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10. Economic Competitiveness and Economic Development
Chapter Highlights
Edina’s business and industrial parks provide space for
regionally significant industry sectors. Businesses in these
sectors, which command a high average wage and build
wealth in the regional economy, value Edina’s business and
industrial parks due to:
• freeway access
• airport proximity
• transit and employee parking
• a diverse labor pool
• good image and security
• proximity to hotels, restaurants, customers and
suppliers.
•
• Workplaces are changing, and many are being designed to
attract the next generation of workers. Edina’s business
and industrial parks are aging and, in order to ensure their
continued success, they will need to be updated and
revitalized.
• The health care sector is one of the fastest growing
segments of the economy, both nationally and regionally.
Growth is expected to continue as the large “baby boom”
generation creates an increased demand for medical
services. This has implications for the strong health care
sector in the Greater Southdale area.
•
• The retail industry is experiencing significant transformation
as consumer shopping patterns change. Retail stores and
shopping centers are rethinking their role and exploring
ways to adapt successfully.
•
• Smaller commercial nodes in Edina serve important
functions in their neighborhoods, providing goods and
services to area residents and building a sense of
community and place. These are areas where smaller,
locally-owned businesses typically find more affordable
rents, property ownership opportunities, and access to a
customer base.
Introduction
The Minneapolis Saint Paul region competes with other
regions around the globe for talent and quality employment
opportunities. The region ranks highly among its peers in a
number of areas including household income, educational
Definitions
Economic competitiveness: the
ability of the region to prosper in the
global economy
Economic development: local
strategies to enhance business
formation and growth, job creation
and tax base development
Edina Industry Clusters
Traded industry clusters: Related
industries that bring wealth to the
region by selling goods or services to
other regions or nations. 2016
average wage, Hennepin County -
$85,040
Traded clusters
• finance and insurance
• corporate headquarters
• advanced business services
(e.g. legal, engineering,
accounting)
• med tech & med device
• science & water tech
• information technology
• advanced manufacturing
Local industry clusters: Businesses
that sell primarily to consumers
within the region. 2016 average wage,
Hennepin County - $45,776
Local clusters
• health care
• retail trade
• educational services
• personal services
• leisure & hospitality
Edina Comprehensive Plan
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attainment, livability, infrastructure, environment, and business vitality. Nevertheless, maintaining and
enhancing the region’s competitiveness requires constant attention and stewardship. Creating places
that are attractive to businesses and talent is influenced significantly by cities throughout the region;
cities are largely responsible for attending to the details of updating infrastructure, revitalizing aging
business districts and housing supplies, and providing quality of life amenities like parks and trails; while,
at the same time, maintaining a competitive tax structure.
The City of Edina plays an important role in the regional economy by providing employment locations
for high wage industries in its business and industrial parks. The City also serves as regional hub for
health care, retail, hospitality, dining, and entertainment. Edina contributes to the region’s economic
vitality by providing well-located business and industrial parks, health care, excellent housing, schools,
shopping, recreation, dining and entertainment, and other amenities important to residents’ quality of
life and talent attraction to the region.
Background
Economic Development in Edina
The City of Edina has proactively pursued economic development for many decades. These efforts have
helped create a balanced community with a diverse tax base, strong employment opportunities, and a
plethora of goods and services for residents and visitors.
In recent years, the City has employed a full time Economic Development Manager who is positioned in
the Administrative Department. The City strives to work with the local business community to sustain a
regulatory environment that provides necessary safeguards without stifling business growth and
creativity. These efforts include active involvement in the three local business associations: Edina
Chamber of Commerce, 50th and France Business Association, and Explore Edina (the City’s convention
and tourism partner).
In 2017, the Edina Chamber of Commerce initiated an Economic Development Committee so that they
can remain an active and relevant force in matters of local economic significance.
Commercial/Industrial Property Taxes
In addition to the benefits of local employment opportunities, commercial/industrial facilities in Edina
make an important contribution to the City and region by virtue of their tax base. Because Minnesota
applies a higher rate to commercial/industrial properties, the tax yield for a commercial/industrial
property is higher than a residential property. In 2017, commercial/industrial property represented 15
percent of Edina’s market value, but yielded 26 percent of its tax capacity (www.Edina.MN.gov). Edina
contributes 40 percent of its commercial/ industrial revenue generation back to other cities in the
region through fiscal disparities.
