Brass Foundry Brewing shifts from downtown Minneapolis to business park in Minnetonka

Brass Foundry Brewing Co., which last summer had plans to open in the only single-family house in downtown Minneapolis, instead intends to join commercial tenants at Baker Tech, an office complex near the intersection of I-494 and Hwy. 62.

The brewery would occupy a 9,000-square-foot building at 5959 Baker Road. About 3,000 square feet will be used as a taproom. The lease is signed, but the project still needs city approvals, said Jason Simek, a co-owner of Baker Tech who is responsible for leasing at the park.

"This is a tremendous win for us," Simek said. "We were trying to find tenants that would pay rent and be an amenity to the park."

The project is to be presented to the City Council next month with a projected opening set in July.

Brass Foundry had originally sought a brewery and taproom license and off-sale growler license for a 4,500-square-foot house close to U.S. Bank Stadium. But the location in Minnetonka ended up being a better fit, said John Kraus, the brewery's controller.

"It really fit our needs and we really like the spot," Kraus said.

The five-building business park, formerly called Baker Technology Plaza, was sold to an entity associated with Los Angeles-based private real estate investment firm Tryperion Partners for about $18.6 million last November. The park has gone through a rebrand and is in the process of being upgraded.

Improvements, which will start in the spring, include new outdoor gathering areas as well as enhanced tenant signage and entrance changes. An on-site bike sharing program is also in the works. A wellness concept is also being planned for the property.

Baker Tech has recently signed several tenants such as Veracity Technologies, Solus LED and surfacing company Surfacequest. There is about 60,000 square feet of available space at the park.

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