Business development for former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant finally gets green light

After a decade long dispute between stakeholders and millions spent in cleanup, the old Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant is set to once again be home to bustling businesses.

Earlier this week, the Joint Development Authority Board of Ramsey County and Arden Hills unanimously approved a final development agreement for part of the property. And on Wednesday, the board was scheduled to meet to discuss plans for another portion of Rice Creek Commons, a 427-acre parcel of the vast former plant site.

“I’m very excited to see something finally happening there,” said Tom Lemke, who lives near the northern edge of the former ammunition plant site, during a Monday meeting. “We’ve been residents here for 40 years and watched and waited anxiously for something to happen.”

Located alongside Interstate 35W in Arden Hills, Rice Creek Commons is planned to feature a mix of residential and commercial spaces surrounding a town center.

The plans for a 10-acre part of what’s called “Outlot A” include commercial facilities, with the potential to feature a corporate headquarters, life science campus, manufacturing site and other commercial uses as part of the full Outlot A.

Last week, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved an amended sale agreement with Minneapolis development firm Ryan Companies for the $9.2 million purchase of the 40-acre Outlot A parcel.

On Monday, Ryan Cos. received approval to proceed with the construction of a 157,000-square-foot advanced technology facility within Outlot A. The facility is planned to feature sustainable designs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 65%.

Additional plans for Outlot A include a build-to-suit property customized for multiple tenants that can accommodate 400,000 to 600,000 total square feet, as well as the incorporation of green space and outdoor gathering spaces.

Groundbreaking on the first phase of the development is anticipated by late April.

On Wednesday, the advisory committee for the Joint Development Authority Board was supposed to meet with Minneapolis-based real estate developer Alatus to discuss a preliminary development agreement for “Outlot C,” also referred to as the “California Parcel.” The meeting was not open to the public.

In 1941, the federal government established what was then called the Twin Cities Ordnance Plant to produce small arms ammunition during World War II. After the war, the plant was renamed the Twin Cities Arsenal in 1946, and later the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant in 1963. It resumed operations during the Korean and Vietnam Wars before ceasing ammunition production in 1976.

By 1983, the Environmental Protection Agency determined toxic chemicals had contaminated the fresh water supply and declared the Twin Cities Ammunition Plant a federal Superfund site. The Army became legally responsible for cleanup of the site under EPA supervision a few years later.

A year later, Ramsey County purchased Rice Creek Commons from the federal government for a sale price of $28 million, with the cleanup, which was completed in 2015, accounting for over 80% of the cost.

The county and the city over the years have had a host of disagreements over key development aspects of the project, with Arden Hills voting against a master development agreement summary in 2018 and the county later filing a lawsuit to dissolve the joint powers agreement.

Amid the legal debate, progress on the Rice Creek Commons development stalled. It wasn’t until renewed negotiations in 2023 and early 2024, that Ramsey County and Arden Hills have been able to reach an agreement.

​​Community response to the Rice Creek Commons redevelopment has been a mix of anticipation and continued concern over local impacts — especially related to infrastructure and traffic.

During Monday’s meeting, Lemke, of Shoreview, voiced both excitement and worry about how increased truck traffic associated with the development could affect residential access and road conditions.