St. Cloud's Economic Development Authority could finally settle on a developer Wednesday for the long-vacant 3.27-acre lot sitting between City Hall and Lake George, choosing between a straightforward apartment proposal and a more ambitious mixed-use concept that still lacks a commercial tenant. The board could also decide to restart its search altogether rather than pick either applicant.
Two Competing Visions for the Same Lot
The site at 1201 7th Street South has sat empty since 2023, when the city tore down two wings of the former Tech High School, according to KNSI. The EDA tabled a decision on a preferred developer during an October meeting, opting instead to invite both applicants back for more questions. St. Cloud-area firm Torborg Builders has proposed two market-rate apartment buildings with more than 110 units and underground parking, and the station reports the company's proposal does not mention any public assistance. Minneapolis-based Doyenne Development, meanwhile, is pitching 71 homes alongside a restaurant and entertainment building overlooking the lake, though it has not yet lined up a commercial tenant and says its project would need city help such as tax increment financing.
City staff reviewed both responses and interviewed each developer ahead of the vote, per a report from MIX 94.9. Economic Development Director Cathy Mehelich said board members wanted to hear directly from both companies about their plans, their experience and any financial help they'd expect from the city before making a call, the same account notes.
What a Selection Would Actually Mean
Picking a developer this week wouldn't lock in a final design. Instead, the EDA's choice would go to the mayor's office as a recommendation to sign a letter of intent, giving the city and that developer six months of exclusive talks to shape a plan and see whether the numbers work, KNSI reports. The lot would still need to be rezoned before any construction could begin.
Mehelich has said the city's vision for the site has long leaned residential, and that the commercial piece — restaurants, entertainment, retail — would take more work to pin down. Notably, the corner near Division Street is excluded from whichever deal moves forward; the city has already approved a Gate City Bank there, separate from the broader redevelopment.
A Housing Study Points to the Lot's Potential
Behind the decision sits a downtown rental housing study that ranked the north City Hall lot among the city's top redevelopment priorities. The study identified demand for market-rate apartments as well as affordable and market-rate active-adult rentals, and found that well over 500 to 600 units of demand could be captured by downtown locations, according to KNSI's earlier reporting. The consultant suggested the former Tech High School property in particular could suit market-rate active-adult housing, and WJON reports the study found the site has the greatest appeal for active-adult rentals aimed at residents 55 and older.
That downtown-specific analysis builds on a broader citywide picture. The City of St. Cloud commissioned Maxfield Research and Consulting LLC to update its housing needs assessment, which estimated demand for 9,797 rental housing units over a 15-year span, split roughly between 3,123 units from 2023 to 2030 and 6,674 units from 2030 to 2040. Altogether, the assessment projected 17,027 units of housing demand across all housing types over 15 years. The Ticket describes this as part of the city's 2024 Comprehensive Housing Needs Analysis, which projects significant housing demand through 2040.
Decision Time, With a Reset Still on the Table
Wednesday's meeting gives the EDA three paths: back Torborg's no-subsidy apartment plan, back Doyenne's lakeside mixed-use concept that still needs public financing and a tenant, or decide neither fits and restart the search for a developer entirely. Whatever the board chooses, the clock on rezoning and detailed design work hasn't even started yet — the letter of intent would only open six months of negotiation to see if a deal actually pencils out.
