By Forrest Adams

The Chanhassen City Council moved forward two projects that could transform downtown Chanhassen: construction of a parking ramp and transit station and the creation of a lifestyle center as an extension of downtown.

Chanhassen Transit Station is one step closer to becoming a reality. It has been several years coming. The project has been in the works since 2007 when SouthWest Transit was awarded a $7 million federal grant to construct a park and ride facility in downtown Chanhassen.

On Monday night city councilors passed a list of agreements and approvals that was so long and had such complex language the city attorney had to read it. It was no matter. They approved it gladly. Their approval created the necessary agreements between the city of Chanhassen, SouthWest Transit and Bloomberg Companies to advance the project one more step.

Bloomberg owns the land where SouthWest Transit wants to build. The Chanhassen Dinner Theatre scene shop sits in the footprint of the ramp. The city of Chanhassen needs to relocate the building and construct a road between Market Boulevard and Great Plains Boulevard, so the ramp is accessible to transit users, theater goers and buses.

All three parties involved with the project were relieved to have the agreements and be moving ahead.

“Finally, we can do something, instead of just talking about it,” said Clayton Johnson from Bloomberg Companies.

Bloomberg Companies sees the opportunity to finally redevelop its land around Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. The city will create a tax increment financing district to help this happen. Within the new TIF district, Bloomberg can bring new developments that increase the city’s tax base, and in turn the city will reimburse Bloomberg for the special assessments that Bloomberg must pay the city to fund construction of a new road leading to the parking ramp and transit station.

The city will also move the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre scene shop, now that they have an agreement to do so. SouthWest Transit will build the 420-stall parking ramp south of the theater complex using $7 million in federal grant money where the scene shop is sitting.

In addition, the council approved variance requests, the site plan for construction of the parking ramp and transit station, and the preliminary plat for the transit station. The council will vote on the final plat for the property at its December 14 meeting. If things continue according to plans, construction on the ramp could be completed by August 2011, according to a schedule provided by City Manager Todd Gerhardt. 

Bringing in a lifestyle center could be longer coming, but the council’s actions provided a first step. The council amended the Chanhassen City Code to create a community commercial zoning district and planned unit development standards. This allows for a regional/lifestyle center commercial district that would include residential, office, and retail developments.