ARDEN HILLS - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued a certificate of completion for Rice Creek Commons cleanup. The cost of cleaning up the Superfund site barred redevelopment opportunities. For example, the Minnesota Vikings considered building a new stadium on the land.
Ramsey County paid $30 million to purchase the land which was one of the largest contaminated sites in Minnesota.
Since the 2013 purchase, Ramsey County cleaned the soil to residential standards in November 2015, and 93 percent of the concrete, metal and other materials removed from the site during demolition were recycled or rescued. Now that the cleanup is over, officials are concentrating on Rice Creek Commons's future as a mixed-use residential, retail and business district.
The 427-acres property in Arden Hills was once home to the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant.
"It was critical to America's freedom. Thousands of Minnesota's were here building ammunition that protected our nation and the fight against tyranny during World War II," said Betty McCollum (D) Minnesota. "While this site produced thousands of good jobs for Minnesota's it created an environmental calamity."
An illustration of the Rice Creek Commons master plan includes a town center, retail development, office space, thousands of homes and much more.