We're keeping an eye on the headlines so you don't have to.

Below are projects, as well as noteworthy construction happenings and people of note, featured throughout the month of August in both Finance & Commerce and the Minneapolis / St Paul Business Journal.

NOTE: Post was formally named "Make the Most of These Featured Projects".

Minneapolis / St Paul Business Journal

North Loop Green Tower Hits Construction Milestone as Builders Top Off Structure
Finance & Commerce reports on a topping-off ceremony for the project's 35-story residential tower, meaning the last beam has been put in place. Construction on the tower, which includes 350 market-rate units and 100 short-terms rental units, is expected to finish next year. North Loop Green, which Hines began construction on two years ago, also includes an adjacent 14-story office building with 350,000-square-feet of space.

Sherman Associates buys St. Paul's Landmark Towers as part of plan to convert to apartments
Minneapolis-based developer Sherman Associates Inc. has purchased the Landmark Towers office building in downtown St. Paul as part of its plan to convert it into 187 apartments. The deal closed August 18 for $8.15 million, according to an electronic certificate of real estate value filing. It comes after the St. Paul City Council approved a #21 million tax increment financing plan to assist the conversion of the 213,000-square-foot office building.

Forest Service rejects Lutsen expansion to preserve tribal rights and natural resources
After nearly a decade of planning a $60 million skiing expansion into the Superior National Forest, Lutsen Mountain's owners have been told no by the U.S. Forest Service. According to a report from the Duluth News Tribune, Superior National Forest Supervisor Thomas Hall said he has decided to reject the permit because of the project's impact on natural resources and treaty rights concerns raised by Ojibwe bands. The Lutsen expansion concept has been in the works since 2014 to provide new and exciting terrain and increase amenities for skiers, as it already claims the title as Minnesota's largest downhill ski resort in Minnesota.

Mendota Heights racket club expands plans with more pickleball, padelball, squash courts
A pickleball, squash and padel club in Mendota Heights that had previously announced plans for indoor courts, now expects to get bigger --- and head outside, as well. Glenn Baron, a partner leading The Heights Racquet and Social Club, recently requested the city consider amending its zoning code to allow the facility to build outdoor courts to complement its existing plans for nine indoor courts. The Mendota Heights Planning Commission supported the amendment, which will soon go to the City Council. 

Construction of Tepetonka Club near Willmar inches closer following recent court ruling
The construction of the Tepetonka Club, a high-end golf course planned for a site about 10 miles north of Willmar, Minnesota, is closer to coming to fruition following a recent court decision. In April, a judge dismissed a lawsuit that aimed to block the sale of the 187 acres owned by Cedar Hills Century Farm Inc. to Tepetonka Club's management. In 2021, Dean Thorson sued his brother and sister --- as well as Cedar Hills Century Farm itself --- saying the $1.2 million price was too cheap at roughly $6,400 an acre. In the April ruling, the court found no basis to void the land sale, kicking off the next step of performing an environmental review for the proposed Kandiyohi County golf course, which was originally slated to open in May 2024.

Mortenson lands contract for $1.5 Athletics stadium in Las Vegas
M.A. Mortenson Co. has won the contract to build a new stadium for the Oakland Athletics in Las Vegas, the latest billion-dollar sports project for the Golden Valley-based construction firm. The A's, which plans to move to Nevada in the next few seasons, announced that Mortenson and Nevada construction company McCarthy would lead the project. The two companies previously collaborated on a $1.9 billion football stadium in Las Vegas for the NFL's Raiders, which also moved to Oakland.

City of Anoka buys 8-acre manufacturing site to enable redevelopment
The city of Anoka has taken possession of an 8-acre site with the goal of seeing it redeveloped. The city acquired the site, formerly a plastic injection modeling and tooling plant, for $9 million, according to an electronic certificate of real estate value filing made. The seller was listed as an entity associated with North Branch-based Frandsen Corp. The company operated the plant at the location until close it this year.

St Paul OKs TIF deal for Landmark Towers apartment conversion
St Paul's City Council approved a $21 million tax increment financing plan that will assist an office-to-apartments conversion of Landmark Towers, a 213,000-square-foot building in the city's downtown. 

Hollywood Theater reopens in Northeast Minneapolis after years-long renovation
The Hollywood Theater Northeast Minneapolis has reopened as an event space after decades of disuse and years of renovation under a new owner. Andrew Volna, who purchased the dilapidated theater from the city for $1 in 2015 --- acknowledging he paid too much --- recently announced the completion of remodeling.

Capital Partners' lands nVent as tenant for industrial development in Dayton
Industrial real estate firm Capital Partners has already fully leased one of its three speculative industrial developments under construction in the north and northwestern metro, with a 248,000-square-foot deal with electrical company nVent Electric. 

Roers Cos. proposes 152-unit apartment building in Minnetonka
Roers Cos. is proposing a new, 152-unit apartment building in Minnetonka. The Plymouth-based developer presented early plans for the redevelopment of a two-story office building to the Minnetonka Planning Commission. Early plans indicate that the development team plans to construct a six-story residential building at the 2.3-acre site at 1000 Parkers Lake Road, located near Interstate 494 and Highway 12. The office building is currently at the site would be removed, city documents say.

