Category Archives: GRACO

Land Commissioners for Graco Condemnation Award Tour Site, Plant‏

The following article by Steve Brandt, dated February 22, 2016, was published in the Star Tribune.

Land Commissioners for Graco Condemnation Award Tour Site, Plant‏

(Land commissioners and attorneys walk the easement the Park Board was granted at Graco.)

After a hiatus of more than half a year, the process has begun for determining how much Minneapolis park commissioners owe Graco for a narrow strip of land that lies between the company’s huge factory and the Mississippi River.

Court-appointed land commissioners who will recommend the condemnation award that a court will grant to to Graco walked the easement and toured the factory Monday. The building is about as large as eight football fields.

They’re expected to hear arguments from attorneys representing Graco and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board this summer. The Park Board has said its appraisal values the easement at $622,300, but Graco is expected to seek several times that amount.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune
http://www.startribune.com/land-commissioners-for-graco-condemnation-award-tour-site-plant/369686591/

Minneapolis Parks Spurn Graco Offer

The following article by Steve Brandt was published in the July 16, 2015 edition of the Star Tribune.

Minneapolis Parks Spurn Graco Offer

The action opens plans for part of a riverside park to other developers.

Minneapolis parks commissioners ramped up pressure on Graco Minnesota Inc. by rejecting its development proposal for part of a planned riverfront park and instead seeking proposals from all comers.

The action means Graco won’t have a leg up on developing about 3 acres of the former Scherer lumber site upstream from the Plymouth Avenue Bridge in northeast Minneapolis. The board vote was 8-0.

Graco had proposed two office buildings of about 50,000 square feet each on land it would lease from the Park Board for at least 99 years. The lease payments from any development would help pay park operational costs.

A key riverfront advisory committee rejected the proposal as “insulting” for not meeting previous riverfront planning guidelines.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune
Star Tribune: Minneapolis parks spurn Graco offer

Three Cheers for the Minneapolis Park Board

The following article by Friends of the Mississippi River staff member Irene Jones was published in the FMR newsletter on July 20, 2015.

Three Cheers for the Minneapolis Park Board

 

 

After months of trying to negotiate an agreement with Graco Corporation to provide an easement for a riverfront trail in northeast Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has secured the narrow strip of land for the trail through condemnation, also known as eminent domain. Surprisingly, Graco did not object to the land transfer when they testified in court, but the final price that MPRB will pay Graco is yet to be determined by a court appointed panel.

This move paves the way for MPRB to construct a new east bank trail that will connect Boom Island Park to the Burlington Northern railroad bridge at approximately 18th Avenue NE. If title to the land had not been granted, MPRB would have risked losing a $1 million federal grant to install the trails. The new trail will also connect Sheridan Memorial Park and the future Hall’s Island Park to the regional trail system for the metropolitan area.
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Park Board Rejects Graco Expansion Proposal

The following article by Eric Best was published in the July 16, 2015 issue of the Southwest Journal.

Park Board Rejects Graco Expansion Proposal

Photo courtesy of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

The board will seek other development proposals for the Scherer site in Northeast Minneapolis.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board voted 8-0 to deny giving Graco Minnesota Inc. exclusive development rights for Northeast Minneapolis riverfront parkland where it planned to expand its headquarters.

The board will now seek additional proposals for a parcel of the Scherer site intended for development, which would help pay for a future park.

As they noted in a previous committee vote, commissioners took issue with Graco’s two-phase headquarter expansion plans because it included too much surface parking, too few public amenities and wouldn’t generate enough rent for the future park. Despite the criticism, Graco did not have a different proposal for the board’s July 15 vote.

“I was a little surprised that they didn’t respond,” Commissioner John Erwin said. “I would rather see nothing go there for a period of time rather than see something that the community and the Park Board find unacceptable.”
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Park Board Pushes Graco Plans Forward Hoping for Improvements

The following article by Eric Best was published in the July 6, 2015 issue of the Southwest Journal and updated on July 9.

Park Board Pushes Graco Plans Forward Hoping for Improvements

2015_07_12_Graco_Scherer_image

Submitted photo courtesy of Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

 

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board heavily criticized development plans from Graco
Minnesota Inc. for Northeast Minneapolis parkland, but passed it on to the full board for improvement.

A Park Board committee approved the plans without a recommendation for a two-phase expansion of the industrial abrasive manufacturer’s riverfront headquarters that it submitted in June. Commissioners hope that Graco and its designers will improve the proposal before it comes before the board on July 15.

Commissioners criticized the plans for poor public access and amenities, containing far too much surface parking at 283 stalls and for being too small to generate enough rent for a future park planned for the riverfront parkland, known as the Scherer site.
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Graco Land Plan Gets Cold Shoulder From Minneapolis Park Commissioners

The following article by Steve Brandt was published in the July 2, 2015 issue of the Star Tribune.

