Ramsey County and the city of Arden Hills announced Monday they are seeking developer interest in a parcel within Rice Creek Commons for commercial use.
The 40-acre lot, located along Interstate 35W, is part of the 427-acre site in Arden Hills purchased by Ramsey County in 2013 for housing, retail and business. The project at the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant has faced years of delays due to conflicts between the city, the county and developer Alatus over infrastructure costs and housing density on the southern portion of the site.
The city and county are soliciting interest from potential developers for the next three months, according to Ramsey County Director of Community and Economic Development Kari Collins during a press briefing Monday. She said she hopes for the county board of commissioners to vote on the purchase of the land by the end of this year.
The lot is planned for office-style use, which could include a corporate campus, medical office, financial institution or hotels, said Arden Hills city administrator Dave Perrault during the press conference.
“It’s really a blank slate to look at future development,” Perrault said. “As long as the use fits with the zoning regulations, we’re going to take all proposals as they come in.”
Perrault said the city and the county are “working on some type of agreement” with Alatus about developing the southern portion of the site. He noted no progress since summer 2022, when the Ramsey County board rejected a term sheet agreement between Arden Hills and Alatus to install 1,460 housing units on the land.
