Minneapolis-based Ryan Companies US Inc. is already working on an outsized urban redevelopment project: the 122-acre site of the former Ford Motor Co. manufacturing plant in the Highland Park area of St. Paul. Ryan closed on the $61 million acquisition of the Ford site in December.
But now Ryan is tackling another hefty parcel of land: a 100-acre site in Maple Grove where it plans to develop a “Healthy Village” including apartments, senior housing, as well as office and medical office space.
On Monday evening the Maple Grove Planning Commission voted 6-0 in favor of sending the plan to the city council. A city staff report to the planning commission noted, “The existing site consists of primarily rolling farm land.” Ryan has secured the development rights to the property.
Ryan has previously developed several projects near the 100-acre site including The Grove Retail Village as well as several medical office buildings. The concept plan outlines a vision of 400 apartments and 150 senior housing units on the site. It also calls for 458,000 square feet of office space and about 302,000 square feet of medical office space. It also lists roughly 340,000 square feet of medical/health care space which could include an expansion of the adjacent Maple Grove Hospital. Ryan is partnering with North Memorial Health, which operates the hospital, on the “Healthy Village” concept. “North Memorial Health is excited about the opportunity this land and partnership with Ryan brings,” said Andy Cochrane, CEO of Maple Grove Hospital, in a statement. “Having the flexibility to evaluate expansion in our growing market and improve access to care for the community is something we look forward to in our next chapter.”
Given the scale of the site and the long timeframe required to develop different project phases, elements and specifics of the concept plan are likely to be adjusted over time. The first projects are expected to break ground in fall of this year or in the spring of 2021.