate bid package for structural steel and precast concrete. That was due to significantly increased manufacturing lead times over the last several months and costs that “continue to escalate by unpredictable amounts,” read staff documents. 

The standard manufacturing duration for structural steel joists and precast wall panels have increased from 12-16 weeks to upwards of 32-plus weeks, the report noted.

The Maple Grove Community Center expansion and renovation is largely being funded by a half-cent sales tax that voters approved in 2022. Golden Valley-based RJM Construction is leading the project construction.

Meanwhile, Joe Hogeboom, Maple Grove’s community and economic development director, provided an update on the future Life Time in Maple Grove, which will get built near Interstate 94 and Highway 610.

“Expect to see shovels in the ground likely in June,” said Hogeboom.

Related: New Life Time Club Plans Move Forward in Maple Grove

Maple Grove