Dave's Hot Chicken, Hope Breakfast Bar to occupy proposed Maple Grove retail development
Maple Grove officials are considering a proposed development slated for Dave's Hot Chicken and Hope Breakfast Bar in the city's Shoppes at Arbor Lake retail district. Edina-based developer Launch Properties is proposing a 5,700-square-foot multi-tenant building on the far north side of the former AMC movie theater's parking lot in between Malone's Bar & Grill and Red Lobster at the southeast corner of Main Street and Elm Creek Boulevard, according to public documents submitted to the planning commission.

Wells Fargo building near Ridgedale Center could be replaced with restaurants, smaller branch
A proposed redevelopment of a Wells Fargo branch across from Ridgedale Center in Minnetonka would bring more shopping and dining options to the bustling retail corridor. One behalf of Wells Fargo, Florida-based developer OneCorp Global submitted a concept plan for the removal of an existing Wells Fargo building and the construction two new mixed-used buildings for a Wells Fargo branch, two restaurants and two retailers, according to public documents filed with the city.

Minnesota Vikings will get new turf at U.S. Bank Stadium
The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority plans to replace the playing surface at U.S. Bank Stadium next year for the second time since the Minnesota Vikings began playing there in 2016. Minnesota Public Radio has a report on the plans by the MSFA, which published a request for qualifications for contractors. No cost estimate for the project was included, though when the turf was last replaced in 2019, the cost of the field was estimated at about $1.5 million.

Finance and Commerce

Senior co-op being built in Mound
Adolfson & Peterson Construction has broken ground on Artessa Development's senior housing cooperative project in Mound. Artessa Mound Harbor will offer 52 "high-end senior co-op residencies" for people 62 and older, according to a press release. Indoor and outdoor amenities range from pickleball courts and fitness areas to firepits and grill stations.

Kraus-Anderson completes Ziegler Cat's new store in Dayton
Minneapolis-based Kraus-Anderson recently completed a 17,200-square-foot rental store for Ziegler Cat in Dayton. The new two-story building at 18171 Territorial Road, designed by CNH Architects, replaces the company's former store. 

Sherman buys St. Paul office building it plans to convert to apartments
Minneapolis-based Sherman Associates has paid $8.1 million for the Landmark Towers office building in downtown St. Paul, according to a certificate of real estate value. Sherman previously announced plans to convert the building at 345 St. Peter St. to apartments. The $92 million conversion will turn 211,000-square-feet of largely vacant commercial and office space into 187 market-rate rental units. Sherman said at the time that it hoped to begin construction this fall.

Milwaukee County family court renovation out for bid
Milwaukee County is getting ready to renovate the seventh floor of the county courthouse and improve the family courts for what officials and judges call life and safety issues. Milwaukee County Chief Judge Carl Ashley said the current design of the floor and emotional nature of divorce and custody cases makes a dangerous situation for staff and everyone who needs to use the court system.

VJS Construction raises roof for Milwaukee school expansion
Crews for VJS Construction Services literally raised the roof at Bruce Guadalupe Community School (BGCS) by adding a 12,000-square-foot third floor to the K4-8th grade charter school in Milwaukee. The additional floor will be used to create 12 classrooms for elementary school children and crews also worked downstairs on a cafeteria expansion in the existing school. The project first kicked off in April and is fueled by a $6 million fundraising campaign through United Community Center (UCC). which operates several charter schools.

Stage set for Golden Triangle rentals
Minneapolis-based Greco Properties is beginning site work on the first phase of a project that will bring 425 apartment units to 6901 Flying Cloud Drive in Eden Prairie's Golden Triangle. Two entities related to Greco and its development affiliate, Eagle Ridge Partners, executed a $4.74 million property transfer on August 16, setting the stage for work to begin on the $71 millions first phase. 

Construction Update: The Station at Malcolm Yards nears completion
With the ribbon freshly cut on their affordable housing project in Minneapolis' Prospect Park neighborhood, Lupe Development and Wall Cos are nearing completion of a companion market-rate building --- The Station at Malcolm Yard. The two projects bring a combined 353 new homes, a food hall and more to a former industrial site with roots going back to the 1880s.

Anoka buys manufacturing building that will likely be redeveloped
The city of Anoka is the new owner of a recently shuttered manufacturing building on a transit-oriented site that holds promise for future redevelopment. The city paid $9 million for the 175,650-square-foot building at 2939 Sixth Avenue, according to a certificate of real estate value make public. Lakeland Tool & Engineering of North Branch is the seller. 

Theodore Roosevelt presidential library under construction in North Dakota Badlands
Construction is underway for the Theodore Roosevelt presidential library planned in the Badlands of western North Dakota, where the 26th president hunted and ranched as a young man in the 1880s. The work began June 15 with removing topsoil for the project's cut-fill plan. Buildings are beginning construction on the library's east retaining wall, with an initial concrete pour completed.

Woman-owned contractor brings new life to home of nation's first Black fraternity in New York
US Ceiling Corp. for years has prioritized making a difference both through hiring practices and as a social impact contractor. Now, the Henrietta, New York-based company is embarking on a project in Ithaca that embodies the very essence of those standards.