Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Redevelopment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council clears former Opus headquarters for demolition, approves lot split; owners will market vacant parcel
Summary
The council adopted a major amendment to the 2007 master development plan for the former Opus headquarters and approved preliminary and final plats dividing the 13‑acre site, allowing demolition of the northerly building; the owner said it will market the land for sale rather than propose immediate redevelopment.
The Minnetonka City Council on March 23 adopted a major amendment to the 2007 master development plan and approved preliminary and final plats to divide the former Opus corporate campus at 10350 and 10380 Bren Road West into two lots, clearing the way to demolish the northerly building.
Planning staff (Susan Thomas) told council the 13‑acre site sits in the larger Opus 2 development and that the northerly building was built as a single‑tenant headquarters and no longer aligns with market demand. Staff recommended approval, noting the amendment does not authorize a new land use or new construction; any future redevelopment would require public review and approval. "The owner's proposal requires two actions: an amendment to the 2007 master development plan and the preliminary and final plats to divide the property," Thomas said.
An applicant representative told council they have no redevelopment plans and intend to demolish the northern building, then hire a broker and market the vacant parcel for sale. "We do not have any plans for any sort of development. Our plan after we take the building down is to... hire a broker... to figure out a future sale for the vacant land," the representative said.
Councilors pressed staff and the applicant about unknown future uses; one council member asked whether the comprehensive plan would allow unusual uses and noted national examples where properties were repurposed for federal or non‑typical facility uses. Staff replied that the OPUS area is guided for mixed use and that specific proposals would be subject to full review, site plan review and consistency checks with the comprehensive plan.
Council adopted the ordinance and plats on a unanimous roll call vote. Several members asked the applicant to consider community concerns about potential buyers and encouraged temporary measures (for example, native‑plant seeding) while the land is marketed.
The decision permits demolition and lot division but does not preapprove any particular redevelopment; any future use will return to the public process.