The costs of implementing and delivering public services for commercial/industrial properties are lower
than they are for residential properties. The League of MN Cities estimates that households generally
consume $1.38 in services for every dollar paid while commercial/industrial properties consume $0.68 in
services for every dollar paid. Office and industrial areas typically have an extremely low demand for
services, where retail areas have a higher demand for police services. Because of the high cost of office
finishes compared to other types of commercial-industrial construction, multi-story offices typically yield
the most tax base per acre and have an extremely low demand for services. Figure 10.1 shows that the
Edina Comprehensive Plan
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highest commercial valuations in Edina (orange and red) are concentrated in the Greater Southdale area,
at 50th and France, and at Grandview.
Figure 10.1: Assessed Value per Acre for Commercial Parcels
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Current Conditions
Employment Density
The highest employment concentrations in Edina, as shown on Figure 10.2 above, are located along the
regional freeway system. The areas with the greatest employment concentration are served by at least
two freeways and public transit – the Greater Southdale area and the business/industrial park area north
of I-494 along TH 100.
Employers value locations that allow them to access a diverse talent pool from throughout the metro
area and are increasingly interested in transit service to reduce the cost of parking and respond to the
increased interest in transit among the younger generation. While there is some potential to reduce
commuting and congestion by creating employment locations close to where people live, the impact of
these strategies is likely to be limited because many households include two active workforce
participants and over the arc of their careers, they will likely change employers several times.
Figure 10.2: Employment Density
Employment density in Edina is most concentrated in the business and
industrial parks along Trunk Highway 100, just north of I-494. Other
concentrations are found near Grandview, 50th and France and the
industrial parks along US 169.
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Edina’s Industry Clusters
Traded Industry Clusters
Several traded industry
clusters that sell goods and
services to other regions or
nations, are located in the
Southwest metro and Edina’s
business parks, as shown on
the following maps prepared
by the Metropolitan Council.
• Information technology
• Advanced manufacturing
• Headquarters and
advanced business
services
• Finance and insurance
The stong average wage
($73,122- $92,789) for these
industries builds wealth and
spending power in the
region.
Local Industry Clusters
Edina has several significant clusters dependent on local or regional
consumers including educational services, health care, retail trade, personal
services, leisure and hospitality. Employee compensation is significantly
lower in most local clusters, with the exception of health care.
Health Care is a cluster that has been targeted for special attention by the
Edina Chamber of Commerce. Fairview Southdale Hospital has served the
Southwest metro area since 1965. It is a full-service, 390-bed acute care
center, specializing in maternal and newborn care, oncology, mental health
treatment, eye care, vascular, spine, neurology, neurosurgery, urology, and
orthopedic surgery and joint replacement. It provides complete outpatient
care with a comprehensive 24-hour emergency department, urgent care for
evenings and weekends, diagnostic radiology and imaging, and a same day
surgery center. It also offers a wide selection of health education and
wellness programs.
2014 Ave. Wage $92,789
2014 Ave. Wage $82,363
2014 Ave. Wage - $83,321
2014 Ave. Wage - $73,122
Edina's Local Clusters Ave wage
(2014)
Educational services 45,084$
Health care (hospitals &
amubulatory care only)64,402$
Health care, (including
hospital, ambulatory
care, nursing homes,
social assistance)
47,372$
Leisure & hospitality 21,996$
Personal services 33,072$
Retail trade 29,848$
Source: Department of Employment
and Economic Development (DEED)
Quarterly Census of Employment and
wages.
Figure 10.3: Edina’s Traded Industry Clusters.
Source: Metropolitan Council
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In addition to the hospital, there are
numerous smaller specialty clinics and
medical offices serving Edina. Most are
located in and around the Greater Southdale
area.
Edina’s Business and Industrial Parks
The four areas shown in light purple on
Figure 10.4 comprise the 390 acres of
industrially zoned land in the City of Edina.
