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Businesses in Stadium Village to close as UMN, collaborators will begin construction in Stadium Village

Housing aimed at students and a research center will replace Caribou Coffee and Hong Kong Noodles.
Passers-by+on+Wednesday+walk+in+front+of+the+Impact+Hub+building%2C+home+to+Stadium+Village+businesses+like+UMFREA+and+The+Test+Kitchen.+The+Test+Kitchen%E2%80%94alongside+Caribou+Coffee+and+other+Stadium+Village+businesses%E2%80%94are+being+bought+out+by+the+University+of+Minnesota+and+will+be+built+over+as+part+of+the+University%E2%80%99s+expansion+into+Stadium+Village.+Construction+will+begin+in+2025+and+end+in+2029.
Image by David Stager
Passers-by on Wednesday walk in front of the Impact Hub building, home to Stadium Village businesses like UMFREA and The Test Kitchen. The Test Kitchen—alongside Caribou Coffee and other Stadium Village businesses—are being bought out by the University of Minnesota and will be built over as part of the University’s expansion into Stadium Village. Construction will begin in 2025 and end in 2029.

Editor’s Note: This article has been republished after making substantial revisions to the original content, all in an attempt to tell a correct story.

The University of Minnesota is collaborating with M.A. Mortenson Co. to start a three-phase building project east of Stadium Village, reported news outlet Twin Cities Business.

Businesses in the area will be replaced with housing designed for students, a research center and office space in light of the project.

The redevelopment plan is a collaborative project with the University of Minnesota Foundation Real Estate Advisors and Mortenson. The construction from 2025 to 2029 will be the first of three stages, according to the MIX website.

According to Pat Mascia, the foundation wanted to work with Mortenson to work with the private sector. 

The vision has always been to partner with the private sector and in order to develop this site. So, the foundation is going to lead the development as the master land developer for the project, but our vision has always been to partner with the private sector. We ran a very thorough process to find a development partner for the first phase of this project,” Mascia said. 

Phase one will go from Ontario Street to Huron Boulevard –– in between University and Washington Avenues –– will be under development.

This means restaurants like Burger King, Hong Kong Noodles and Caribou Coffee leases will come to an end. 

Phase one will create two buildings. One of the buildings is mixed-use between housing and life science research, while the other building’s purpose is still in conceptual development, according to University of Minnesota Foundation Real Estate Advisors Managing Director Pat Mascia. 

While the idea of new housing and buildings is good for students at the University, Jillian Sexton, a third-year student, said she will miss the restaurants near Stadium Village. 

“I live further down in the Dinkytown area,” Sexton said. “When my dad was at the U, he used to go to Stub and Herbs, that would be really unfortunate.”

Construction of the new areas means that certain restaurants will be ending their leases, according to Mascia. However, in an email after the initial publication of this article, a University spokesperson clarified these businesses can “return to operate at street level within The MIX development.”

If it goes further as planned, other buildings at risk of being taken down include Val-U, Test Kitchen, and Stubs and Herbs, according to Twin Cities Business

The foundation is letting the businesses finish out their leases before construction begins, Mascia added. 

Mascia said the project was always designed to work closely with organizations outside the University.

“Our vision has always been to partner with the private sector,” Mascia said. 

Mascia said the project will give students more opportunities to work with professionals and gain research experience. 

“Whether it’s a student-led startup company or research with a U of M researcher or somebody on the private sector side that does similar work, [this] is an opportunity that we’re trying to cultivate and incubate with this project,” Mascia said. 

University Interim President Jeff Ettinger said in a statement to The Minnesota Daily the redevelopment plan will create more opportunities for students on the East Bank.

“The University is thrilled to partner with its foundation to ensure this space not only serves the needs of faculty and students but also the potential for the future health science campus as well as the wider needs of our industry and government partners,” Ettinger said in the statement.

The other two stages will extend the previous construction one block west to Oak Street and from Washington Avenue and Delaware Street north and south, according to MIX’s website. As part of those stages,  two will begin construction in 2030 and finish in 2035. Stage three will begin construction in 2035 and finish in 2040.

Oluwatomisin Ajayi, a second-year student, said adding more student housing will hopefully lower housing costs for students. 

“I feel like it would definitely be sad to lose them, but in terms of getting new housing I think it would be better for us to have cheaper housing choices than restaurants,” Ajayi said. 

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  • Fred
    Apr 26, 2024 at 10:51 am

    What a poorly written article. There’s so much, I don’t know where to start.

  • Anna Clark
    Apr 22, 2024 at 10:51 am

    DO NOT get rid of Sterbs. That is an iconic and historical spot for students and alumni alike. I will actually riot

  • Eric Amel
    Apr 18, 2024 at 10:33 am

    RE: Businesses in Stadium Village to close as UMN will begin construction in Stadium Village
    ERRATA: UMFREA Director Pat Mascia in lieu of Paul Macissa.

  • Samantha Barland
    Apr 18, 2024 at 10:04 am

    Please don’t get rid of Stub & Herbs! It’s such a special place for my grandpa and I as well, he used to deliver there and it’s historical in a way.