Intuition Ale Works looking for second site

[Tacachale]

The Shipyards property is very expensive, but there are plenty of other areas downtown that would work. It would be tremendous for downtown. It sucks that the city and whatever the JEDC is called now haven't gotten it together enough to help it along.

[Jdog]

Possible Developer 20 Years From Now Discretely Talking to a Government Official:

"Now let's be clear.  For decades you couldn't sell this property successfully because you'd only do it one way. And you're still only willing to do it one way. And there's not a lot of vibrancy around this property right now.  There's a lot of risk, obviously that's been proven.  All around the place private development failed.  You failed. You failed repeatedly. There's a lot of space, no a ton of space.  Whatever vision you have forget it.  We'll work with you to incorporate elements of your vision, that's fine.  But you need to prepare for some serious compromises: We might feel better with a few gated areas, the right to reserve all those areas we developed for you, such as the public spaces, parts of the river walk, and the public section of the semi-public pier for private events. I like your city, but you want us to assume a shit load of risk with a shit load of money.  Take the same money and build something a bit smaller in a larger, more vibrant city.  That's probably what we should do anyway."       


     

[Bill Hoff]

Guess the shipyyard plan is pretty much dead..

http://jacksonville.com/business/2012-07-15/story/sunday-notebook-intuition-still-looking-downtown-site

What bothers me most is the comment about just brewing at the airport or westside ...

The Springfield warehouse district can be utilized for this.  I know that a few buildings can be had for peanuts.  Even if they do not have the needed ceiling height, the roofs can be raised for less than the cost of new. As light industrial, they can have 10% retail so they may not need to get a PUD.  The area is mostly outside of the Historic District so less costly to modify the building. 

Think of the old Coca Cola building with the complete block of empty one story buildings behind it.  The old one story buildings could be utilized by raising the currently nonexistent roofs. A little bit of creativity and one could probably have a great complex for a very affordable price. Just an example, I do not know what issues those particular properties may have.

They were a pioneer in an area before, hopefully they will decide to do it again.  Springfield is still pretty much downtown and the warehouse district certainly meets all of their needs - zoning, transportation and future potential.

The new Paul Davis Restoration office , which moved from Mandarin and renovated an empty SPR warehouse, should be opening it's doors in a couple months. They did an amazing job. A second warehouse reclaimed would be tremendous.

1 is a coincidense, 2 is a trend . . . .

[JeffreyS]

I just wanted it on the waterfront so bad. How can we drop the ball on this. 

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I just wanted it on the waterfront so bad. How can we drop the ball on this.

Sports metaphors, ok:  The city is the petulant 24 year old, still sitting on the sidelines at the Pop Warner field because no one is willing be bring the ball that 'they' want to play with.  "We don't want to play, unless it's an Authentic Wilson NFL Branded, Duke Pattern ball, and we'll sit here and pout until that happens."  Meanwhile, several of their peers have decided to play with whatever ball was on the field and are now reaping the benefits.

We're still sitting on the sidelines.

[billy]

Did someone buy the Huttig Sash building on Market Street?

[Intuition Ale Works]

Figured the forum would enjoy reading this older article on a city that get's what a craft brewery had bring to the area...

Why the froth over Surly? Brewery project draws broad interest
Posted: 8:00 am Fri, September 30, 2011   
By Chris Newmarker   
Tags: Annie Deckert, Brian Hanson, Cathy Polasky, Curt Boganey, Janelle Tummel, Louis Jambois, Matt Podhradsky, Omar Ansari, R.T. Rybak, Surly Brewing Co., Tegra Group, Tom Hauschild

A rendering of Surly’s proposed $20 million, 60,000-square-foot brewery and beer garden. (Submitted rendering: Surly Brewing Co.)
Economic development officials insist they are not wearing beer goggles as they try to woo the $20 million, 60,000-square-foot brewery and beer garden that the Surly Brewing Co. would like to build in the Twin Cities.

“Dozens” of metro area cities have already submitted information to the Minneapolis-based Tegra Group, which Brooklyn Center-based Surly tapped in August to advise on the project, said Tom Hauschild, a partner at Tegra.

Surly and Tegra officials hope to focus on a handful of sites within 30 days.

In general, city officials insist the proposed brewery goes beyond the dozens of jobs or added tax base it might create. They say it would add cachet and enhance the quality of life in their communities.

“It’s very much a destination location.  … It would bring so many people to Elk River,” said Annie Deckert, Elk River’s economic development director, who is researching locations there to pitch to Surly and Tegra.

