Brooklyn Center
Bringing Shingle Creek back to light
A portion of the waterway that's been underground for half a century will resurface as a new development takes shape at the old Brookdale Mall site in Brooklyn Center.
EMMA CAREW GROVUM - Star Tribune
December 6, 2011
After running underground for the past 50 years, a stretch of Shingle Creek will soon flow above ground again as part of the redevelopment of the old Brookdale mall site in Brooklyn Center.
The new retail development, called Shingle Creek Crossing, will be anchored by a new Wal-Mart site, where construction is set to begin soon.
The property was acquired by Nashville-based Gatlin Development last year, and "daylighting" Shingle Creek became a part of the plan early on, said Tim Benetti, Brooklyn Center city planner.
The creek currently runs underground in box culverts on a path that bisects the property.
The new plan calls for the creek to be daylighted and rerouted to run alongside two possible future restaurant sites on the property. The creek will go back underground at Hwy. 100 and eventually emerge in a holding pond at the golf course across the street.
Some of the box culverts will remain in place underground to catch overflow, should the creek's levels rise, said Luke Payne, an engineer with Kimle Horne and Associates.
Gatlin will cover the costs of the daylighting as part of the first phase of redeveloping the site. Rich Kauffman, senior project manager at Gatlin, estimated the cost of the daylighting at between $1.5 million and $2 million.
In addition to physically bringing the water flow above ground, the work has included maintenance to the holding pond at the north end of the site, such as adding veneers on the walls to give it a block pattern, and building bridges that will allow pedestrians to walk along either side of the creek.
The vision, said Benetti, is to create a "babbling brook" running alongside the two anticipated restaurants, both of which could build outdoor patios.
City sees opportunity
Benetti said he thinks the old indoor mall model is fading and more outdoor retail centers like Shingle Creek Crossing will rise.
The redevelopment is a big opportunity for the city, he said. Other cities have seen large redevelopment properties sit vacant, unable to find a buyer, through the economy's downturn.
In all, Gatlin is expected to pump about $100 million into the redevelopment over the next three to five years.
The Wal-Mart site could be open as early as next fall, Benetti said. The daylighting was included in the first phase of the site plan so that it could be worked on before other buildings started going up.
Benetti said the future finished site will be a "tax base windfall," for the city, and hopes it will inspire future redevelopment at the adjacent empty Brookdale Ford site.
"We're hoping this will bring a new breath of fresh air to the area," he said.
About Gatlin Development Co.
Gatlin Development Co., Inc. is a real estate investment corporation specializing in retail shopping center development, management and renovation. The ever-expanding vision of CEO Frank Gatlin continues to widen the company’s investment focus while consistently providing maximized returns to investors, financial opportunities to retailers both large and small, and growth and revitalization to communities and local businesses facing challenging economic times. With headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and branch offices in San Diego, Calif. and Nashville, Tenn., Gatlin is well positioned and eager to pursue investment opportunities nationwide. For more information, please visit www.gatlindc.com or call (954) 302-5900.
Media Contacts:
Marina Buckalew
Gatlin Development Company
(954) 302-5900
mbuckalew@gatlindc.com