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Home My WebLink AboutEdition Edina March202250th & France Thriving Despite Economic Impact of Pandemic Business Association and ARPA Funding Guided District Through Rough Time BY DEBBIE TOWNSEND 50th & France is far more than a popular neighborhood shopping area. With guidance from the not-for-profit 50th & France Business & Professional Association, this commercial district has evolved into one of the Twin Cities’ premier destinations for shopping and dining. When COVID-19 arrived, even 50th & France was not immune to the economic hardships the pandemic brought. “I can remember March 15 (2020) sitting at my kitchen table,” said John Breitinger, a longtime property owner and board member of the 50th & France Business & Professional Association. “In my 40 years in real estate, I never thought about a situation where none of my businesses would be allowed to open. It was a very real crisis. A crisis for landlords, a crisis for businesses. We were all very much in survival mode, trying to figure out how we would get through.” The hugely popular Edina Art Fair had to be canceled for two consecutive summers. And dues from members dropped as businesses and services struggled, with some closing for good. “Both of those are the large majority of our funding,” said Judy Johnson, Executive Director of the association. “It was devastating.” Founded in the 1970s, the 50th & France Business & Professional Association carefully provides marketing, management, promotional and event- planning services to ensure that the high-end commercial district offers goods, services and events that meet the consumer expectations and contribute to Edina’s community identity. The association represents the 175 retailers and professional services at 50th & France. Property and business owners in the district comprise its board. “When they canceled the art fair for the second year, they didn’t need a Band-Aid. They needed real support,” said City Economic Development Manager Bill Neuendorf, who noted the success of 50th & France also helps offset property taxes for others in Edina. The City of Edina gave the association $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The federal money is intended to offset the negative economic impacts of the pandemic. “It really saved the association,” Johnson said. The ARPA money gave the board financial flexibility to adapt and improve. The property and business owners who make up the association made tough decisions, Edition: Edina MARCH 2022 Volume 9, Issue 3Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City including letting go of staff, and examined how they could better serve members, visitors and nearby residents. In the middle of the pandemic, the association managed to put on events such as storytelling sessions, free fitness classes and even live music to draw people to the district. They’re expanding marketing, developing a friendlier website and bringing back the Edina Art Fair that is set for June 3-5 this year. With the ARPA funding and the dedicated work of the association, the 50th & France district is already at or even beating its pre-pandemic success. “With this support, we are not merely in survival mode. 50th & France is repositioned to thrive,” Johnson said. “We are charging forward to make changes to be the best retail district.” For more information, visit 50thandFrance.com. 50th & France Business & Professional Association Board Member John Breitenger and Executive Director Judy Johnson have high hopes for the district in the years ahead (Photo by Michael Braun) City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 1 ¹» ¹» ¹º¹º ¹º ñ ñ ¹» ¹º ¹º ¹º ¹º ¹º ¹º ñ ¹» ñ ñ ñ ñTRACY AVEVERNON AVEWOODDALE AVEHANSEN RD70TH ST W FRANCE AVE SVALLEYVIEWRDMINNESOTA DRGLEASONRDEdinaCommunityCenter AvailAcademy Golden Years Montessori CityHall St Peter's LutheranChurch & School South ViewMiddle School NormandaleElementary ConcordSchool CorneliaSchool SouthdaleLibrary Fire Station Public Works & Park Maintenance Creek ValleySchool FireStation Valley View Middle School Edina High School Countryside School HighlandsSchool EdinaCommunity Library Our Lady of Grace Church & School M innehahaCreek NineMileCreek N i n e Mile Creek SouthdaleCenter Canadian Pacific RailroadCanadian Pacific RailroadBLAKE RDSCHAEFER RDV E RN O N A V ECAHILL RD66TH ST W YORK AVE SINTERLACHEN BLVD MALONEY AVE 4 4 T H S T W 50TH ST W 54TH ST W 58TH ST W 70TH ST W 76TH ST W DEWEY HILL RD VALLEY VIEW RD VALLEY VIEW RD 78TH ST W I-494 HWY 100HWY 169HWY 169HWY 100HWY 62 HWY 62 April 2019 ±Legend 0 2,000 Feet 7 10 8 1 13 11 14 6 Development Tracker ¹»¹»¹º¹º¹ºñ ñ¹»¹º¹º¹º¹º¹º¹ºñ ¹»ññ ññTRACY AVEVERNON AVEWOODDALE AVEHANSEN RD70TH ST W FRANCE AVE SVALLEYVIEWRDMINNESOTA DRGLEASONRDEdinaCommunityCenterCalvinChristianSchoolGoldenYearsMontessoriCityHallSt Peter's LutheranChurch & SchoolSouthviewJr HighNormandaleElementaryConcordSchool CorneliaSchool SouthdaleLibraryFireStation Public Works & Park Maintenance Creek ValleySchool FireStationValley ViewJr HighEdinaHighSchoolColonialChurchCountrysideSchool