These areas are well located on the region’s
freeway and transit system and offer proximity to
a diverse workforce, MSP international airport, as
well as hotels and restaurants.
Over the decades, business and industrial
parks in Edina met the needs of small to mid-
sized corporate headquarters as well as
businesses in key sectors of the regional
economy including finance and insurance,
medical technology, science and water
technology, information technology,
advanced business services (e.g. engineering,
accounting, legal) and advanced
manufacturing. However, Edina’s business
and industrial parks, built out in the 1950s,
60s and 70s, are aging.
Properties in Edina’s business and industrial parks typically
feature low-ceiling heights, lack windows and are not
structurally suitable for vertical expansion, and this limits their
attractiveness to many employers. Recently, several owner-
occupied facilities were remodeled with substantial increases in
amount of office space, windows and amenities for employees,
such as outdoor patios and facilities for bicyclists. The
economics of such substantial renovations may work for
owner-occupants who factor in multiple objectives and have a
long view of their investments, but the economics of renovating
facilities do not seem to be working on a widespread basis yet
for investors who own and lease out properties.
However, one property was substantially renovated by a landlord for a medical device firm in the park.
The property owner removed many bays from the multi-tenant property creating a much better work
environment for the medical device firm and an engineering lab. The medical device firm considered
other locations in the metro area, but rather than build in a greenfield location in the Shakopee area,
opted to remodel an existing facility because of the access to a broad spectrum of the workforce, transit
service and proximity to health care industry partners in the southwest metro. This international firm
Figure 10.4: Edina’s Business and Industrial Parks
Source: 2017 Land Use Map, City of Edina
Figure 10.5: Recently Remodeled
Business Park Properties Typically
feature more glass, open office floor
plans and amenities like patios and
facilities for bicyclists.
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also values access to area hotels, restaurants and MSP International for accommodating and entertaining
business visitors.
Some notable southwest metro office employers have
migrated to downtown Minneapolis and the North
Loop to attract millennial talent. Features like transit,
bike and pedestrian access as well as an environment
rich with dining and entertainment options are
attractive to this highly sought-after generation of
young workers. There are early indications that
suburban office, flex-office and value office
environments have an opportunity to be competitive
in the future due to the loss of parking and related
cost increases downtown and in the North Loop.
While the millennial generation may be attracted to
downtown in the early years out of school, as they
establish families, some may be motivated to find
different housing, school and the lifestyle options.
Edina’s convenient location, amenities and high quality
schools are likely to be attractive.
Business and Industrial Park Infrastructure and Amenities
Transit, Sidewalks, Trails Parks
Amenities and infrastructure in Edina’s business and industrial parks are also dated. Business and
industrial parks developed in the metro area in the 1990s integrated sidewalks and trails to better
address the needs of transit users and of employees interested in walking or running during a break or
over lunch. Some developments integrated commercial amenities valued by businesses and employees at
the entrances to business and industrial parks including banking, child care and dining. Some offered
picnic tables and trails adjacent to attractive storm water detention facilities and small park areas. More
recently, bicycle paths have been connected to regional trails and also to transit stops to help with “last
mile” connections between transit and employment locations. Enhanced transit stops with thoughtful
sidewalk and trail connections encourage transit use and would address safety issues, which can be a
barrier to transit users in areas that lack sidewalks, especially in winter conditions.
Storm Water
The storm water management systems in Edina’s business and industrial parks are outdated. The City
recently retained a consultant to prepare a plan for managing storm water in Pentagon Park. Similar
studies are needed for the city’s largest business park, located north and west of the I-494/TH 100
interchange. Nine Mile Creek passes through this area, which has implications for potential flooding and
storage of floodwaters. The area is also characterized by poor soil conditions, which makes
redevelopment and revitalization of the area more expensive. District storm water management
options could be evaluated as part of revitalization planning for the area. There may be opportunities to
partner with Nine Mile Creek Watershed District and the Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail managed by
Three Rivers Park District to create amenities in the City’s largest business/industrial park, which could
serve as a stimulus to private reinvestment.
