Eveleth plans community center grand opening, details housing and park work at former high school campus

EVELETH — City leaders on Tuesday laid out detailed plans for the converted high‑school campus that will reopen as the Eveleth Community Center, announced a March 14 ribbon cutting at 11 a.m., and described associated housing, parking and parkwork tied to a $2 million infrastructure award.

Mayor Adam Rowan said the building at 801 Jones Street will host morning drop‑in hours starting March 16 and will offer rentable rooms, community programming and dedicated senior‑time access. “The grand opening is scheduled for March 14th,” Rowan said, adding that the building will be open 8 a.m. to noon for drop‑in activities at first and staffed each morning to protect and assist visitors.

The announcement matters because the campus project bundles community programming with new housing and public‑space upgrades that city officials say will support downtown activity. City staff said infrastructure work already performed — grading, parking and utility preparation — was possible because the city secured infrastructure funds from the IRRB; Rowan said, “we were given $2 million by the IT RB for the infrastructure,” and that zoning, soil testing and platting are now underway.

Officials described three housing components for the campus: roughly 23 single‑family lots along extended Cleveland and Garfield streets, a planned multi‑family apartment building where earthwork could begin in 2026, and an unspecified number of townhomes that will be determined during final plotting. Rowan said one developer has discussed building a three‑story apartment with underground parking and about 40 units, and that single‑family construction could begin in 2027 depending on permitting and developer schedules.

Park and trail improvements are central to the design. City leaders said they plan a wide, lit pedestrian promenade lined with benches and plantings to knit the housing, the community center and adjacent parkland together, and they described a stormwater basin that will be maintained as an attractive feature rather than a marsh. The site will include pickleball courts (five indoor courts were described), a bandstand available for community rentals, ADA‑compliant routes and flexible parking designed to expand if demand rises.

City staff emphasized a cautious, staged approach to center operations and programming: initial open hours will be modest, some activities (pickleball) will be free or low cost (Rowan said $5 per day or $30 for a month for pickleball) and the city will reassess operations after the first weeks. The mayor said the city does not intend to compete with local private fitness or cafe businesses and will prioritize community access.

Residents and volunteer groups are already helping fund amenities: Energizing Eve has taken initial orders for donor benches and the city plans picnic tables and other features. Officials said custom donor benches are being sold at $1,500 each and a number will be installed before July 4 for public viewing.

The city identified March 16 as the first staffed morning and asked residents to fill community surveys (98 responses to date) to shape programs including a possible teen center, senior programming and walking opportunities.

What’s next: the city will complete platting and zoning tasks, seek DNR and other grant opportunities for trail funding, and move forward with the multi‑family site work in 2026. The mayor said the single‑family home buildout is likely in 2027, subject to developer timelines and county review. The city invited residents to the March 14 opening and to ongoing planning meetings to refine details.