Kandiyohi SWCD pauses Uptown Willmar parking lot feasibility study

Jennifer Kotila, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·3 min read

Aug. 4—WILLMAR

— The

Kandiyohi County Soil and Water Conservation District

has paused its contract with

Barr Engineering

to complete a feasibility study for stormwater projects in and around the

Uptown Willmar

mall.

The

West Central Tribune previously reported

that RockStep Capital, which owns Uptown Willmar, was working with the Kandiyohi SWCD and Barr Engineering to complete a feasibility study by the end of July, which would have been used to apply this month for up to $1.5 million in competitive grants to help fund projects to reconstruct the mall parking lot and make improvements to capture and filter stormwater before it hits downstream rivers and lakes.

RockStep Capital is currently unable to commit its portion of the funding required to apply for the grants.

The Soil and Water Conservation District Board discussed the matter at its regular meeting June 13, according to District Manager Margaret Johnson.

The board "agreed to put the engineers on hold, yet the engineering agreement remains in place," Johnson wrote in an email to the West Central Tribune.

She also noted that the Soil and Water Conservation District's mission is to carry out conservation programs for soil and water resources — its charter does not involve persuasion of development or redevelopment of any property within its jurisdiction.

The improvements being contemplated at the Uptown Willmar mall would add green space and features — such as rain gardens — that would help to capture stormwater runoff and filter out pollutants before the stormwater enters waterways downstream, one of which is the impaired South Fork of the Crow River.

Stormwater and parking lot improvements would cost millions and would likely be done in phases as funding becomes available.

Currently, the Willmar Ten Investors have a proposal to the city to purchase the JCPenney building and renovate it for a new combined community center and city hall.

Willmar Ten has an agreement with RockStep for right of first refusal for the building, and the investment group is waiting for the

Willmar City Council

to make a decision on whether or not that is the location it wants for a new city hall and community center. A decision regarding the JCPenney building location is expected to be made at the Monday, Aug. 7, meeting of the City Council.

Andy Weiner, president of RockStep Capital, pledged $500,000 of any proceeds from the sale of the JCPenney building to go toward improvements to the parking lot.

The West Central Tribune reached out to Weiner to inquire if the $500,000 he pledged to put toward parking lot improvements was only if the city purchases the JCPenney building or if the building sold in general. He did not respond by the deadline for this story.

Uptown General Manager Tim Jackson said that he assumes that RockStep would use $500,000 of the sale of either the JCPenney building or the Herberger's building to fund parking lot improvements — whether it be the city or another entity — but he could not say for sure.

For Soil and Water Conservation District and state grant monies to be spent, according to Johnson, the system requires the landowner's intent to implement, and any deviation from that would necessitate a pause in work.

"This is not uncommon in our line of work," she said.

The minutes from the

June 13 Kandiyohi SWCD Board meeting

state that Johnson "met with stakeholders on stormwater projects in and around Uptown Willmar — landowners are not interested in implementing unless the city of Willmar moves to the site; we will pause engineering with (Barr Engineering) so the city can decide on a property location."

The Kandiyohi Soil and Water Conservation District Board will next meet Aug. 15.