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The city of Lindstrom has two developers proposing large apartment buildings, multiple floors-high on the same lake.  While one project, The Overlook, is stalled out mired in public controversy;  the other is moving along towards groundbreaking.  The city council plans to re-visit The Overlook in September (see other story)  but Rose Hill Senior Living community won a number of approvals from council last week advancing to “final plat” stage.

A couple of Rose Hill neighboring property owners made one last plea for reducing the structure height, but the flat rooftop shortening the 87-unit building was deemed architecturally unpleasant.  One neighbor told the city council not everybody impacted wants the flat roof. It may indeed chop a few feet off Rose Hill Senior Apartments but it looks “too commercial.”  

He added the neighborhood has been anxious to get access to city sewer and water and this project makes city services economically feasible at long last.

Brett Lee, however, told the council, that he feels this project has been “rushed” through the public review process.    He had hoped for more discussion at the planning stages.  For instance, he didn’t get to see the shadow simulation similar to what was provided for The Overlook, demonstrating the sun-blocking reach of the structure.  The building is being built into the hillside and the lake end will be some 50 feet tall, while at the north end towards the highway,  more like 39 feet.

Developer Greg Johnson told the city council last week Rose Hill has been in design phase for well over a year.  The property was acquired two years ago and he needs to get started.  The project is pursued by Hearth Development which lists Johnson as “chief manager.”  The firm is tied to several other senior communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin and the website states that Fairview Ebenezer contracts with the company for operations.

The development will also create a commercial parcel on Hwy. 8 at Lehigh Avenue of 18,000 square feet.

~ Parking spaces remain flexible for this development considering there is an extra empty lot on which to provide for overflow. The city agreed to review the parking situation at the end of the first 12 months of Rose Hill being in use.  

There are 42 spots above ground and 35 under the building.  Because there are 58 full service assisted living/memory care  units in the building the regular city parking standards may not be realistic, as some residents won’t bring vehicles.

~ The developer is now proposing a dock for building residents, with “a few” boat spaces.  This is a new item and he was reminded no commercial use will be tolerated.  

~ The retaining wall facing the lake will be two four-foot walls seperated by greenspace between, instead of the single tall wall.

~ Johnson assured council and neighbors that food service and other delivery/vendors will use delivery trucks scaled in size to the street space available.  Neighbors had concerns the tight street (downsized from 66 to 50 feet wide) will result in trucks using private driveways.

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