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EDC Minutes <br /> February 18, 2020 <br /> Page 2 of 8 <br /> ----------------------------- <br /> something that is a little more architecturally appealing since it will be visible from <br /> Highway 371. <br /> Commissioner Rieck stated that one thing that had come up in prior <br /> conversations is having larger plots of land where it would be some larger <br /> buildings because there is a lot of space still in Pequot Lakes' existing Business <br /> Park where we could sell a lot to those kind of businesses. She agreed with <br /> Commissioners Lelwica and Lubke about getting something in there that looks <br /> good. She suggested something more of a brick and mortar building rather than <br /> a warehouse. <br /> Chair Lindholm stated that there was a lot of talk about trying to get the breweries <br /> and the pedestrian traffic into downtown, not necessarily out on this new <br /> development. He stated that they have talked about a hotei going into the <br /> property but does it make sense for the hotel to be way down in the Heart of the <br /> Good Life Development or does it make sense to be close to the coffee shop, <br /> restaurants, and the City park where they want pedestrian traffic. He discussed <br /> getting into more commercial like doctor or dentist offices in that area. He said <br /> the conversation around four years ago about 20 acres of the southern tip would <br /> be used for recreational space. Chair Lindholm stated that there has been no <br /> decisions made and no votes from the Commission or from the City Council on <br /> what should go in there. He also discussed being flexible because if some <br /> employer comes to us and employs 120 people and wants 20 acres, we don't <br /> want to have to say no. <br /> Chair Lindholm discussed the current Business Park and the opportunity for <br /> current landowners to subdivide and increase infill. Mr. Grotzke stated since the <br /> City has already invested in the infrastructure in the existing Park you obviously <br /> want to utilize that first before you start spending large amounts of money on <br /> moving forward. <br /> Mr. Grotzke said that he is a part of Close Converse Commercial Property and it <br /> is based out of Brainerd but they go from St. Cloud north to Hibbing and then <br /> east and west from there. He said they do everything from land development all <br /> the way through to leasing small office spaces and business brokerage. He said <br /> that is their market and they have been involved in projects like this. <br /> He stated that it is an interesting time where businesses are changing, they are <br /> either growing or restructuring, getting bigger or smaller, and they need different <br /> space. He said they are seeing that in the past people were buying land and <br /> building to exactly what they wanted but now they are in a very cautious phase <br /> and have been for quite a few years. He stated the business community in the <br /> lakes area is not seeing as much new construction as we did in the past. He said <br /> what is happening instead is tenants are staying longer and trying to be cautious <br /> in their growth. <br /> Mr. Grotzke stated that inventories for sale and for lease are slowly coming <br /> down. He said it has been a tenants market for a long time but now landlords are <br />