City of Osseo Completes Approvals for Phase II of the 5 Central Apartments Project

The Osseo Economic Development Authority and Osseo City Council approved the Development Agreement between the City and The Beard Group for Phase II of the 5 Central Apartments project earlier this week. Phase II is a continuation of the already under-construction Phase I of the project. Osseo Officials and Administration are excited about this development and what it means for the City of Osseo!

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This project is 16 years in the making with the City first purchasing available properties on the Block 6 site (located one block north of City Hall) back in 1998. As more and more properties became available, the City took advantage, finally purchasing enough property to market the site to Developers as a future home of a large residential development, thanks to the aid of local and State grants. City Administration (past and present) worked diligently to secure over $1 Million in grant money to fund the purchases and environmental remediation of these properties.

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The City received grants from Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council, helping to keep the costs of property acquisition and environmental remediation as low as possible. As recently as this year, City Administration worked to secure the final two properties located on the Phase II (521 Central Ave and 523 Central Ave) which allowed the project to expand further north, increasing the number of apartment units.

The addition of Phase II brings the total number of apartment units to 140 (Phase I includes 71 units, and Phase II includes 69 units). The units are all market rate which include high end finishes and furnishings. Units will range from larger 3-bedroom units to 2-bedroom plus a den, and from 1-bedroom units to studios. The building will also include 177 total off-street parking spaces between the underground parking garage and on-site garage stalls, and include great amenities such as a fitness center, a business/conference room, large entry space with an ample mail center, individual decks and/or patios off of each unit, and an interior outdoor patio space complete with an outdoor kitchen.

2013 12-09 Five Central Phase 2 69 Unit Plan_Page_1

But what gets Osseo Officials most excited about this project is the increase in Osseo’s population this project will bring. The 5 Central Apartment project alone will increase Osseo’s population by roughly 10%. By increasing the population by that amount, local Osseo business should see a huge increase in foot traffic leading to increased sales, helping to reignite the downtown commercial core. “People will be able to walk out and walk down and go to the grocery store or get a drink with friends down the road,” says Ben Beard of The Beard Group. Indeed, Phase I of the project has already surpassed the 40% leased mark, and the project isn’t expected to be completed until late-June! Residents will begin to move in immediately after completion. The fully furnished model should be completed by May 1 which will be available for showings immediately.

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Construction on Phase II of the project is expected to begin towards the end of April 2014, and be completed by spring of 2015. One of the key figures to note on this project is that this development represents a $25 Million investment in downtown Osseo. The City believes this level of investment will be a magnet for other downtown Osseo development, especially in the commercial sector. “Bringing in that amount of people to downtown Osseo is really going to kickstart a lot of struggling businesses and bring in some additional businesses to some empty storefronts,” says Osseo City Planner Riley Grams. After all, more people means more money to spend. And that’s something Osseo businesses are pretty excited about!

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You can learn more about the Osseo 5 Central Apartment project by contacting City Hall at 763-425-2624. For information on renting available units, you can contact Ben Beard with The Beard Group at 952-930-0630 or by email at benb@beardgroupinc.com.

 

 

Riley Grams, Osseo City Planner

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City Officials Approve Concept Plans to Add Osseo Police Department onto Current City Hall

At the Osseo City Council meeting on Monday, February 24, 2014, representatives from Buetow 2 Architects, Inc. presented finalized concept plans for the addition to City Hall to house the Osseo Police Department. The approved plans represent years of studies and review of multiple sites to potentially house a new Police Department Headquarters.

The schematic design calls for a 3,500 square foot footprint addition to be attached to City Hall, located where the current parking lot sits to the west of the building. The footprint includes just over 1,000 square feet for a 3-vehicle garage to keep Osseo emergency vehicles out of the elements, which will enter out onto 5th Street NW. The remaining 2,500 square feet will include a booking/intox area, multiple offices for the Chief of Police and other Officers, conference space, and a reception/waiting area.

