A busy corner in Stadium Village could become the site of the city's next new tower. A pair of veteran Twin Cities developers have been quietly floating a plan to build what could be a 27-story tower with commercial/retail on the lower floors and housing above.

Sources say that Mark Bell and Tom Lund, co-founders of Harbor Bay Real Estate Advisors, have secured two buildings at the corner of Washington Avenue and Harvard Street near the East Bank Station along the Green Line light rail transit line. The early 1900s buildings now house a pair of restaurants, including the Village Wok.

The project would also include an adjacent parking lot that's owned by Grace University Lutheran Church, at 326 Harvard St. across the street from site. A letter to parishioners posted on the church website says developers have approached the church about acquiring the 37-space lot in exchange for 50 parking spaces in the parking garage in the new tower. Representatives from the church didn't return calls and e-mails, and the developers declined to discuss further details.

Bell and Lund have another big project in the pipeline, the duo is about to start developing a sprawling mixed-use project near the banks of Lake Superior in Duluth. Plans call for a 143-unit luxury apartment building on a 2.7-­acre site at London Road and 21st Avenue East.

The deal closed this week, and construction is expected to begin in June.

"We couldn't be more excited to be developing this project in Duluth," said Lund, a Harbor Bay partner and co-­founder. "We appreciate the tremendous collaboration and partnership with the city of Duluth whose staff expertise was critical in addressing the intricacies of such a large scale project."

The project was designed by DSGW Architects and will have studio, one-­bedroom, two-bedroom and two-bedroom plus den apartments. The project will also have 13,000 square feet of retail/commercial space facing London Road, 270 parking spaces and a large outdoor deck overlooking the lake. The fully landscaped deck will have its own outdoor kitchen and barbecues, seating areas, cabanas and fireplaces.

"This is one of the largest and most exciting residential projects to be built in Duluth," said John Erickson, partner at DSGW Architects. "It will fill a much-needed void in our market."

Jim Buchta