HighlandSchool PublicLibraryOur Lady ofGrace Church& School M in ne hahaCreekNineMileCreek N ine Mile Creek Canadian Pacific RailroadCanadian Pacific RailroadBLAKE RDSCHAEFER RDVERNON AVE CAHILL RD66TH ST W YORK AVE SINTERLACHEN BLVDMALONEY AVE 44TH ST W50TH ST W 54TH ST W58TH ST W70TH ST W 76TH ST W DEWEY HILL RD VALLEY VIEW RDVALLEY VIEW RD 78TH ST W I-494 HWY 100HWY 169HWY 169HWY 100HWY 62 HWY 62 April 2019 ±Legend 0 2,000 Feet 2 4 6 15 The Fred M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital The City of Edina Development Tracker includes reconstruction or new construction projects that have been completed in the past six months, are currently under construction, have filed a formal application to the City or have been substantially approved. 12 9 Perkins Site3 5 22 View the Development and Construction Tracker online at EdinaMN.gov by clicking on the “Learn About Projects” button. 1 The Sound on 76th Location: 4100 W. 76th St. Developer: The Sound on 76th / AEON Status: Under Construction After removing notable artwork, the building that once occupied FlyteTyme Studios and later the Minneapolis Media Institute was demolished. A four-story apartment building with 80 affordable housing units and underground resident parking is being built on the site. 2 Our Lady of Grace Expansion Location: 5051 Eden Ave. Status: Under Construction Expansion and improvements to be done in phases include a new priest residence, activity center, expansion of the school and parish gathering space and remodeling areas of existing buildings. 3 Perkins Site Location: 4917 Eden Ave. Developer: Reuter Walton Status: Approved Reuter Walton plans to tear down the former Perkins restaurant and office building on the site and build a seven-story, 208-unit luxury apartment building with a 3,700-square foot restaurant/coffee shop. Ten percent of the units are set for those with 50 percent area median income. 4 Former Public Works Site Location: 5146 Eden Ave. Developer: Edina Housing & Redevelopment Authority, United Properties and Jester Concepts Status: Sketch Plan A sketch plan has been submitted to redevelop the 3.3-acre vacant site at 5146 Eden Ave. The proposal includes a 6.5-story, 90-unit senior cooperative project (owner occupied) with 173 underground parking spaces. Ten percent of the units would be for affordable housing. The project would also include a two-story, 13,500-square- foot restaurant and a 30,000-square-foot public park with pedestrian walkways to a bridge that would connect to the municipal parking ramp next to Jerry’s. 5 The Fred at Pentagon North Location: 4660 77th St. W. Developer: Solhem Companies Status: Under Construction The applicant plans to tear down the two office buildings on the site and construct a five- to seven-story, 408-unit, market-rate apartment building. 6 Bower Apartments Location: 3650 Hazelton Road Developer: Greystar Status: Completed The new building is 18 stories with 185 dwelling units and underground parking. It features a variety of unit sizes, including “micro” units. 7 Interlachen Country Club Location: 6200 Interlachen Blvd. Developer: Interlachen Country Club Status: Under Construction The club will expand its boundaries and add a new parking lot and expanded practice area off Waterman Avenue. There are two single-family homes, owned by the Country Club, that will continue as single-family homes to serve as a buffer to the single-family homes to the west. A gate will be constructed at the end of Waterman, just after the single-family homes owned by the Country Club. 8 Medical Office & Surgery Center Location: 6500 Barrie Road Developer: MSP Commercial Status: Approved Bhatti G.I. Consultant received approval in October to tear down the existing 16,032-square-foot medical office building at 6500 Barrie Road and build a new three-story, 24,000-square-foot medical office and surgery center. 9 70th & France Ave. Location: 70th & France/U.S. Bank Site Developer: Orion Investments, ESG and Mortenson Status: Approved The existing office building and bank will be torn down and replaced with multiple buildings: a one-story U.S. Bank building with a drive-thru, a 24-story building with 270 apartments and 5,000 square feet of retail space, a 10-story building for offices and retail, and a nine-story building for 110 apartments. 10 M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital addition Location: 6401 France Ave. Developer: Pete Salmon/M Health Status: Completed M Health Fairview built a two-story addition above the existing second floor of Fairview Southdale Hospital. The expansion added 52 inpatient rooms on the new third and fourth floors as the hospital transitions from semi-private (doubles) rooms to more single-patient rooms. 11 Hankerson Townhomes Location: 5132 & 5136-5148 Hankerson Ave. Developer: Donnay Homes Inc. Status: Under Construction A house and a two-story, four-unit apartment building were removed and are being replaced with two four-unit townhomes that are 2.5 stories tall. The plan includes green space and the preservation of trees on the south side of the property. 