EDA Meeting Date: November 24, 2025
To: Members of the Economic Development Authority
From: Ben Martig, City Administrator
Mikayla Schmidt, Interim Community Development Director
Emery John, Program Associate
Title
EDA Update on 5th & Washington Redevelopment Project.
Body
Action Requested:
Consider a motion supporting the scoping to include a senior housing co-op, public restrooms, co-located refuse for the surrounding businesses, and public parking at the 5th and Washington site and to seek City Council feedback and direction to the EDA to continue with added due diligence including design, costs, and financial details.
Summary Report:
The Northfield City Council delegated advisory authority to the Northfield EDA for downtown redevelopment projects in Resolution 2024-44 (Attached). The EDA reviewed materials and information related to potential development opportunities including constructing a more accessible and larger municipal liquor store and provided a recommended approach to the 5th and Washington Redevelopment project to Council via EDA Resolution 2024-005 (Attached).
Earlier this year, staff issued a request for Letters of Intent (LOI) to a select group of local developers based on a project opportunity statement that aligns with the EDA's recommended approach. One letter of intent from a qualified developer, Streetfront Development, was received. Charles Burdick of Streetfront works closely and consistently with Thomas Hertzog of Good Neighbor Homes. For the purposes of this report, consider "Streetfront" to be shorthand for "Streetfront and Good Neighbor Homes."
Streetfront has explored various development opportunities for the 5th and Washington site. This included a mixed-use liquor store condominium concept that estimated sale price of individual units that would price out the Northfield market. Streetfront took comments from the EDA to redesign the building to match Northfield's market, and found that a mixed-use site, consisten...
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