City of Victoria outlines Downtown West master plan as Olivine apartments open

Community and Economic Development Director Jen Brewington told the committee that the city owns a 13.5‑acre parcel known as Downtown West and is moving forward with phased development to extend the downtown core.

Brewington said the site, acquired through a land swap with Three Rivers Park District and evaluated since 2006, was guided by the city's 2016 downtown master plan toward a walkable, mixed‑use neighborhood. "My team is responsible for all of the residential and commercial development that's happening through the community," she said, describing public outreach that included surveys, forums and council workshops.

The presentation said phase one includes the Olivine apartment building, described by staff as a 145‑unit market‑rate building; the city sold that parcel to the development team in 2022 and staff said Olivine opened the same day. Brewington outlined phase‑one infrastructure work: utility improvements, an extension of Stiger Lake Lane and a central green intended for city programming and gatherings.

For phase two, staff released a 2024 request for proposals and selected Victoria DW LLC to prepare a master plan. Brewington said the planning commission and city council reviewed a sketch plat in 2025 and that the city council in February 2026 approved a final plat for four retail/commercial buildings, one mixed‑use building with ground‑floor commercial space and two townhome/condo structures. Staff emphasized the development will be constructed in phases and will include retail and residential mix to support downtown vibrancy.

Brewington noted site amenities and connections: an estimated 213 parking stalls across the master development, proposed trail and pedestrian connections that would link Downtown West to the existing downtown (including an extension of the regional trail along Minnesota Highway 5 and a sidewalk on Stiger Lake Lane), and proposed roundabout connections to County Road 11. "There will also be integrated green spaces, plazas and open areas," she said.

Retail and tenant questions featured in the discussion. Staff described retail spaces ranging roughly from 800 to 6,000 square feet and confirmed a Mexican restaurant (identified as Blue Agave) expected to open this summer. Brewington said staff had difficulty recruiting a full‑scale grocery to the site given existing grocers within a 10‑mile radius and said the city has pivoted to other potential locations for a grocery tenant while pursuing smaller formats and other retail uses.

Committee members asked about accessibility and design details, noting some renderings showed steps without ramps; Brewington said ADA and accessibility features remain under design review and earlier renderings will be updated. Members also discussed whether the city's planned public building could host senior programming or serve as an official senior center; staff said programming plans will return to the committee for further review.

Brewington invited interested businesses to contact her to connect with the developer and broker and said staff will continue to return with updates on public‑building programming and leasing progress.

The council approval of the final plat and the earlier 2022 land sale were mentioned as milestones but no vote tallies were provided in the briefing.