ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – State, county and local officials wielded golden sledge hammers to inaugurate the demolition of the last building at the old Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) site. The plant built during World War II covered 427 acres.
At one time 26,000 Minnesotans pulled paychecks from TCAAP and contributed millions of rounds of ammunition to the war effort in the 1940s and later in Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf Wars.The plant was officially closed in 2004. Ramsey County bought the property in 2013.
It was not lost on those present that the ceremony was occurring on the 70th Anniversary of D-Day. David Grant, Arden Hills Mayor, remarked that the soldiers who invaded France at the Normandy Beaches were carrying TCAAP made ammunition.
"The cartridges were stamped with the phrase "TW-43" meaningthey were manufactured at TCAAP in 1943," said Grant.
At one time, it was touted as a prime site for the new Vikings Stadium, but the old Metrodome site won out. For the last year, Ramsey County has been working to clear the 44 buildings on the site and perform needed environmental cleanup from the military refuse.
"This whole property is actually the biggest undeveloped land in all of Ramsey County and certainly one of the most attractive pieces to develop in all of the metro area," said Blake Huffman, Ramsey County Commissioner.
A ceremony was held outside the 44th and last building to be demolished. It had been built in less than one year to supportthe war effort in 1942.
"When this was built," recalled John Boet, 66, of White Bear Lake, a TCAAP worker for 22 years, "this building was the largest frame structure, post/frame structure in the United States."
Boet came on Friday, hoping to be able to remove a smallbrass tag near the entrance to the old building where he had worked for twodecades, but the tag was already gone. Among the TCAAP alumni who came to say goodbye to their old workplace was Jack Lien, 76, of Fridley.
"I worked here for Federal Cartridge and Pantera for 34 years," said Lien, who had definite ideas about a future use for the property. "Put a casino in here, something that will make money for the state and Ramsey County."
The officials present insisted that they were working on bringing new development to the site, but offered no specifics.
"This is the last building coming down, the last walls are coming down," said Rafael Ortega, Ramsey County Commissioner, "but it is the beginning of a great future for this place."
"We already have much interest from the business community in this site," said Katie Clark Sieben, Minnesota Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), "so you can expect some additional announcements to come later this year."