Graco Land Plan Gets Cold Shoulder From Minneapolis Park Commissioners

The Minneapolis Park Board will vote on the plan for the riverfront land later this month.

 

Minneapolis park commissioners lined up Wednesday evening to dump all over a proposal by Graco Minnesota Inc. to develop part of a northeast riverfront park — but they didn’t kill it, either.

Instead, a Park Board committee forwarded the Graco proposal to the full board, which will take it up in two weeks. The board earlier this year granted Graco, whose Minneapolis complex abuts the planned park on the former Scherer lumberyard, the right to submit a proposal ahead of other developers.

Commissioners griped that Graco’s planned two-building development with Ryan Cos. was too small to generate enough rent to pay the entire cost of maintaining the public portion of the park, had too much surface parking at 283 spots, and didn’t provide enough public space and access.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune

Graco land plan gets cold shoulder from

Proposal at Park Board May Authorize Park Development by Graco

The following article by Steve Brandt was published in the June 30, 2015 issue of the Star Tribune, prior to the July 1, 2015 Park Board meeting.

Proposal at Park Board May Authorize Park Development by Graco

 

Proposal would have park staff try for a deal without seeking proposals from other developers

MPLS.

A proposal to enter negotiations with Graco Minnesota Inc to lease to it part of a planned riverfront park – without taking other proposals – will come before the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Wednesday evening.

The staff proposal, to be discussed in a board committee, would allow park officials to negotiate with Graco for six months on a development agreement to lease 3.5 acres of the former Scherer property. That’s just upriver from the Plymouth Avenue Bridge in northeast Minneapolis.

Graco has submitted a proposal with developer Ryan Companies for two office buildings of about 50,000 square feet on that parcel. A lease of 99 years is being discussed. They propose a first building for Graco headquarters, to be built by 2017. A second building for a single undefined tenant would be added by 2019.

The proposal is already drawing criticism from the Above The Falls Community Advisory Committee. It’s an influential neighborhood-based group that advises the city and Park Board on upper riverfront plans.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune

Tell the Graco Board & CEO that the Time has come to Fulfill their Promise to the Community

The following item is being circulated via e-mail by the Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR).

Tell the Graco Board & CEO that the Time has come to Fulfill their Promise to the Community

Graco, a worldwide leader in fluid handling based in Northeast Minneapolis, is refusing to fulfill the promise they made to the Twin Cities community. They will not allow a trail to be constructed on their property along the Mississippi River just south of Broadway Street.

Their promise to grant land for the trail was made in exchange for the City’s generous redevelopment package: expansion of their business very close to the Mississippi River, a street vacation, and a $730,000 subsidy. 

Instead of fulfilling their promise and allowing the trail to be constructed – a great amenity for their employees, the community, and visitors to our local National Park – Graco is trying to renegotiate the agreement in an effort to gain more riverfront land. The worst part – that desired riverfront land is currently public parkland.

Is that fair? Is that the right thing to do? Is that what a good neighbor would do?

ACT NOW! Tell Graco to keep its word and grant the trail easement immediately.

Pictured is Graco’s plant along the river in Northeast Minneapolis. The narrow strip of land between the river and the plant was promised for a regional trail when Graco developed the site. Now they want land to the south (right) that was recently purchased for a riverfront park. Picture by Irene Jones, FMR.

Video of MPRB Presentation by Edna Brazaitis re Graco

The following article and video clip is provided courtesy of David Tinjum and the March 16, 2015 edition of the Mill City Times:

Video of MPRB Presentation by Edna Brazaitis re Graco

Riverfront champion Edna Brazaitis speaks at March 4, 2015 MPRB meeting during Open Time.

http://millcitytimes.com/news/update-on-graco-mprb-riverfront-trail-issue.html

Park Board Could Condemn Northeast Land in Hopes of Completing Trail Project

The following article by Eric Best was published in the February 19, 2015 issue of the Southwest Journal.

Park Board Could Condemn Northeast Land in Hopes of Completing Trail Project

 

The following article by Eric Best was published in the February 19, 2015 issue of the Southwest Journal.

If easement negotiations don’t move forward with Graco, the Park Board may use eminent domain for the company’s riverfront property.

The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board unanimously voted Feb. 18 to pursue eminent domain to acquire Northeast riverfront property from Graco Inc. if the company does not negotiate an easement for a trail project.

The Park Board has had its eyes on the land since 2000 when it negotiated with Graco for an easement in exchange for more than $1 million in tax-increment financing from the city to expand its  fluid system manufacturing facility in Northeast Minneapolis. If the Park Board doesn’t acquire the easement or land by May 31, it could lose a $1 million grant for the project, which would use the 1.87-acre property to build a trail from north from the Plymouth Avenue Bridge.

Now Graco is looking to negotiate the easement for a section of parkland adjacent to its facility that could become the home for a future headquarters expansion.
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