Council Sets Public Hearing For Large Scale Development in South St. Cloud

(KNSI) – St. Cloud passed a motion to hire an architect for the proposed Municipal Athletic Complex expansion project and set public hearings for a project that’s expected to spark development in south St. Cloud.

A public hearing has been set for May 9^th for multiple apartment buildings for 353 units, 125 assisted living units, a 40,000 square foot office building, a 7,000 square foot bank, a 2,400 square foot restaurant, 60,000 square feet of retail space and a 90,000 square foot fitness center.

Community Development Director Matt Glaesman says the Klein Landscaping Planned Unit Development by K&B Properties at 4040 33rd Street South is off a road that’s expected to be at the heart of St. Cloud’s future growth.

“As you know 33rd Street South is the ‘494’ of St Cloud. It’s designed as a four lane divided roadway. It could carry up to 30 or 40,000 trips or more by its design.”

The public hearing will take place but any decision will be tabled until the next city council meeting because three members will be gone on May 9^th and will be attending the meeting virtually. Councilman Mike Conway agreed with the decision.

“This project is going to set the tone for further development and that whole South quadrant. This is going to be the major thoroughfare that’s going to provide all development in the city of St Cloud. So I really want to make sure we give it its due but I also want to be respectful of the landowners and not push their timelines so far back.”

The developers are planning to start construction this spring once the project is approved.

The council unanimously approved JLG Architect to design the renovation project if it’s approved by voters in November. The deal is for $105,000-forty-five thousand dollars for the design and $60,000 for site analysis. The sports center would get a 30,000 to 40,000 square foot addition, including locker rooms, training areas, pregame areas, storage, and artificial turf at Joe Faber field, rebuilding Dick Putz Field, maintenance upgrades and additional paved parking.

Mayor Dave Kleis was asked what would happen if the project is rejected by voters.

“If that was to happen, it wouldn’t be the same size project. We would have to probably focus on ADA requirements, making sure the building doesn’t collapse. We’d focus on basically the asset preservation. If we didn’t receive that sales tax, it would be a much smaller project and we’d probably have to turn back state bonding money.”

St. Cloud got $10 million in bonding money for the project in 2020 but must raise the rest. The project will move forward if St. Cloud voters give the thumbs up to a half-cent sales tax to raise $21.1 million for the renovation.

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