State briefs: Rochester's Destination projects moving forward

After two years of planning and dreaming, the city of Rochester took its first concrete steps last week in the "Destination Medical Center" remake of downtown with two projects: a new downtown tower and the purchase and reuse of a historic theater.

The $140 million, 23-story Broadway at Center tower will include office and retail space, a 264-room Hilton and 33 housing units. The city will contribute $14.43 million for land acquisition, skyway construction, infrastructure and a 450-space parking ramp.

The city also will pay $6 million for the Chateau Theater, a former vaudeville and movie house that was home to a Barnes & Noble bookstore until last year. The Mayo Clinic will help the city with a $500,000 contribution. The theater's future purpose has not been decided.

The projects were approved Thursday by the Destination Medical Center Corp. Board, an eight-member panel. The DMC initiative is backed by $585 million in public financing over 20 years.

Matt McKinney @_mattmckinney

Chester Creek's shoulders are about to get stronger.

The city of Duluth received a $515,000 grant from the state Department of Natural Resources for stream restoration, including seven spots on the creek's banks damaged after the 2012 floods eroded some of the clay soils there.

The restoration projects, each about the size of a small basketball court, will include adding vegetation, making ditch-like structures and bringing in boulders and other hardscape materials to slow drainage into the creek.

"It'll make, hopefully, a more resilient stream bank … less prone to washing out during the next flood," said Chris Kleist, utility operations coordinator for the city.

Another part of the grant will help restore a spot along Miller Creek near Lincoln Park. Kleist expects the work will begin this summer.

Pam Louwagie @pamlouwagie

Far from the contentious stadium debates of the Minnesota Legislature, a new multimillion-dollar stadium will break ground this summer. This time, it's Northland College in Ashland, Wis., building the stadium, and its construction comes thanks to a donation from alumnus Craig A. Ponzio, the chairman of the board of Albecca Inc., a designer, manufacturer and distributor of custom framing products.

The 1,000-seat soccer and lacrosse stadium will have an artificial turf field for a longer playing season. Construction should be completed by the end of the year, according to the college. Northland is a private, liberal arts college in northern Wisconsin.

Matt McKinney @_mattmckinney