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Eagan park projects advance: Art House staffed, community center in phased construction
Summary
City staff reported progress on three major projects — the Eagan Art House, phased renovations to the Eagan Community Center and Goat Hill ice facility — with temporary occupancies, summer soft openings and a projected project completion in 2026.
City staff reported updates on three of Eagan’s largest parks and recreation projects at the May 2025 meeting of the Eagan Advisory Parks Commission, saying the Eagan Art House is in staff-only occupancy, the multi‑phase renovation of the Eagan Community Center (ECC) is underway and Goat Hill’s refrigeration and site work remain in finishing stages.
“Eagan Art House...has grown into a 10,000 square foot fully accessible space,” Sarah Horwath, the city’s communications and engagement director, said during a presentation on department priorities and outreach. She noted the Art House is being shaped to reflect the city’s climate-action goals and accessibility priorities.
The ECC renovation is being completed in four phases to keep the facility open during construction, staff said. Parks staff described phase 1 — two exterior “boxes” containing a new fitness area and a service/cold‑storage area — as essentially complete and said the project’s next major work, an interior lobby/atrium renovation, is scheduled to begin June 9 and continue through the end of the year.
“Phase number 1 was those two outside boxes,” a parks staff member said. “We anticipate that to start June 9, and then that'll go basically till the end of the year.”
Staff said the phased approach avoids shutdowns of programs and rentals. Several improvements completed or in progress include added family restrooms, reconfigured banquet and back‑of‑house spaces, and a renovated indoor playground the department expects to last 20-plus years.
Goat Hill rink opened under a temporary occupancy so the public could use the site during winter; staff said parking, pavilion and some stormwater and landscaping work remain. For safety and to complete warranty punch lists, they said some areas will remain closed while contractors address mechanical and finishing issues.
Staff set an overall project completion target of late 2026 for the ECC work. They said the Art House will host youth camps this summer as a soft opening, with a ribbon cutting planned in June and a larger public event during the city’s ArtBlock week in September.
Commissioners and staff emphasized the learning curve associated with newer, more complex mechanical systems in the larger buildings and said that warranty and punch‑list work is ongoing. They urged patience as staff complete landscaping, paving and final mechanical adjustments before full public programming resumes.