Edina’s Major Business and
Industrial Park Employers
• Regis
• Western National Insurance
Group
• SpartanNash
• Barr Engineering
• Dow Water Process- Filmtec
• Dougherty Staffing
• BI Worldwide (sales incentives)
• Arkray USA (med instruments)
• Gilbert Electrical/ Mechanical
Contractors
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Regionally Significant Retail/Commercial Areas
Edina is home to two regionally significant
commercial areas
• Greater Southdale Area – a 739-acre
district developed beginning in the
1950s, includes a regional hospital and
related specialty clinics and
approximately 2.8 million square feet of
retail space. The district includes:
Southdale - the nation’s first indoor
shopping mall; Galleria – the MSP
region’s high end shopping mall; a
Westin Hotel; a concentration of
furniture and design-related retailers;
five grocery stores, five pharmacies
(not including clinic/hospital), banks,
offices, condos, apartments and
numerous retail and dining options.
• 50th and France- Edina’s “downtown” is
a district that is located in both Edina
and Minneapolis. Properties on the east
side of France are located in
Minneapolis. The 25-acre area (Edina
only) includes properties developed
from the 1930s to the present day. The
district meets the daily needs of area
residents with a full-service grocery,
movie theater, two pharmacies, post
office, banks, small medical and dental
practices, salons, national and local
clothing stores, boutiques, and a
growing number of dining establishments.
Smaller Commercial Nodes
Edina’s quality of life is enhanced by smaller commercial nodes focused primarily on the needs of local
residents. Wooddale/ValleyView, Grandview, 70th and Cahill and 44th and France serve primarily
neighborhood markets and typically involve locally-owned businesses and property owners from Edina
or with strong ties to the community. In addition to providing goods and services to area residents, the
smaller commercial nodes in Edina help build a sense of community and place.
Workforce
The Greater MSP region enjoys a high concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters and privately
held, globally leading companies like Cargill. There’s a rich ecosystem of business and professional
services and other infrastructure to support these global firms. As the baby boom generation
retires, it is very important for these companies and others throughout the metro area to
compete successfully for talent on a national and global basis. By 2020, the McKinsey Global
Institute projects a shortfall of 85 million high and middle-skilled workers globally. For the MSP
Figure 10.6: Regionally Significant Retail/
Commercial Areas
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region, labor force shortages topping 62,000 are projected by 2020 (MN DEED MSP Regional
Forecast Overview, November 2017).
This competitive issue is motivating initiatives by organizations like GREATER MSP and the Itasca
Project. These initiatives are designed to:
• Attract diverse young talent from around the globe to the MSP region (www.makeitMSP.org)
• Tap the full potential of the region’s human capital by reducing disparities in education and
employment (The Itasca Project -competitive workforce)
• Strengthen the connection between employers and higher education to reduce the skills
mismatch, helping employers find the talent they need and helping job seekers find the work
they want (www.realtimetalent.org)
Like employers throughout the MSP region, Edina employers are experiencing talent recruitment
challenges and report that prospective employees seek transit access, housing within their
household’s budget, quality of life amenities and ongoing training and education to remain relevant
in their field of expertise.
Broadband Infrastructure
In the world today, many aspects of daily
life depend on or are enhanced by the
Internet and reliable broadband
infrastructure. Significant growth in
capacity will be needed to address the
increasing demands of businesses, residents
and major institutions for information,
communication, commerce, education,
recreation, health care, telecommuting,
security and life-style enhancement.
At this time, the City of Edina has limited
baseline information and has not explored
opportunities to ensure that the
competitive advantages of excellent
broadband service are available to the
City’s businesses, institutions and all city
residents.
Figure 10.7: City of Edina, Major Fiber Routes
Edina: A Community of Learning. Edina has a prized education system of high-
quality public schools. This chapter of the Comprehensive Plan recognizes the importance of
extending the benefits of education to the entire community.
Edina benefits from its location with access to TH-169, TH-62, TH-100, and I-494. Access to these
roadway facilities and other regional attractions (e.g., MSP Airport, Mall of America, and Southdale)
well positions the community to be economically competitive. As Edina’s business and industrial
facilities grow, opportunities to attract new talent and hire already present local talent will increase.
To potentiate these opportunities, the City, through its Economic Development Office, can work
with the school system to expose students to new businesses and the skills they will require in
future employees.