12 Valley View Apartments Location: 4425 Valley View Road Developer: DJR Architects Status: Under Construction The existing one-story daycare building has been razed and will be replaced with a three-story, 21-unit market rate apartment building with 32 underground parking stalls. 13 Pentagon Village Apartments Location: 4911 77th St. W. Developer: Rise Development Status: Approved A six-story, 200-unit apartment building is planned for the southeast corner of Pentagon South. Ten percent of the units would be for affordable housing. 14 Cornelia View Apartments Location: 4040 W. 70th St. Developer: Ecumen and Lupe Development Partners Status: Approved Ecumen and Lupe Development Partners plan to tear down the existing office building and construct a new three- to four-story, 118-unit senior affordable housing project with 86 underground and 23 surface parking stalls 15 Pentagon North Phase II Location: 4620 77th Street W. Developer: Solhem Companies Status: Sketch Plan The developer proposes tearing down one of the existing office buildings at Pentagon Park and constructing a seven-story, 276- unit apartment building in its place. Ten percent of the units would be for affordable housing. One of the main features of the plan is the provision of a new entrance to Fred Richards Park, located on the east side of the existing office building that would remain on the site. 3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov Iskaan-garee koodhkan oo ku fiiri soomaali EdinaMN.gov/SomaliEE EdinaMN.gov/SpanishEE Escanee este código para ver en español Save On Your Energy Bill with a Visit from the Home Energy Squad The City Will Help Pay for Residents to Receive an Evaluation and Improvements BY BRITTANY BADER A visit from the Home Energy Squad is a healthy choice for the environment and your budget. This program identifies and addresses home energy deficiencies to help households reduce energy usage and save on their monthly bill. Visits are offered year-round and are available to residents with a CenterPoint Energy or Xcel Energy account, including renters who receive prior approval. Examples of services that might be performed at a visit include: •Installation of energy-saving materials such as LED lightbulbs, door and attic hatch weather stripping, programmable or smart thermostat and energy-efficient water fixtures •Blower door test to measure your home for air leaks •Insulation inspection of your attic and walls using an infrared camera “This program is very personalized,” said Makaela Turner, a Minnesota GreenCorps Member working with the City of Edina. “The Home Energy Squad focuses on each home individually to find the most efficient solutions.” The City of Edina will help pay for residents to receive this service using money from its Conservation and Sustainability Fund. Households with an annual income of $100,000 or less will receive a free visit, and households over this amount will receive a 50 percent discount. “Twenty-nine percent of residents in Edina have a high energy burden, meaning 6 percent or more of their income is spent on electricity bills,” said Turner. “We want the number of energy-burdened residents to be reduced to 12 percent by 2030 as a part of one of our Climate Action Plan goals. Partnering with programs like this is a part of that effort.” Home Energy Squad is provided by Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy and delivered by the Center for Energy and Environment. To schedule your visit, call 651-328-6220 or visit xcelenergy.com/HomeEnergySquad. UPCOMING EVENTS Tuesday, March 1, 11:30 a.m. State of the Community, Edina Country Club Tuesday, March 1, 7 p.m. City Council meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, March 3, 7:30 a.m. Housing & Redevelopment Authority meeting, Edina City Hall Friday, March 4, 3-4 p.m. Family Night, Braemar Field Sunday, March 6, 6 p.m. Execs Big Band, Edinborough Park Friday, March 11, 3-4 p.m. Family Night, Braemar Field Friday, March 11, 6:30 p.m. Family Movie Night, “Clifford The Big Red Dog,” Edinborough Park Sunday, March 13, 6 p.m. Erin Rogue, Edinborough Park Friday, March 18, 3-4 p.m. Family Night, Braemar Field Saturday, March 19, 10 a.m.-noon “Welcome to Spring Bouquet” workshop, Arneson Acres Park Terrace Room Sunday, March 20, 6 p.m. Westwind Swing Band, Edinborough Park Tuesday, March 22, 7 p.m. City Council meeting, Edina City Hall Friday, March 25, 3-4 p.m. Family Night, Braemar Field Sunday, March 27, 6 p.m. First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park For a complete listing of meetings and events, visit EdinaMN.gov. Watch City Council, Housing & Redevelopment Authority and Planning Commission meetings live: • Edina TV (Comcast Channels 813 or 16) • Facebook.com/EdinaMN • “Watch a Meeting” web page at EdinaMN.gov/LiveMeetings 952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.gov City of Edina EdinaMN.gov4 CITY OF EDINA 4801 WEST 50TH STREET EDINA, MN 55424 ***ECRWSS***POSTAL PATRONCAR-RT-WS PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGEPAID TWIN CITIES MN Permit No. 3932