Doran will build housing at site of former Best Buy Southdale store

The shuttered Best Buy store at Southdale Shopping Center-one of the first built in the country in the 1980s-will be demolished this week to make way for construction of a 185-unit luxury-apartment development.

The $48 million project at Sixty Sixth Street and York Avenue in Edina is a joint venture between Bloomington-based Doran Companies and KM2 Development of Minneapolis.

"It will offer residents an ideal location and unrivaled amenities," said Doran Companies owner Kelly Doran. "The architectural design will also create a dramatic new entryway into Edina."
Best Buy closed the Southdale store in 2012.

The eco-friendly design of the Doran project will reduce the project's environmental footprint. A white roof will reduce the "heat island," native plantings will ensure draught-resistant vegetation and improved run-off protection, increased thermal building design combined with ultra-efficient appliances will boost energy efficiency. Electric car-charging stations will be available for residents and guests alike.

"We know that residents of our existing properties care about their environmental footprint," said Anne Behrendt, chief operating officer at Doran companies. "We are dedicated to ensuring this apartment community secures LEED certification because it is the right thing to do."

KM2 principals Mike Mikan and Kurt Krumenauer purchased the Best Buy property and an adjacent single-family home in 2016. They joined with Doran to develop multi-family housing on the site. ENVi will be constructed by Doran Construction and will be comprised of five levels of studio, alcove, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and two levels of underground and enclosed parking. In addition, the project will include 13 two-level townhome walk-ups along 66th Street and Xerxes Avenue.

Amenities at ENVI will include a "porte cochere" for protected drop off and pick up, an indoor entertainment clubroom with full kitchen and a terrace-level outdoor pool with dining areas, grills, bar, fire features, bocce ball and a putting green. Additional amenities include a business center, state-of-the-art fitness center, spa and sauna and golf simulator.

Southdale has been undergoing a major renovation for several years, as several tenant retailers closed amid less bricks-and-mortar shopping. Life Time Fitness announced a new facility earlier this year.

Doran, one of the busiest developer-contractors since the Great Recession, has completed about 30 housing projects around the University of Minnesota, downtown and in the suburbs since 2009.