Slow, not stopped

Pioneer Press Sat, 17 May 2008 02:15:28 -0600
New Brighton Northwest Quadrant / Four homebuilders to pitch plans for New Brighton

Despite a sluggish housing market, four developers have lined up to build homes in New Brighton. The city requested proposals about two months ago from companies interested in building in the Northwest Quadrant â€" 100 acres of former commercial and industrial land near Interstates 694 and 35W that the city has spent millions cleaning up. K. Hovnanian Homes, Ryland Homes, Stuart Management Corp. and Sherman Associates Inc. recently came forward, said City Administrator Dean Lotter. City officials hope the selection of a developer â€" which could happen as early as May 27 â€" will build momentum for future Northwest Quadrant development. It's a bright spot after a slew of problems, including the pull-out of the project's lead housing developer last fall and environmental issues on the land. "This one area being developed won't be the antidote for the overall challenges that face the project, but it will be a great step forward," Lotter said. In October, Rottlund Homes pulled out, citing the city's failure to adhere to contract terms. The city sued, saying Rottlund was in breach of contract. The parties settled this week, and the city agreed to return $950,000 of the builder's $1 million advance deposit.

[[keywords: LandUse;Housing;Metro;]]