ELK RIVER STAR NEWS SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2025 | 15
Highway 169 Redefine sets Elk River up for success
City asks residents to enjoy what has been accomplished as leaders look to the future with next wave of planning
Progress
BY CAL PORTNER Elk River city administrator
With last November’ s celebration of the completion of Redefine 169, a three-year project to ease the mobility of residents, visitors, and businesses, we closed out an incredible seven-year run of state, county, school district, and city projects investing nearly half a billion dollars in public infrastructure in Elk River.
Patience was needed then and is still in order as the city tries to catch its collective breath, reflect, and watch the community enjoy the improvements in the community!
The work began long ago with dreams, studies, community engagement, planning and design. From U. S. Highways 10 to 169, county roads and city streets, the Sherburne County Government Center, school improvements and additions, the Furniture and Things Community Event Center, Orono Park, Lake Orono dredging, playgrounds and playfields, and public safety buildings. These public investments improve the lives of people of all ages and interests and will continue to serve our community long into the future.
City leaders are thankful for the patience and support!
In 2024, the city engaged Bolton and Menk to assist with a plan for downtown development / redevelopment. After months of community engagement, meetings with stakeholders, and surveys, the plan will be unveiled later this spring.
As we inched out of the 2008 recession, the city
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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF ELK RIVER
The scene at the interchange of School Street and Highway 169 this past November as city, state and community leaders celebrated the completion of the Highway 169 project. It took three years complete after decades of planning. The city of Elk River closed out a remarkable run of state, county, school district, and city projects, which resulted in the investment of nearly half a billion dollars in public infrastructure in Elk River.
had only a few platted lots available for new housing construction.
The largest, Miske Meadows, with 385 homes, will have its final phase completed in 2025.
Lennar Homes has opened their first and second phases of 433 homes in Bradford Park.
Construction is anticipated to begin on two new developments, Twin City Land Development is planning 100 homes for their Meadowsweet Bend development near County
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Roads 1 / 33, and Capstone Homes is planning 533 homes for their Specht Family Farm development.
Work is also underway to add new restaurant and commercial options in Elk River. Wing Stop( 19260 Freeport Street) and Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks( 11420 72nd Court NE) are scheduled to open this spring. Retailer Five Below will open north of Cub Foods( 19226 Freeport Street) and Medical on Main will add new dental providers on the city’ s former property at Main Street and Gates Avenue.
Heritage Millwork is consolidating and moving its operation to a new 100,000-square-foot production facility in Nature’ s Edge Business Park. Heritage is a regional supplier of moldings, millwork, interior and exterior doors, and stair parts. They will relocate 70 employees with plans for additional employees as they grow their production.
The EDA has sold their property adjacent to Westbound Liquor. The city’ s
PHOTO BY JIM BOYLE
Among the businesses coming to Elk River less than a year after completion of the highway are Five Below, Wing Stop and Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteak.
first Kwik Trip with its well-recognized food and grocery service will begin construction approvals late in the year with construction anticipated for late 2025 or early 2026. Kwik Trip officials are excited to bring convenience, grocery, and food services to western Elk River.
Additionally, the city will be in the planning stages throughout the year for Fire Station No. 1 and the Northbound Liquor replacement.
Fire Station No. 1 was first constructed in 1971 and has undergone multiple additions and renovations over the last 50 + years. The public safety building is currently due for major building system upgrades, most of which likely cannot be completed on the current site while maintaining protective services.
Station No. 1 is our largest and busiest station with
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