WILLMAR—The 24/7/365 small package sorting and distribution facility proposed to be built on 32 acres in the Willmar Industrial Park is looking more and more certain as the Willmar City Council began the land sale process and approved the purchase agreement at its Monday meeting.
“This really represents the kickoff of the actions you will see over the next 45 days,” said Aaron Backman, executive director of the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission.
The
WILLMAR—The possible construction of a massive development project in the Willmar Industrial Park moved closer to fruition on Wednesday, with the Willmar Planning Commission recommending the city sell more than 30 acres of land to RDC National Inc.
RDC National is working on behalf of an end user—not yet identified publicly—to construct an over $25 million logistics facility in the Industrial Park’s Fourth Addition, located between Willmar Avenue and Trott Avenue Southwest on the
WILLMAR—Two years after the first shovels full of dirt were moved in July 2019, the road construction portion of the Willmar Rail Connector and Industrial Access Project has been completed, minus a few little things that still need to be wrapped up.
“For a project of this size and complexity, it went really well,” said Paul Rasmussen, project manager from the Minnesota Department of Transportation District 8.
Work began on the project, better known as the Willmar Wye, on July 9,
WILLMAR— When asked how her first day as the new Willmar City Administrator went, Leslie Valiant described it in one word.
“A whirlwind, but it was good,” Valiant said during Monday’s Willmar City Council meeting. “Staff was wonderful, as I imagined they would be.”
Valiant was hired as the city administrator on June 27.
“I appreciate the chance. The opportunity is wonderful,” Valiant said.
Prior to taking the top administration job in Willmar, Valiant
WILLMAR — Suite Liv’n, a rental developer and management company, currently has approximately 700 units in Willmar, and the company hopes to add at least another 72 with four new apartment buildings near Ridgewater College.
To make the project financially feasible for Suite Liv’n, it is requesting a 15-year tax-increment financing district for the project from the city, which, if approved, would provide the company nearly $1.5 million total in returned taxes. However, to receive that
WILLMAR—The “for sale” signs on Block 25 in Willmar officially say sold and Lumber One Development Company of Avon hopes to begin construction this fall on the 57-unit, four-story apartment complex in downtown Willmar.
At the special Willmar Planning Commission on June 30, the commission unanimously approved the conditional use permit for the project.
“The project has proven financially feasible,” said David Ramstad, Willmar Planning and Development director. “They
WILLMAR—Moving forward with two of the largest Invest in the Willmar Local Option Sales Tax projects, the city of Willmar held its groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday, June 30, at the Willmar Civic Center.
“When you have events like this, you really need to sit back and reflect on the people that made it happen,” Willmar Mayor Marv Calvin said.
The recreation fields project is budgeted for $6 million with the recreation and event center budgeted for $10 million.
“For over two years, our
WILLMAR—Lumber One Development Company will soon be the new owner of half of Block 25 in downtown Willmar.
The Willmar City Council on Monday approved selling four city-owned parcels on the west side of the block for $1 per parcel. The developer plans to construct an apartment complex on the block, bringing much needed housing to the area.
“This will be the first private project of its size and cost in downtown Willmar in many decades,” said David Ramstad, Willmar Planning and Development
WILLMAR — The value of four Willmar-owned lots in downtown was debated Wednesday night by members of the Willmar Planning Commission. The question was whether the lots located on Block 25, currently being used as a public parking lot, were more valuable to the city as a parking lot or as the future home of a new apartment building.
At the end of the debate, which raised several questions and differences of opinion on the issue, the commission approved the sale to Lumber One Development Company
WILLMAR—While specifics were slim, Aaron Backman, Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission executive director, gave some intriguing hints Thursday about possible major economic development projects that could be headed to Willmar.
The biggest is a large distribution center project for an undisclosed end user. Back in 2018-2019, a logistics company came close to building a project in Willmar, but it was canceled in early 2019.
“This one is bigger and better,”
