What's happening in this Ole town?
By Tom Obert
Business Reporter
If you drive around Alex these days, you soon realize you can't swing a slab of lutefisk without hitting a mini-mall under construction. This is either an insidious Communist plot, not unlike the fluoridated water scare of the '50's, or a sign of the next great Minnesota metropolis..jpg)
The mayor (seen here cavorting outside the AAAA theatre during intermission of the Mikko Cowdery shindig) has confirmed what is quite obvious to the naked eye - the city is the fastest growing rural micropolis in the state.
So while the nation is suffering from the worst housing recession since WWII, in Alexandria - the hospital and 3M have scheduled major expansions (3M's has begun), the existing Target will be torn down to make way for a Super(?) Target, a Hampton Inn is going up next to Garden Center, two new banks and a savings & loan are under construction, the new Walgreen's exterior shell is almost completed, a Bennigan's is under construction next to the mall, Carlos Creek Winery and Geneva Golf Club are for sale (in both instances because it is time for their founders to slow down and enjoy the good life), Miltona Golf Club is undergoing a major renovation/expansion, Arrowwood has plans to build nine (or is it 12?) more 4-unit log condos, to go with the four already in existence, and three 4-story apartment-style condos, the 2nd and 3rd Avenue demolitions have mostly been completed opening up more property for development, downtown has two new businesses in Cherry Street Books and Bella's on Broadway (others have done exterior renovations), the AAAA Theatre has started a fund drive to renovate its exterior, and the mall is under new ownership so changes are expected there. Being a person of limited memory capacity, I have probably forgotten others - not to mention all the housing additions going in around lakes Jesse, Bergen, Laura, et al (though many have slowed recently due to the housing market in general).
A local business demographer noted that the only thing that was holding Alex back was the condition of its schools - that until recently, many businesses looking for new or additional locations would by-pass Alex for surrounding areas (e.g., St. Cloud) with newer schools. Now that the school bond referendum has passed (and particularly if the high school one does in a couple years), he expects Alex will really take-off. You already know, of course, that if you want to cross or make left turns onto either 3rd Avenue or Broadway, at any time of day, you better go to a controlled intersection. As Denny Sherry (yes, the HQ's dad) used to say, "It's time to move to Elbow Lake; Alex is getting way too big!" Nevertheless, the mayor continues to say, "We are blessed to live here."
Hizzoner, the Alexandria Mayor, a '65Roundup blog fan, responds:
Tom,
You are great. Yup, we are really growing. The Target store will be 133,000 square feet, about 40,000 more than the present store, but it will not be a "Super Target". That probably means it won't have a full grocery line.
The new Whiskey Creek Steakhouse formerly known as the Country Kitchen, The Dunn Bros. Coffee Shop,and the developments on third Avenue at both Hawthorne and Lake Streets are mind boggling.
This growth has put Alexandria on many companies radar screens. We don't know which ones, but don't be surprised to hear some new names in the near future.
I think "News Newbie" fits you better than cub reporter. You have graduated.
Dan
