Council committee approves lease converting part of Commerce Center Park for retail and fire substation

A Metropolitan Council committee voted 9-0 to approve lease agreements allowing private uses and a fire substation at Commerce Center Park, a 0.3-acre plaza behind 211 Commerce Street.

The vote followed public comment opposing the deal, a Parks Department explanation of the site, and legal clarification about appraisals and public‑meeting thresholds. The committee approved an amendment that extended the lease term and added language to update insurance requirements and to preserve public access except when the space is closed for private events.

Steve Ryder, a member of the public, told the committee, “I’m in opposition to this lease agreement.” He said the site is parkland and invoked the parks board’s February “open space” policy guaranteeing “no net reduction in park space,” adding that the land value “alone is worth about $10,000,000.”

Kevin Roten of Metro Parks said Commerce Center Park is roughly 0.3 acres and described the site as a courtyard attached to the office building at 211 Commerce. He said the city holds an easement over the courtyard but does not own above or below it, and that Parks has maintained the area for about 25 years. Roten said the proposal would leave roughly 5,500 square feet of open plaza for public use while the lessee would assume daily maintenance and utilities; in return, Metro would receive a fire substation in the parking garage below.

Councilmember Cooper said the space “looks like something that would be a plaza, on an office building,” and supported activating it rather than leaving it unused. Councilmember Evans explained the amendment’s changes, saying the amendment: sets the lease term at 50 years, adds a provision to allow insurance requirements to be updated over time, and clarifies when the lessee may close the space for private events so that otherwise it remains open to the public.

Macy Amos, Metro Legal, told the committee the appraisal packet was included with the amendment and that the city’s net position shown in the materials does not meet the $1 million threshold that would trigger the code’s public‑meeting requirement for long-term land leases. "The appraisal was included in the document that you all received," Amos said, and confirmed that the appraisal filed with the amendment is the controlling document.

The committee approved the lease with the amendment by roll call: nine in favor, zero opposed, zero abstentions.

The committee record shows the lease will transfer day-to-day maintenance responsibility to the lessee while the Metropolitan Government retains ownership of the underlying property; the approved amendment adds ongoing review of insurance limits and an explicit public-access provision when the site is not reserved for private events.