Richfield council weighing PUD changes after years of failed retail interest at Lyndale Gardens site

The Richfield City Council and Richfield HRA on June 24 discussed options for the remaining retail parcel at the Lyndale Gardens redevelopment, including a possible amendment to the site’s planned unit development, continued marketing by the property owner, or acquisition by the HRA.

The conversation centered on a roughly 6,000-square-foot retail parcel approved through a PUD that sits behind the Lake Wins co-op and adjacent to a privately owned amphitheater and public amenities funded in part by a Metropolitan Council grant. Jan Youngquist, Richfield’s economic development manager, framed the choices for the council: “Would you consider amending the PUD to broaden the range of commercial uses allowed on the site? Would you want to uphold the PUD requirements and wait for a retail use that would coordinate with the outdoor activity space and amphitheater, or would you consider having the HRA acquire the property and holding it until a preferred development is feasible?”

Developer Colleen Carey and broker Therese Bridal described more than a decade of marketing that produced a small number of serious leads but no completed deals. Carey said she has carried the site since 2013 and noted the carrying costs: “I’ve paid $300,000 in real estate taxes…