2008-025
CITY OF HOPKINS
Hennepin County, Minnesota
RESOLUTION NO. 2008-025
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF HOPKINS
ORDERING PREPARATION OF AN UPDATE TO THE
UPDATED AL TERNA TIVE URBAN AREA WIDE REVIEW AND
MITIGATION PLAN FOR EXCELSIOR CROSSINGS DEVELOPMENT
WHEREAS, in 2001 Medical Allina Health Systems proposed to develop a corporate
headquarters for Medica on the SuperValu North Annex Site (Site);
WHEREAS, in response to this proposal, the Hopkins City Council ordered preparation
of the Medica Corporate Office Development Alternative Urban Areawide Review (Medica
AUAR) for the Site;
WHEREAS, on August 21, 2001, the Hopkins City Council accepted the Medica
AUAR for the proposed Medica corporate headquarters project;
WHEREAS, the Medica/Allina Health Systems abandoned the project and the Site
remains undeveloped;
WHEREAS, in late 2005, Opus Northwest, L.L.C. (Opus) proposed to develop the Site
primarily for office space but also with uses not considered in the Medica AUAR, including
some medical manufacturing and research and development uses, a hotel, and ancillary retail
(Opus Project), a project to be known as Excelsior Crossings;
WHEREAS, Opus anticipated development and storm water management facilities on
parcels not included in the study area of the Medica AUAR;
WHEREAS, major street improvements had been constructed next to the Site since
acceptance of the Medica AU AR;
WHEREAS, the AUAR had to be updated to remain in force after August 21,2006;
WHEREAS, on February 17, 2006, the Hopkins City Council ordered preparation of
the Updated Alternative Urban Areawide Review And Updated Mitigation Plan for the
Excelsior Crossings Office Development (Updated Excelsior Crossings AUAR) with an
expected office development of 685,000 square feet (SF) and expected retail development of
6,000 SF;
WHEREAS, on May 16, 2006, the Hopkins City Council approved the Updated
Excelsior Crossings AU AR; and
WHEREAS, due to significant market demand for office space on the Site, Opus
proposed in November of 2006 to expand the office component of Excelsior Crossings by
55,000 SF to 740,000 SF.
WHEREAS, on November 21, 2006, the City Council ordered preparation of the
December 2006 Update to the May Updated Alternative Urban Areawide Review for the
Excelsior Crossings Office Development (2006 Excelsior Crossings AUAR Update) with an
expected office development of 740,000 SF and expected retail development of 6,000 SF.
WHEREAS, on January 2, 2007, the City Council approved the 2006 Excelsior
Crossings AUAR Update.
WHEREAS, Cargill, Inc. has chosen to occupy all the buildings proposed at Excelsior
Crossings as a corporate campus and desires to expand the office component of Excelsior
Crossings by 56,000 SF to 796,000 SF and to change the retail use from a 6,000 SF restaurant
to a 10,000 SF day care center.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the City Council of the City of Hopkins
hereby orders the preparation of an update to the 2006 Excelsior Crossing AUAR Update that
addresses the proposed office space expansion at Excelsior Crossings and other changes
occasioned by Cargill Inc.' s occupancy of all the buildings at Excelsior Crossings and
conforms to all requirements for an AU AR update.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City Council of the City of Hopkins directs City
staff to negotiate and enter into a contract with RLK Incorporated to prepare the AUAR
update.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the all costs for the AUAR update be charged to
Opus.
Adopted by the Hopkins City Council this 15th day of April, 2008.
~~~
Eu ne. axwell, ayor
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