A rendering from AHMC’s original plan

It has been said that change is the only thing that stays the same and this has been true in spades for Menomonie’s Gateway Project. Brief recap: Last summer, it was announced (shouted from the rooftops even) that downtown would soon be home to a cutting edge, multi-million dollar, mixed-use housing and retail complex. It was a groundbreaking opportunity, even before the shovels dug in. Then things shifted, and the deal as it was fell through. But decision-making entities involved (the city, Stout, and development company AHMC) were hopeful that a phoenix-like plan would rise up from the ashes of the old one.

On March 7, the city council approved AHMC’s request to drop its original planned unit development of the old Leevers supermarket site and also granted the request to rescind the zoning on the property, which takes the zoning back to the original commercial zoning. However, according to city representative Lowell Prange, the change still allows for a mixed-use, community-minded project to come to fruition. Then  the next day, the following statement was received from AHMC’s CEO, Cary Osborn, “Urban Land of Minneapolis ... has acquired ownership interest in the former Leever’s grocery store site in Menomonie from AHMC effective Feb. 4, 2011.”

Osborn described Urban Land as “an experienced development firm specializing in mixed-use properties,” and also said that Urban Land’s principal Brett Naylor, “is aware of the challenges and looks forward to working with city officials, community leaders, and UW-Stout to create a gateway to downtown. (He) recognizes the need for partnerships to create beneficial patterns of change in downtown since no single entity can develop sustainable solutions on their own.”
Main Street Executive Director Shelley Stewart had this to say: “Although the original proposed plans for the Leever’s site have changed and now a new developer is in the mix, we remain optimistic about the future of this property. We anticipate and will strive for an outcome that will be pleasing to all parties involved and we are excited about the potential this project has to our community.”

So breathe a sigh of relief for tomorrow is another day, the players and politics have altered (as they do) but the possibilities of something positive happening downtown are still in place. Be patient, be hopeful, and stay tuned …