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Trends and Challenges
Changing Workplaces
Workplaces are changing and many are being designed to attract the next generation of workers who
have grown up on mobile technology and relate to space differently. According to CBRE, a global real
estate and investment firm, since 1970 office space decreased from 600+ square feet per worker to
approximately 160 square feet per worker and by 2030 traditional workplaces will be in the minority.
Already 30-50% of new workplaces in western economies designed for major corporations reflect next
generation thinking. The new workplaces involve a wide variety of spaces: retreat and collaborative
settings; spaces that are calm or stimulating; spaces for introverts and extroverts; and an environment
that supports well-being, providing air, water, light, fitness and nourishment. Amenities are provided
within and around to find solitude, stimulation, engaging activities and build a sense of community. Also
important is the rediscovery and nurturing of authentic local identity and culture. Because of the pace
of change it will be important to build flexibility into everything. https://www.cbre.com/research-and-
reports/future-of-work Co-working represents another important trend in the evolution of the
workplace, providing space for occasional or consistent telecommuters as well as building an
entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Employers and developers seeking to create facilities that better meet the needs of today’s operations
and workforce must choose between renovating existing facilities, building on redevelopment sites or
building on greenfield sites. Greenfield sites, located in more distant suburbs such as Shakopee, Lakeville
or Rogers, are the least expensive from a construction perspective but offer limited access to workforce
or transit. Public transit providers find the economics of serving these remote areas challenging and
some employers in remote suburbs have opted to provide private bus options, while employees spend
long, un-paid hours commuting. The high value of properties and land in the core cities and inner ring
suburbs for uses such as housing, retail and consumer-oriented services creates a demand for
conversion of properties in employment-oriented business, office and industrial parks to housing or
consumer-oriented businesses; significant amounts of employment-oriented land in the core cities and
inner-ring suburbs have converted.
Edina’s Business and Industrial Parks
During the recession, manufacturing employment in the
seven-county metro area declined substantially, resulting in
significant vacancies in business and industrial parks
throughout the area. During the recession, new uses came
into Edina’s business parks at an accelerated pace.
According to brokers in an October 2017 focus group,
Edina made a change to its zoning ordinance
approximately 12 years earlier to allow for assembly (e.g.
religious organizations) and other purposes. Edina’s
zoning ordinance now allows for churches, schools,
storage and athletic facilities. This is not the case in Eden
Prairie, Chaska and some other suburbs. Because such
uses are not allowed in some other suburban business and
MN DEED: QCEW Data Tool
Figure 10.8: Seven County Metro
Manufacturing Employment
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industrial parks, Edina may see an increased concentration of such uses.
When asked about this conversion to other uses, representatives of major development firms in the
metropolitan area participating an October 2017 economic development focus group, indicated that
uses like churches, storage and schools create a lack of coherence and confusion about the purpose and
image of the business and industrial park areas. When asked if the city should let this trend toward
schools, churches and storage continue, they responded that it would result in the area “spiraling
downward”. Instead, they recommended a focus on revitalizing the buildings and public realm in the
business and industrial parks and creating a clear focus on quality employment opportunities.
The developers identified “value office” as an emerging market for the types of property found in Edina’s
business and industrial parks. Property owners are renovating these properties by adding windows to
dark concrete structures, increasing office employment for tech, marketing, sales and management in
open floor plans, and adding amenities like patios. Smaller corporations – many that spin off larger
corporate headquarters in the metro - typically integrate management, sales and technology with some
production and warehousing functions and such buildings can work well for them. The transition to
“value office” increases employment at converted buildings. Typically parking may be available in areas
previously used for truck parking or truck movement on site, but some parking challenges may occur.
Strengthening infrastructure to encourage people to use transit and bicycles can reduce parking demand.
Possible adjustments to parking requirements should be examined in revitalization planning for the area.
Retail Transformation
The retail industry is experiencing transformation as consumer shopping patterns change to on-line
shopping and home delivery. Retail stores and shopping centers are rethinking their role in this rapidly
changing environment and exploring ways to successfully adapt. Creating “an experience” that
consumers can’t get on-line is critical to generating traffic to support brick and mortar stores. These
changes, which are underway globally, are expressed in higher vacancies and turnover in the retail sector
in the Greater Southdale area and at 50th and France.
