EDA approves preliminary development agreement for Wood Dale Station; commissioners raise labor-practice concerns

The St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority on Jan. 21 approved a preliminary development agreement (PDA) with Rohrs St. Louis Park Apartments 2, LLC to pursue a mixed‑use redevelopment of the Wood Dale Station site, a property the EDA says totals just over 3 acres and includes parcels at 5950 36th Street and 5802 36th Street.

The PDA gives Rohrs exclusive negotiation rights toward a purchase and redevelopment contract, a due‑diligence period to secure financing and land‑use approvals, and requires a $10,000 down payment to cover EDA administrative costs. The PDA expires June 30, 2026 unless both parties agree to extend it. The EDA approved the resolution 4–2.

The vote follows a staff presentation from Greg Hunt, the city’s economic development manager, who described the proposal as a six‑story, transit‑oriented development with 263 housing units, roughly 22% of which would be affordable (including units targeted at 30%, 50% and 60% of area median income), ground‑floor commercial space and a public plaza fronting the LRT platform. Hunt said Rohrs assembled a development team including ESG Architects and Damon Farber Landscape Architects.

Why it matters: the PDA moves the project from concept to formal negotiation. If the developer secures financing and land‑use approvals, the EDA and Rohrs would negotiate a purchase and final redevelopment contract that could carry requests for public assistance such as tax increment financing (TIF).

Commissioners pressed the developer and staff about labor‑practice allegations raised in a letter from CTUL (Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha) and a local group described in the meeting as “Building Dignity and Respect.” Commissioner Rogg said the council received the CTUL letter alleging poor treatment of workers on past Rohrs‑led projects and asked the council to require more than a meeting: “I ask my colleagues to consider joining me in demanding some kind of a formal plan or framework that all parties agree to before providing preapprovals for this project,” Rogg said.

Several commissioners said they shared the concern but differed on timing. Commissioner Dumoulin and others said they would support entering the PDA to allow Rohrs to pursue financing and permits; they noted that conditions tied to public financing can be revisited when a specific TIF or other assistance request arrives. The city attorney advised caution about placing vague, third‑party obligations in a PDA absent clearer standards or evidentiary findings.

Rohrs’ representative told the EDA the company “echo[es] the concern” and said scheduling and prior communications explained why the community group had not met the developer earlier. The representative said Rohrs would share its subcontracting standards and meet with the community group: “we're always trying to track down where stuff's getting missed…that's not something we would ignore,” the representative said.

Action and next steps: the PDA grants Rohrs exclusive negotiation rights and a due‑diligence window for site evaluation, financing and land‑use applications; it does not obligate the EDA to a sale or public subsidy. Staff said the developer may request public assistance later, at which point the EDA and council would review any financial terms, project labor commitments and legal conditions.

Commissioners voted 4–2 to approve the PDA. The staff report cited the EDA’s 2020 visioning work for the Elmwood neighborhood and earlier selection (and subsequent withdrawal) of a prior developer in 2022. Hunt recommended adoption of the PDA and noted staff would continue community engagement as negotiations proceed.

Ending: With the PDA approved, Rohrs may proceed with due diligence and land‑use applications; commissioners said they will continue to press the developer for a concrete, reviewable framework addressing worker treatment before any request for public financing appears.