St. Cloud Council Greenlights Key Land Use Changes

(KNSI) – The St. Cloud City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve three land use changes aimed at spurring economic development.

The proposals were the subject of three public hearings in which no one spoke against the plans.

The first to get a thumbs up was the Coborn’s Plaza owners turning the St. Cloud State University Welcome Center into 16 studio apartments. Council President Mike Conway told KNSI News the idea fits right into the city’s plans. “I think it’s a great move. I think it’s a great use of that facility, and it gets a little more housing in a more walkable area, whether people consider that downtown or even downtown adjacent, it’s still going to provide that necessary housing that is so desperately needed in that in the downtown area.”

SCSU didn’t renew its lease for the 12,000 square foot space. The building was constructed in 2010 and was originally used for student housing. Since 2021, it has been used as market-rate apartments, but it still mainly serves students.

The council also gave the okay to rezone two lots at 14 and 16 McLeland Road, the old Fingerhut building, near the St. Cloud Municipal Athletic Complex. The owners asked to change the zoning from I3-industrial to C5-commercial to open an entertainment center with a possible go-kart track, bowling alley, simulators and restaurants. Conway says the designation makes it all possible. “It’s going to open up the doors for some desperately needed things, like entertainment and activities for the family. There’s some really cool ideas. We’ll find out what the owners are going to do with that. But it does open up a lot of possibilities.”

Lastly, a public hearing was held before approving a planned unit development to turn the former Tim Horton’s building in the 2400 block of Roosevelt Road into a retail business. The change from C1 to C2 will allow a tobacco shop to open.

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