On Monday, May 5, during the Crookston Ways and Means meeting, City Administrator Jeff Shoobridge mentioned to the council that a possible housing development project was coming up in Crookston. Shoobridge anticipates bringing an RFP for the project to the council within the next 60 days and says that the city’s management responsibility for the project would be limited.
KROX set out to learn more about the housing development project. “Right now we are looking at a development, it’s going to be about 40-45, possibly 47 single-family homes,” says Shoobridge. “It’s still in the beginning stages. We are writing the RFP, where we will put out a Request for Proposals to get developers to bring us proposals of what they would envision.”
Shoobridge says that it will be, at least, 2026 before the project begins and that it would involve a TIF district that would reimburse the developer. Shoobridge has been in touch with the City Manager of Victoria, MN, to discuss similar projects that have been done there.
Shoobridge says he has been in close contact with 4-6 contractors interested in the development prospect. What will the city do once proposals are submitted? “We would then evaluate those and rank them and put them before the council to decide,” says Shoobridge. “There is not really anything going on yet, it’s in its infancy, but we will be moving forward.”
It was explained to the council that the City Administrator paid $9,900 for a one-year real estate option agreement on a 20-acre parcel of land. The city is about four months into that agreement and has a one-year extension possibility for another $9,900. The development would help grow the City of Crookston’s tax base by bringing newer homes to town.