Research by CBRE, The Future of Retail 2030, indicates
that a number of technology trends will impact how we
make purchases. From a real estate perspective,
technology and other trends are expected to have the
following impacts:
• Independent stores and food and beverage
operators will be more prevalent
• The traditional in-store physical point of purchase
will disappear, resulting in fewer employees
• Wellness establishments will grow and there will be
a diverse offering of fitness options
• Mundane purchases will be ordered and delivered
without traditional “shopping” and consumers will
increasingly see retail as a social and leisure
experience
• The divide between retail and leisure will blur. Leisure
activities including cinemas, food and beverage, bowling,
Figure 10.9: Transformation of Shopping
Centers Shopping centers will become simply
“centers”. From CBRE, The Future of Retail 2030
CBRE, The Future of Retail 2030
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ice skating will bring traffic; retailers will create opportunities for an experience in their
stores.
• People will spend money on products, services and experiences, with an increased emphasis
on experiences
• Personal ownership of vehicles will be reduced dramatically and fleets of driverless vehicles
will reduce the demand for parking
Regionally Significant Retail/Commercial Areas
Edina’s regional retail districts are evolving with mixed-use lifestyle developments emerging in the 50th
and France and Greater Southdale/Galleria/Centennial Lakes areas of Edina. These developments
include:
• More dining and entertainment options
• New hotel, condo and residential rental developments
• An increased focus on pedestrian-oriented environments with the Promenade in the
Southdale area and attractive outdoor plazas
• The location of a Life Time Fitness “diamond level” club at Southdale – with co-working,
advanced dietary, physical therapy, chiropractic and proactive medical care
Health Care as an Opportunity
The health care sector is one of the fastest growing segments of the economy nationally and regionally.
Growth is expected to continue as the large “baby boom” generation creates an increased demand for
medical services. The 65+ population, which typically accounts for the highest per capita health care
spending, is expected to grow in Hennepin County by 37% between 2015 and 2025 and by 71% between
2016 and 2040.
Some notable trends for this sector include:
• Many specialty clinics, medical offices and other facilities prefer close proximity to hospital
campuses
• In addition to an aging population, investment in new technology will drive facility renovation
and new construction
• Cost containment is driving a trend to lower cost delivery settings, including medical office
buildings, urgent care and day-surgery facilities
• New payment systems will favor medical office space that creates opportunities for
collaboration to help providers minimize costs and maximize outcomes
• Patient recovery in hotels located near medical campuses, removes patients from high-cost
hospital beds, while allowing them to conveniently access medical services. Such hotels can also
serve family members of hospitalized patients. Several such facilities have been created in the
MSP metro area in recent years, including Hilton hotels near Abbott Northwestern and TRIA
Orthopedic in Bloomington and a Marriott Courtyard near TRIA Orthopedic in Woodbury.
Medical offices can generate significant tax base and diverse employment opportunities, while providing
important services to residents of Edina and the southwest metro. As the retail footprint shrinks and
changes in the Greater Southdale area, the growth of the health care sector presents an important
opportunity for the community.
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Smaller Commercial Nodes
Smaller commercial nodes such as Wooddale/ValleyView, Grandview, 70th and Cahill and 44th and
France serve important functions in their neighborhoods, providing services to area residents and
building a sense of community and place. The businesses and properties are often family-owned. Such
businesses and properties experience transitions when owners retire, sell or pass businesses or
properties to the next generation. Reinvestment of the properties varies based on owner goals. In
some cases, retail uses are no longer as competitive and there has been a transition to office and dining.
Examples include:
• transition of a former service station at Wooddale
Valleyview to a neighborhood dining establishment
• the transition of Durr at 44th and France from
retail to mixed use (office and retail)
• redevelopment of the Edina Cleaners site at 44th
and France to mixed use, including residential and
dining
Some properties may become physically obsolete and/or less desirable. Second or third generation
property owners may not be focused on active management or reinvestment in the properties, or
struggle with decision-making among multiple family members. There may be trouble attracting quality
tenants and the areas may experience higher turnover. Such areas cease to meet resident needs and no
longer serve a role in building a sense of community. In such cases, the city and neighboring property
owners have an interest in redevelopment or revitalization and maintaining an attractive tenant mix. In
the case of Wooddale/Valleyview, the City recently invested in improvements to the public realm.
