Two hot restaurant chains to locate in Bloomington

"Fast-casual" seems to be the big buzzword in chain restaurants these days.

Two retail properties being developed by United Properties in Bloomington will include Moe's Southwest Grill, featuring made-to-order burritos, salads and quesadillas, and Wich Wich, offering customized sandwiches. Both will open in August.

The development, called Penn & American, is a multi-phase, retail, residential project at the intersection of Penn Avenue and American Boulevard in the southern suburb.

The restaurants are part of the first phase of the redevelopment, which includes two retail buildings developed by United Properties and 234 apartments and townhomes developed by StuartCo. Both firms are based in Bloomington.

Moe's will open a 2,600-square-foot restaurant at the site, its first location in Minnesota for the Atlanta-based chain. Ultimately, Moe's will open five new restaurants in the Twin Cities area over the next three years.

Wich Wich, based in Dallas, will open an 1,800-square-foot restaurant at the site, its fourth to date in the Twin Cities metro.

Meanwhile, StuartCo. continues to develop the Genesee Apartments & Townhomes development, which includes 212 apartments and 22 townhomes, plus a rooftop deck, fitness center, outdoor pool and a movie theater.

The Penn & American project includes a new intersection at 81st Street and a surface road, and new parking. The site permits future redevelopment in smaller phases, the next phase will include additional retail, hotel or office space, according to United Properties, which spent more than five years planning the development on two former car dealership lots.