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Additionally, the plans make use of three key existing features found in the current City Hall building. The first is the elevator, located just inside City Hall. Elevators are needed in public facilities to make all floors accessible to the general public. Elevators represent one of the largest budget items when looking at constructing a new public facility, or re-purposing an existing building for public use. The second key feature is the available storage space, located on the bottom level in City Hall. A large storage space will be re-purposed and used for a men’s and women’s locker room, police armory storage, and an evidence room. Even with the re-purposing of the available space, there is enough remaining space for city storage. The third key feature is the restrooms located in City Hall.

The current Police Department facility will be demolished as a result of the addition, and the City Hall parking lot will be reconfigured, allowing for a few more additional spaces once re-striped. The Department has been located in a cramped, deteriorating 51-year-old house for nearly 20 years. Originally meant to serve as a temporary location for the Department, the Police wound up using the old house indefinitely, after plans for future locations were scrapped. But the current City Council decided that this was the time to find the Police a new home.

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Several different locations throughout the city have been discussed over the past few years, including purchasing an existing location away from City Hall and retrofitting it to suit the needs of the Police Department. Other concepts included adding it to the first level of the recently approved 5 Central plans as well as constructing a new stand-alone building where the existing Police building is now. However, all of these concepts included large price tags, something the Council was very wary of. Council Members are charged with spending taxpayer money in the most cost effective way possible. The approved plan to add on to City Hall accomplishes that goal, as it is the cheapest option on the table while still providing the essential tools the Police Department needs in order to provide top notch public safety.

The architect will now begin designing construction plans for the addition, which is expected to be completed in late April. After the construction documents are received and reviewed, the construction bid will be awarded in May, with an eye towards construction beginning in late May or early June. Following a five to six month construction time frame, the new Osseo Police Department addition could be ready for use as early as mid-October 2014.

 

 

Riley Grams, OsseoCity Planner

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Osseo to Host 2013 Minidazzle Parade and Lunch With Santa, Dec 6-7

Days are getting shorter. Temps are growing colder. And the holiday season is within sight. This can only mean one thing…the Osseo Minidazzle celebration is nearing!

Minidazzle 2013 print copy (2)

One of the best Christmas and holiday celebrations in the Twin Cities, the Osseo Minidazzle is scheduled for Friday, December 6 and Saturday, December 7, 2013 in downtown Osseo. And this year is going to be bigger than ever! Join us for this great holiday tradition that’s fun for the entire family!

The festivities kick off in style on Friday night (December 6) with a light-filled parade starting at 1st Street NE, heading north on Central Avenue in downtown Osseo starting at 6:00 PM. Trees up and down the main street will be lit with beautiful Christmas lights. The parade features fire trucks from the local Osseo Fire Department, as well as trucks are other area departments. Santa will be on hand in BoerboomPark along with his Elves. Photo opportunities will be available so make sure to bring your camera!

The Osseo Senior High Motet Choir will be singing holiday songs at the band shell in the park, while a roaring bonfire will be on site to help keep everyone toasty warm. Goodie-bags will be available for kids, and hot dogs, hot cocoa and holiday cookies will also be available. Additionally, the US Marine Corps Reserves will be on hand to accept toys for the Toys for Tots drive this year. You can donate any new and unwrapped gift to the Toys for Tots campaign, and toys for all ages are welcome. Local Osseo businesses will also provide drop off locations for local families (check the Osseo Police Department website for more information here: http://goo.gl/Ce2rlG), providing yet another way to spread the holiday spirit.

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For those who find the chilly weather a little much can head inside to the Osseo Community Center where we’ll be playing a children’s holiday movie from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. Step inside to warm your hands and feet if needed!

The celebration will spill over into Saturday (December 7) as we host the Lunch with Santa event from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (sponsored by the Osseo Lions Club). Lunch will be served in the Osseo Community Center where kids eat free and adults pay $8. Photos opportunities will be available with Santa and we’ll be playing another children’s holiday movie.

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The holidays are a great time to gather with friends and family. And what better place to do that then in downtown Osseo for the Minidazzle celebration. We hope to see each and every one of you here in Osseo for the holiday festivities! Happy Holidays from the Osseo City Council and the City of Osseo Staff!