Hauschild says he and Surly president and founder Omar Ansari have been surprised by the interest. Hauschild attributes it to Surly’s enthusiastic customers, the so-called Surly Nation, who successfully lobbied to change state law to allow breweries to sell pints on site. Now they are reaching out to local officials to tout the proposed brewery. “City administrators are listening to them and responding,” Hauschild said.

Surly has a profitable business selling beers ranging from its hops-heavy Furious beer to the lighter CynicAle. Revenue has grown from $250,000 in 2006, its first full year of operations, to $4.7 million in 2010. Demand has outstripped production, and Surly has stopped selling its products in Wisconsin, South Dakota and Illinois to concentrate on its Twin Cities turf.

The new brewery would be Surly’s second; its existing 24,000-square-foot facility is at 4811 Dusharme Drive in Brooklyn Center.

Surly’s plans have inspired Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak to wax on about how his great-grandfather brewed beer in New Prague, with the mayor arguing that Surly needs to build along the Mississippi River north of downtown.


Dozens of Twin Cities communities would like to see Surly beer rolling off the assembly line, just as they do at the beer maker’s 24,000-square-foot facility at 4811 Dusharme Drive in Brooklyn Center. Surly is proposing spending $20 million on a second metro area brewery that would include a beer garden. (Submitted photo: Surly Brewing Co.)
Minneapolis has yet to make a former proposal to Surly. But Cathy Polasky, the city’s economic development director, acknowledges that it would be an attractive business for the city because it would provide some well-paying manufacturing jobs as well as another “cool gathering place.”

Polasky also mentioned the city has done a great deal to encourage local food and beer. “This fits right into the sweet spot for Minneapolis’ economic development,” she said.

St. Paul officials have already toured a handful of sites with Surly and Tegra officials, said city spokeswoman Janelle Tummel. Specifically, the St. Paul Port Authority has pitched its Beacon Bluff and River Bend projects, which are both redeveloping old industrial sites in the city. Surly might potentially secure a $1-for-land deal not too different from the Port Authority land deal in the late 1990s that resulted in Summit Brewing building a brewery on a 4.2-acre site in the Crosby Lake Business Park.

Summit, with 56 well-paying jobs, is a great asset to St. Paul, and Surly could be, too, said Port Authority President Louis Jambois. “We are always looking for ways to diversify St. Paul’s economy,” he said.

In Chaska, city administrator Matt Podhradsky sees a potential use for the 12-acre Chaska Building Center lumberyard on the edge of downtown, at 2970 Chaska Blvd., that closed three years ago. Meanwhile, Brooklyn Center’s city administrator Curt Boganey has staff looking for potential sites to propose to Surly in the hopes of keeping it all in the city.

Twin Cities officials aren’t alone, either, in their mania for beer. If Lake Superior Brewing Co. ever proposed building a new brewery and beer garden in either Duluth or Superior, Wis., Duluth’s economic development chief, Brian Hanson, says he would also be working hard to make sure Duluth won the business.

“Not only do they manufacture, but they’re a tourist attraction,” Hanson said.

Anthony Figliola, a New York-based consultant who helps large companies find new locations around the country, has found that breweries are an attractive option for a community in any economic climate.

“Beer and baseball â€" that’s America right there,” Figliola said. “There’s a cachet with having a company like that.”

[Jason]

Saw one of your full length tractor-trailer distribution trucks pullng out of the Mandarin Publix this morning with its shiny vinyl "Intuition" badge gleaming the the morning sunlight and my tastebuds almost yanked my tongue out of my head.  I was instantly craving a Peoples.... yes, even at 7:30 this morning. 

Things are looking up.  I'm sure a perfect second location will fall from the heavens when the time is right. 

[mtraininjax]

Ben, buy Monty's tear it down and build a 5-story facility in Avondale. John will thank you at Mellow Mushroom, for taking the heat off him, and becoming the new lightening rod for the neighborhood.

Best of luck to you in your endeavors, from mug club member 167.

[KEGreene1]

Ben - I really hope/wish the City would work with you downtown on the river.  Why we don't have more waterfront dining establishments, I have no idea.  Dinner, after work, before/after Jags game and another place to boat to on a regular basis.  AWESOME!  Besides, it could/would encourage other companies to move in the surrounding areas.

#34

[JFman00]

Ben - I really hope/wish the City would work with you downtown on the river.  Why we don't have more waterfront dining establishments, I have no idea.  Dinner, after work, before/after Jags game and another place to boat to on a regular basis.  AWESOME!  Besides, it could/would encourage other companies to move in the surrounding areas.

#34

Seconded. Chart House may not have the best (or most reasonably priced) food, and it's not a particularly urban/walkable site, but the view is just so great.

[tufsu1]

I am curious...how much is Intuition willing to pay for the portion of the Shipyards property they want?