The independence of the business and property owners in the smaller commercial nodes is both a
strength and a weakness. Malls and strip centers have more control over store hours, address shared
maintenance (e.g. snow plowing, seasonal plantings and decorations) and coordinate marketing and
promotional activities. A business and property owners association was established at 50th and France
75 years ago and special legislation established a special services district at 50th and France, which
addresses maintenance of the parking ramps and the public realm in the district. The Association’s
primary focus in recent years has been the annual Edina Art Fair, which also serves as a primary source
of revenue for the group.
Some businesses and property owners at 44th and France are affiliated with the Linden Hills Business
Association, but the level of engagement, particularly among property owners does not appear to be
consistent or strong. Business and property owners associations do not exist at Edina’s other
commercial nodes – 70th and Cahill, Wooddale/ValleyView, Grandview or the Greater Southdale Area.
Business and property owners associations can serve several vital functions in maintaining the economic
vitality and community orientation of smaller commercial nodes. Key functions include:
• clarifying a vision and strategy for the node, including a strategic tenant mix
• regular communication among stakeholders
• strengthening design and appearance
• working together on marketing and promotion
Figure 10.10: Conversion of a former
service station to a dining establishment
at Wooddale and Valleyview
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• coordination of shared parking and other tactics to strengthen a district.
Engagement of property owners is critical, because they determine the tenant mix and ultimately make
the investments needed to keep an area adapting to market changes over time. Because change is
occurring on so many fronts at once – demographic, transportation, housing, technology, and the ways
consumers “shop”, it is especially important for independent business and property owners to share
information and strategies to adapt successfully.
Workforce
Workforce Attraction
Edina contributes to the region’s capacity to attract talent to the region by offering vibrant places to live,
recreate, shop and work. Awareness of millennial preferences should be incorporated into revitalization
planning.
Education and Training
The pace of change is expected to accelerate, requiring up-skilling of the workforce on an on-going
basis. For Edina, there are implications for both the employers who need appropriately skilled talent
and residents, who may want to improve their skills. Although Edina does not have a public university
or college campus, Minnesota State University Mankato located its extended campus in the metro area
in Edina at 7700 France Ave South, offering a range of academic programs, from professional
certifications to undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Diversity and Inclusion
Globally leading companies seek workforce diversity because a diverse workforce has been documented
to increase innovation, provide stronger connections to a more diverse customer base and achieve
better decisions and financial results. Cities, chambers and businesses across the county have adopted
initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion and create welcoming communities.
Broadband Infrastructure
Access to high speed internet, through reliable broadband infrastructure, is critical for health care
education and government institutions, commercial and industrial areas as well as residential areas.
Some counties and cities have undertaken a variety of initiatives to ensure competitive and equitable
service in their communities. Strategies include:
• Establish “build once/open access” policies and install conduit during major road reconstruction
and other redevelopment projects, especially in congested areas, to ensure competition,
redundancy resilience and minimize the cost and disruption associated with updating
underground infrastructure
• Establish broadband readiness guidelines to encourage developers to bring conduit new and
renovated buildings to make them ready for broadband.
• Addressing internet access limitations faced by residents of older apartment buildings, which can
limit resident access to education, health care and work-related communications.
• Building broadband infrastructure shared by cities, school districts and other institutions to
reduce costs and improve services, including traffic control
Edina Comprehensive Plan
10. Economic Competitiveness and Economic Development Chapter Draft 12-31-19
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Goals and Policies
Revitalize Edina’s Business and Industrial Parks
Goal: Prepare small area plan(s) for the business and industrial park areas with a focus on repurposing
and revitalizing the building stock to create a vibrant and attractive location for corporate headquarters,
technology companies and other businesses offering high wage employment opportunities.
