Demolition begins face-lift in Oakdale

A problem property in Oakdale -- Blackie's Eatery & Saloon -- is about to be razed, the first step in a planned face-lift for a blighted area that city leaders hope will become a magnet for redevelopment.

"This is kicking off the rebirth of the Tanners Lake Area," city administrator Craig Waldron said of the upcoming demolition party on Monday.

Like many aging suburbs, Oakdale is fighting to keep declining properties from turning into blight and destroying property values.

"Our main goal is to keep redevelopment going on the properties," Mayor Carmen Sarrack said. "In the suburbs, you hit a point in development, and if you don't start redeveloping, you start going down."

The actual demolition of Blackie's won't be completed until November, city leaders said. Monday's event is purely symbolic.

Souvenir bricks will be handed out, and the City Council will either pull down a sign or knock down a pile of bricks. The public is invited to the 4 p.m. ceremony, and several state legislators are expected to attend.

The Tanners Lake area, on Geneva Avenue near Interstate 94 and across the street from the main 3M campus, is made up of three buildings: Blackie's Eatery & Saloon, Harmon Auto Glass and the old Toby's on the Lake Restaurant.

Earlier this year, the city bought Blackie's with the intent to raze it. "In the last five to seven years, it became a problem site for us," Sarrack said, adding that there have been numerous police calls to the site, some involving shootings. "It was becoming a very volatile area."

As a result, neighboring businesses have struggled.

Waldron said the Tanners Lake commercial area should be one of Oakdale's gems, considering that it abuts a glistening lake and is one of the city's gateways.

Added Sarrack: "It's sort of the first thing you see as you're coming from Wisconsin or going out of the Cities."

At one time, the Tanners Lake area was booming. In fact, it was one of Oakdale's premier hot spots, Sarrack recalled.

"We're wide open," Waldron said. "We wanted to see some sort of mixed-use that takes advantage of the lake. We know it's a tough market so we'll work with folks."

As for Oakdale Mall, a private developer has entered into a tentative purchase agreement with mall owners, Waldron said. He declined to name the developer.

Sarrack said that demolition costs for Blackie's and the other buildings in the Tanners Lake commercial area will be part of the deal the city will make with a developer when they resell the property. In the end, it won't cost the city anything, Sarrack said.