St. Cloud EDA Delays Pick for City Hall Lot Near Lake George

St. Cloud’s Economic Development Authority wants to meet face-to-face with the two developers competing for the empty lot between St. Cloud City Hall and Lake George before it picks one.

The EDA tabled a decision Tuesday on a preferred developer for the 3.27-acre site at 1201 7th Street South. Economic Development Director Cathy Mehelich says board members wanted more than paper proposals to go on, so they plan to invite both companies to the November meeting to talk about their plans, their experience and any financial help they would expect from the city.

Torborg Builders of St. Cloud is proposing two market-rate apartment buildings with more than 110 units. Minneapolis-based Doyenne Development is pitching 71 homes plus a restaurant and entertainment building overlooking the lake.

“Initially, the city’s vision for this site has been residential in nature and not a commercial component,” Mehelich said.

That means Doyenne’s restaurant and entertainment piece would take more work, and the company has not yet lined up a commercial tenant. Doyenne also says its project would need city help, such as tax increment financing, to get built. Torborg’s proposal does not ask for public assistance.

The lot has been vacant since 2023, when the city tore down two wings of the former Tech High School. Mehelich told KNSI it is one of the sites the city’s comprehensive plan and downtown plan single out for redevelopment. Sitting next to city hall and overlooking Eastman Park, it’s also among the most visible pieces of land in town.

“We’re really going to take our time with this project. We want to do it right. And we want a successful project for both the city and developer and the neighborhood on this north city hall location.”

Picking a developer would not lock in a design. The EDA’s choice would go to the mayor’s office as a recommendation to sign a letter of intent, giving the city and that developer six months of exclusive talks to shape a plan and see whether the numbers work.

The site would also need to be rezoned. The corner along Division Street is not part of the deal; the city has already approved a Gate City Bank there.

The EDA also heard results Tuesday from a new study of downtown rental housing. A consultant looked at several downtown redevelopment sites and measured demand for market-rate apartments, along with both affordable and market-rate active adult rentals, which are geared toward older renters.

“We found demand in all three of those sectors and segments,” Mehelich said, “well over 500, 600 units of demand could be captured by downtown locations.”

The consultant ranked the north city hall lot as one of the top priority sites, pointing to its view of Eastman Park and Lake George and its easy walk to downtown. The study suggests the lot would be a strong fit for market-rate active adult housing, such as a high-amenity apartment building or townhomes. Mehelich says the findings will help the city market downtown sites to developers.

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