North/east metro briefs: 'Energy' heralded in new Woodbury businesses, buildings

'Energy' heralded in new businesses, buildings

Nineteen new Woodbury commercial buildings and 69 businesses were feted for "economic growth and energy" in 2015 at a recent Woodbury Business Celebration.

The event was attended by 130 people. Among the statistics unveiled:

• 19 new commercial buildings, totaling 454,000 square feet;

• Two new senior living campuses;

• 69 new businesses;

• 133 new members of the Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce.

That took the form of a new elementary school for District 834 at 11099 Brookview Road, $15 million; an entrance addition and remodeling at Red Rock Elementary, 3311 Commonwealth Dr., $890,000; and an entrance addition and remodeling at Liberty Ridge Elementary, 11395 Eagle View Blvd., $890,000.

David Peterson

Officials have selected Cottage Grove Elementary School for a pilot study in the "Safe Routes to School" program.

The school is near several neighborhoods that have school-age children but also contain barriers to walking and biking, such as busy roadways to cross and a lack of trails and sidewalks to the school, said Washington County Engineer Wayne Sandberg.

The county will work with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to create an engineering analysis to complement the "Safe Routes to School" plans. MnDOT will fund the study, which Sandberg said would cost no more than $50,000.

Kevin Giles

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is drawing up a mailing list for updates on a big freeway project that's set for next year in the northeast metro area.

The area involved is Interstates 35, 35W and 35E between Lino Lakes and Forest Lake.

Crews plan to resurface 6 miles of I-35 from just south of the I-35 split to about a half-mile north of Hwy. 8 at the Chisago/Washington county line.

They'll also remove and replace the Hwys. 8 and 97 bridges over I-35, and the I-35W bridge over I-35E.

DAVID PETERSON

Roseville will help residents protect against identity theft by offering to shred documents for free on May 21.

The city is partnering with Business Data Record Services to offer the service. Crews will help unload documents and put them in a secured cart, then the paper will be shredded on site and recycled.

Officials say it's wise to shred receipts, bank statements and documents with credit card numbers, account numbers, birth dates, signatures, passwords, PINs or Social Security numbers.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to noon at City Hall, 2660 Civic Center Dr.

DAVID PETERSON

Coon Rapids will host its third annual Home Remodeling Tour from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 15.. The tour gives residents a behind-the-scenes peek at six homes remodeled through the Home for Generations II Program.

The program, designed by the City Council and city officials to rejuvenate the suburb's aging housing stock, offers grant money and resources to homeowners to complete large home remodeling projects valued at $35,000 or more.

This year's tour includes six homes that have undergone kitchen, bathroom and lower-level remodels as well as additions. The featured homes:

• 8855 Quince St. NW., remodeled kitchen with upgrades;

• 3770 Mississippi Dr., remodeled kitchen and bathroom;

• 13020 Crooked Lake Blvd., complete home remodel;

• 1938 127th Circle NW., remodeled lower level;

• 12257 Larch Circle NW., room addition on back.