North/East metro news briefs: Major work on I-35W, I-694 to continue in 2018

The run of major highway construction that has both benefited and afflicted the northeast metro area in recent years will extend into 2018.

Next year's projects, according to officials with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, include the addition of a MnPass lane in each direction on Interstate 35W from Hwy. 36 in Roseville to north of Sunset Avenue in Lino Lakes.

Another big project for 2018-19 involves the creation of a two-lane exit from 35W onto Hwy. 10 to "eliminate more than three hours of daily congestion," said Mark Lindeberg, north area engineer for MnDOT.

Lindeberg laid out the projects for those attending recent State of the City events in Arden Hills.

MnDOT this fall is completing an I-694 project that will add a third eastbound lane, as well as a second lane connecting eastbound Hwy. 10 to 694. A third westbound lane was added in 2016.

Work also will include spot improvements, concrete repairs and noise walls.

For more information, go to mndot.gov/metro/projects/i35wroseville or www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/hwy10ardenhills/index.html.

David Peterson

A City Council member's move to Canada has set the stage for a special election next spring in Ramsey.

Council Member Kristine Williams announced her intent to resign at a meeting late last month and then submitted her formal resignation, according to City Clerk Jo Thieling. Ramsey city leaders accepted her resignation and declared the council seat open at their Oct. 10 meeting.

The city charter dictates that a special election be held for Williams' seat. The candidate filing period will be open from Nov. 21 to Dec. 5, Thieling said. If three or more candidates enter the race, a primary election will be held Feb. 13, with the special election planned for April 10.

Williams was elected in November 2014. Her term runs through the end of 2018.

HANNAH COVINGTON

The golf course at the new Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo won't open until spring, but the clubhouse reopened recently after a $5 million renovation that features a new restaurant named Arnie's.

Construction will soon begin on 78 high-end houses and villas on the land, the first of an eventual 292, said Hollis Cavner, the Florida golf promoter who bought 3M's 477-acre Tartan Park property in early 2016. The private investment, he said, could reach $60 million.

The Royal's golf course, with the front-nine "Queen" designed by pro golfer Annika Sorenstam and the back-nine "King" designed by the late Arnold Palmer, is built and ready to go for spring play. A decision was made to delay golfing to allow the grass to mature.

"I think it will be the best public golf course in the metro by far," Cavner said.

To compensate for old Tartan ball fields lost to housing construction, Cavner donated $1 million to the city to develop fields elsewhere. He said that the development, south of Lake Elmo's downtown, will fuel millions of dollars in city revenue from fees and taxes and employ more than 100 people, about 60 full-time.

The Royal's unveiling comes at a time of red-hot housing construction in Lake Elmo. The city now is seeing 200 to 250 new houses a year, said Mayor Mike Pearson, who cited the Royal development as a significant contributor to the city's financial well-being.

Kevin Giles

Construction has begun on the first phase of a senior living center near Long Lake, on Stillwater's west side.

The Lodge will be a 139-unit independent living, assisted living and memory care community. It will be followed by Birchwood Landing, which will feature 30 independent living single-story two-bedroom villas, and Sandhill Shores, which will have 70 one- and two-bedroom apartments for residents 55 and older.

The overall 50-acre campus at 107 Bridgewater Way, called The Lakes of Stillwater, is owned by Intergenerational Living & Health Care, Inc., of Chaska.

The Goodman Group of Chaska will manage the property. "We are inspired by the beauty of this Stillwater nature sanctuary offering rolling hills, streams, northwood forests, wildlife and gorgeous lake views," said CEO Craig Edinger.

Amenities will include several dining rooms, a well-being center, salon spa, fireside bar lounge, outdoor amphitheater, a reflections room, movie theater and a Rock Steady Boxing affiliate program open to residents and nonresidents diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Kevin Giles