New Brighton: Space for rent, close to municipal services

The city of New Brighton is looking for some new neighbors.

For the past 18 months or so, the city has been trying to lease the City Hall's lower level, vacated by the police department in 2003. The space has been empty since the departure of agricultural-products maker Hydro Pro, which used it as a satellite research facility for about a year.

It's a large space, with parking, but not very visible, a reason New Brighton City Manager Dean Lotter believes it hasn't been snatched up yet. Still, he'd like to see it rented. And, Lotter added, he's willing to speak with a potential renter about adding signage inside and outside City Hall.

"It hasn't been a large source of revenue, but it certainly makes sense if we have the space available and we're not using it," Lotter said. "We could certainly supplement one budget or another with that lease, dedicate those dollars, say, for maintenance of the whole building."

It's not unheard-of for a city to rent municipal space, but it may appear more unusual in a larger city such as New Brighton, where the city hall is more visible. Renting out space clearly is within the rights of a city, said Edward Cadman, an attorney with the League of Minnesota Cities, but he recommended that cities have clear policies to guide them.

"They want to be able to turn down people, and they don't want to be seen as favoring some parties over others," he said. "You have to be mindful of this. It's no different from deciding to let Girl Scouts collect donations at City Hall. You just want to have something in place that's reasonable, that's fair-minded, something that will stand the test of any sort of challenge that comes along."

At this point, Lott said, the city is looking for a tenant that fits with the location's commercial/office zoning, but that also would be compatible with the business going on upstairs. A professional legal or financial service office, with constant light traffic would be ideal. A noisy child care center with intense bursts of traffic morning and afternoon, not so much.

The 4,500-square-foot space includes several finished offices, and additional space that the city will remodel to suit a potential renter. The space last rented out at $1,300 monthly for not quite half the space, Lotter said. The whole parcel would go for $2,500-$3,500 a month, depending on how much renovation is needed. Unless a new tenant is a heavy water-user, Lotter said, he would like to wrap utilities into a lease agreement.

For information and contact information, go to www.ci.new- brighton.mn.us.

Maria Elena Baca • 612-673-4409