Portion of Rice Creek Commons sold to Ryan Cos.
The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on January 16 to approve a $12.7 million purchase and sale agreement with Ryan Companies for a 40-acre parcel adjacent to Rice Creek Commons in Arden Hills, formerly the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP).
Ryan plans to offer build-to-suit property that can accommodate 400,000 to 600,000 total square feet. Development possibilities include a corporate campus, a research and development center, life science offices or manufacturing and distribution facilities alongside on-site retail and restaurant space.
Located alongside Interstate 35W, the parcel offers convenient visibility and access to both downtown Saint Paul and Minneapolis and will connect to the Rice Creek North Regional Trail for bicycle and pedestrian access. Ryan also expects to incorporate green space and outdoor gathering areas throughout the development to align with the vision for Rice Creek Commons, which prioritizes clean energy, carbon neutrality and climate resiliency.
The agreement between Ramsey County and Ryan includes a due diligence period of up to 15 months.
Purchased in 2013, the TCAAP site is a 427-acre parcel Ramsey County obtained from the U.S. government to clean up and redevelop as a nation-leading, climate-forward and equitable community with homes, businesses and retail. The site was renamed Rice Creek Commons in 2014.
Since then, the site was cleaned to residential standards, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency have removed the site’s soil and surface water from the state and federal Superfund lists. The U.S. Army will continue to operate the existing groundwater cleanup system as needed.
The total future development value of Rice Creek Commons is estimated at $1 billion.
Learn more at ramseycounty.us/rice-creek-commons.
