Construction of a beautification project along Lake Minnetonka in downtown Wayzata will begin as scheduled Monday, city officials have decided, despite the possibility of problems related to the coronavirus outbreak.
The project, called Panoway on Wayzata Bay, has been in the works for almost a decade. The $10 million Phase I features a four-block plaza along Lake Street, a site now occupied by a parking lot, as well as a bike trail and pedestrian-friendly improvements to the street and nearby railroad tracks. A second phase includes adjacent parks and a boardwalk along the lake.
City officials acknowledged that a pandemic accompanied by skyrocketing unemployment and a looming recession might not seem like the ideal time to undertake a big, fancy development.
"It's a weird time now — things are moving fast, and it's an awkward thing to be talking about when public health is really at the forefront right now," said City Manager Jeffrey Dahl.
"My concern is the optics," said Mayor Ken Willcox. "If we proceed on this project of $10 million, people are apt to say, 'What were you thinking? Why were you ignoring the big risk out there?' "
But in some respects, City Council members said, it's actually a good time to get construction underway. With many retail shops along Lake Street temporarily shuttered under Gov. Tim Walz's stay-at-home order, disruption to nearby businesses could be curtailed.
Other pros: The work might go faster with fewer people around and possibly wind up sooner. It provides jobs during a difficult time, and it folds in some utility improvements that would be needed anyway.
Jessie Houlihan, president of the project manager, Stahl Construction, said workers' health will be protected and that social distancing is not difficult on a ground-level project.
