Art on the Lake 2008 - Excelsior

The 28th Annual Art on the Lake will be held this weekend, June 7 and 8, at the Excelsior Commons. Come and enjoy the art, the food, the kids activities, and the people.

http://www.excelsiorartonthelake.com/index.html

Excelsior Pavillion Meeting

The meeting to hear resident input on the Excelsior Pavilion is fast approaching. It will be this Wednesday, April 16, at 7pm. The meeting will be held at the Excelsior Elementary School.

Reports will be given by each city Commission who studied the issue, and then public comments will be taken.

If you have a feeling either way regarding the Pavilion proposal that you would like expressed, the 16th would be the time to do it.

Public Meeting on Commons / Port Development

The public meeting to discuss development at the Port of Excelsior is scheduled for April 16, from 7pm - 10pm at Excelsior Elementary School. The venue was secured because of the expected high public turnout. The city requests that any resident wishing to make a presentation contact them in advance so they can plan the time effectively.

Excelsior Commissions study lakefront development proposal

All four Excelsior commissions -- Planning, Heritage Preservation, Finance, and Park and Recreation -- have studied and entertained opinions on the proposal to development the lakefront plot at the edge of the Commons.

We are interested in eyewitness accounts from anyone who attended: Were the meetings well attended? What was the tone? Was a strong case made either way?

Report: Excelsior Planning Commission Hears Pavillion Proposal

The Lakeshore Weekly News did a recap on last week's Excelsior Planning Commission meeting where they heard about the Pavillion proposal.

http://www.weeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=4268

Excelsior Redevelopment Part 2

The Sun Sailor's coverage of the proposal to develop the southern edge of the Commons as well as an adjacent downtown block provides more information and a balanced perspective on the topic. It can be found at:

http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2007/12/13/news/ex13monson.txt

Figuring the value of a prime, downtown, Lake Minnetonka lot is still the big question, and I maintain that that corner of the Commons is hardly a brown lot in need of revitalization. One the other hand, converting a city-owned parcel to a piece of tax-generating property would help Excelsior's finances, and expanding parking through private development and without taxing residents is the only fair way to do it.

Thoughts? Comments?

What is Excelsior lake frontage worth?

An article in the Lakeshore Weekly News outlines how the Excelsior City Council recently heard a proposal to allow for development of a lakeshore area on a small chunk of what is now the Commons / Port area. Under the proposal, the land would be provided to the developer in exchange for building a 2-story parking ramp somewhere in downtown, but it is unclear as to if that would be in what is now the East or West Lot.

http://www.weeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=4018

The developer is The Landschute Group, who has also been involved in the Wyer-Hill project and 200 Water Street, among others. There is no doubt that both of those projects were well-done, tasteful projects that blend very well with the city of Excelsior. Quality of the developer's work is not an issue -- we think Landschute's work speaks for itself.

The real issues here are the land use question, and the land swap deal. It is one thing to take a burned down hardware store and make it into a timeless corner building, complete with an authentic and unique venue like Jake O'Connor's. A piece of lakefront property at The Commons, however, isn't exactly a brown lot yearning for redevelopment. It is a part of Excelsior which is currently enjoyed for views, walks, or merely to add to size of the Commons' greenspace, the South Lake's gem.

To be sure, this space isn't perfect. It is the home to trash collection bins for the charter boats and doesn't have the shoreline conducive to bluegill fishing or rock skipping like the rest of the Commons. But it is prime Lake Minnetonka frontage.

It seems that the fundamental questions on this topic are the following, in order of priority:

1. What is the best use of that lakefront lot for the residents of Excelsior? (i.e. what makes the town a more livable place -- the existing greenspace and views, more restaurants and retail, or something else?)
2. Would the proposed development accomodate the answer to question #1?
3. What is the best use of that lakefront lot for the health of downtown?
4. What is the value of a lakefront, downtown lot adjacent to a Commons area, and would this deal provide at least fair value in both the near-term and longer-term?
5. Would the benefits from this project cover the direct and indirect future costs -- future policing, parking, etc? Would this project encourage or inhibit additional commercial and residential projects in that immediate area?

The developer is quoted as saying "The city has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to comprehensively plan the crucial block of Excelsior." He is right. But the residents also need to decide if the real once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is having a large piece of Lake Minnetonka lakefront undeveloped and accessible by all.

I haven't formed an opinion on this yet - I'm just examining the issue. It is a complex question with upsides and downsides and assumptions and permanent ramifications. Aldo Leopold had a quote that I keep coming back to, and I paraphrase: "Examine each question based on what is ethically and aesthetically right, in addition to what is economically expedient.”