Rice Creek Commons parcel OK’d by county

ARDEN HILLS

10 acres of TCAAP ready for development

By Imani Cruzen

The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved an amendment to the purchase and sale agreement for a commercial development as part of Rice Creek Commons.

The amendment with developer Ryan Cos. finalizes terms for a phased development of “Outlot A,” a 40-acre parcel adjacent to the Rice Creek Commons — formerly the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant — development, starting with an approximately 10-acre portion on the north end of the parcel in Arden Hills.

Outlot A is zoned for commercial use under Arden Hills’ TCAAP Redevelopment Code. Ryan Cos. is planning a potential corporate campus, a research and development center or a mix of manufacturing and distribution facilities alongside retail and restaurant space or other possibilities, the Pioneer Press reported last year. Ramsey County approved the sale of all of Outlot A for $12.8 million to Ryan Cos. last January.

Ryan Cos. estimates Outlot A will yield between 400,000 and 600,000 square feet of commercial space.

Outlot A will be developed in phases with Ryan Cos. proposing a 157,000-square-foot advanced technology project for Outlot A’s 10 acres for its first phase. That project is still in its due diligence period.

Ryan Cos. could present a final development agreement April 7 to the Joint Development Authority, a group of elected officials from Ramsey County and Arden Hills that oversees Rice Creek Commons redevelopment. The project received initial approval in March.

Closing on the first phase of the 10 acres is expected by April 30, according to the county.

The amended purchase and sale agreement brings the total purchase price to $9.2 million. Up to $3.5 million is expected to be invested into a low-carbon and energy-efficient design in phase one. Sustainability design guidelines were approved for Rice Creek Commons by the Joint Development Authority in January.

Outlot A will connect to the Rice Creek North Regional Trail for bicycle and pedestrian access, with Ryan Cos. expected to incorporate green and outdoor spaces throughout the development.