1. Create small area or district plans for Edina’s business and industrial park areas. Work with
adjacent cities – Bloomington, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie. Involve developers and property
owners in understanding the revitalization and investment challenges and in crafting a range of
solutions. Work with adjacent suburbs and transit agencies to provide excellent transit service.
2. The small area plan(s) should consider investments in sidewalks, transit amenities and public
realm improvements to stimulate private sector investment in revitalization.
Capitalize on Expected Growth in the Health Care Sector
Goal: Capitalize on growth trends in the health care sector. Plan a health care district in the Greater
Southdale area that creates an exceptional experience for patients, family members and employees.
1. Convene a health care task force to research the potential growth of the health care sector in
Edina. Identify and characterize the land use, real estate, workforce and transportation
implications for redevelopment and revitalization of the Greater Southdale district. Create a
vision and a plan to create an exceptional health care district.
Attract High Quality Employment Opportunities
Goal: Retain, attract and support employment opportunities in innovative and creative industries, such
as technology and medical devices.
1. Collaborate with the private sector to become a desired location for innovative and creative
industries such as technology and medical devices.
2. Identify and create or encourage appropriate public and private sector retention, attraction and
support tools and systems, including co-working.
Adapt Successfully to Dynamic Market Changes in Regional Retail Areas
Goal: Support strong public-private alliances, relationships and communication channels at 50th and
France and the Greater Southdale. The alliances should actively engage property owners and provide
information and resources that enable public and private sector decision-makers to adapt strategically
in an era of significant on-going change in the retail sector, major demographic shifts and related
generational needs and preferences, technology, transit, transportation and housing choices. A shared
vision, guiding principles and meaningful on-going dialogue can help property owners, business owners,
residents and the city navigate the significant forces of changes that are reshaping communities.
1. Support the creation of an association in the Greater Southdale area that engages major
institutions and property owners to work together to revitalize the Greater Southdale area
consistent with the small area plan guiding principles.
2. Provide support to the 50th and France Association to enable the association to adapt
successfully to dynamic changes underway in the market. Near term, research into implications
of market changes and a strategic tenant mix could guide infill of the current influx of available
retail space and future redevelopment opportunities.
Edina Comprehensive Plan
10. Economic Competitiveness and Economic Development Chapter Draft 12-31-19
10-16
3. Work with Metro Transit to provide Bus Rapid Transit service on “Line 6” (U of MN,
Downtown, Uptown, France Ave) to reduce traffic congestion and improve employee and
customer access to the regional retail areas, while reducing parking demand.
Encourage Vibrant Neighborhood Commercial Nodes
Goal: Encourage vibrant neighborhood commercial nodes that meet resident needs for goods and
services and build a sense of community. Take steps to encourage locally-owned small businesses.
1. Stimulate effective property and business owners associations at each of the neighborhood
nodes, focusing on the area’s economic niche and tenant mix and strategies to support that
economic niche including design and appearance, and marketing and promotion.
2. Develop policies to support the inclusion of locally-owned small businesses in new development
projects – especially in cases that involve a significant change in rent
3. Encourage location of co-working in neighborhood commercial nodes
4. Work with Hennepin County’s Open to Business to promote technical assistance services
available to small business owners
Workforce
Goal: Participate in regional efforts to ensure that a highly skilled and productive workforce continues to
be a competitive advantage of the MSP region.
1. Connect targeted employers in Edina to regional talent attraction and development initiatives
led by GREATER MSP and other organizations.
2. Strengthen and explore opportunities to diversify higher education access in Edina.
3. Explore city and chamber-led diversity and inclusion efforts. Identify approaches that are well-
suited to Edina and pursue implementation.
Broadband Infrastructure
Goal: Ensure that Edina residents and businesses have access to world-class broadband infrastructure at
competitive rates.
1. Establish a broadband taskforce with a charge to explore models used by other cities and
counties to ensure world-class broadband infrastructure to residential and commercial/industrial
areas as well as public institutions and spaces.
2. Evaluate “build-once” open-access options to encourage competition, and minimize the cost and
disruptions associated with updating underground infrastructure.
3. Consider “broadband readiness” policies (Example: St. Louis Park)
4. Address social equity considerations associated with the provision of broadband access in older
apartment buildings.