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Riley Grams, Osseo City Planner

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City Adopts New Snow Emergency Policy

In an effort to more efficiently alert residents when City crews need to plow and clear streets of snow, the Osseo City Council adopted a new comprehensive snow emergency policy, set to take action this coming winter. The new policy will help residents know when the City has declared a snow emergency event, and what steps they can take to ensure vehicles are out of the way for snow plowing.

Who determines if there will be a snow emergency?

A City of Osseo Public Services employee, who is currently on-duty or an on-duty Osseo Police Officer, will measure any current snow fall at the Osseo Public Works Facility parking lot when there appears to be an accumulation of 2 inches or more (located at 800 Broadway Street East). If 2 or more inches have fallen in a single “snow event”, then the Public Services employee or Police Officer will report to the Public Services Director or Police Chief who will declare an official snow emergency.

When can a snow emergency be declared?

Residents will be notified of a snow emergency declaration before 10:00 PM in order to be effective the same day, beginning at 12:00 midnight that evening.

How will residents be notified that a snow emergency has been declared?

Once the City declares a snow emergency to be in effect, residents can be notified through various means. These include:

A)     An official snow emergency declaration banner will appear on the City’s website. You can log on to www.discoverosseo.com to check for potential snow emergency declarations.

B)     Residents who opt into the email notification system will receive an email from the City alerting them to a snow emergency declaration. If you’d like to receive email alerts from the City of Osseo, please log on to the City’s website and in the middle of the home page is a section where you can type your email address. Please note: your email address will not be used for any purpose other than sharing important City alerts. Your email address will be secure and not sold to any third parties.

C)     The City will also post all snow emergencies on the City’s Facebook page and Twitter account. To get snow emergency notifications via Facebook, search “Discover Osseo” and like our page. You can also follow the City’s Twitter account (@CityofOsseo). The City will post snow emergency notifications and link to our website for further information.

D)     The City will alert local WCCO Television to include the Osseo snow emergency on their scrolling notification bar. You will also see the Osseo snow emergency declaration on the WCCO website, as well as radio updates (AM 830).

E)      A phone recording, declaring that the City of Osseo has declared a snow emergency, will be activated when residents call the City of Osseo Snow Emergency Hotline (763-425-SNOW). The recording will give callers further information on the snow emergency declaration.

How long does a typical Osseo snow emergency last and what are the parking restrictions?

When a snow emergency has been officially declared, residents are not allowed to park vehicles on the public street starting at 12:00 midnight to 6:00 AM the following morning. Residents will then be allowed to park vehicles on the street starting at 6:00 AM to 12:00 midnight. Residents will again not be allowed to park vehicles on the public street from 12:00 midnight to 6:00 AM the next morning. After that, the snow emergency will be over.

Example:

4:00 PM on Tuesday:                                                      The City declares a snow emergency.

Midnight 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM on Wednesday:        No parking on public streets.

6:00 AM Wednesday to 12:00 AM Thursday:            Parking allowed on public streets.

Midnight 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM on Thursday:           No parking on public streets.

6:00 AM on Thursday and on:                                       Snow emergency over.

Where can residents park vehicles during snow emergencies?

Residents should park vehicles on their private property during snow emergencies. If a resident is a renter and only has on-street parking available, the resident should coordinate with landlords to determine potential parking options. The City will coordinate with local businesses or property owners to provide temporary parking locations during snow emergency events. You can find more information on the City’s website.

Can snow plow crews prevent driveways and/or alley entrances from being blocked?

Since all snow must be cleared from the roadway in order to keep public roadways safe, snow plow crews have to push snow to the sides. It is very difficult to keep driveways and alley entrances from becoming blocked in on initial passes. Crews will make every effort possible to minimize this problem and may return to alley entrances when possible. Driveways may be blocked, however, when the City receives a large snowfall amount. Again, crews will make every effort to minimize these issues.

 

If you have any questions regarding the Osseo snow emergency system, please contact City Hall.

 

 

Riley Grams, City Planner, City of Osseo

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