Plans for major industrial and commercial development in the southwest corner of Chaska are moving forward.
The Chaska City Council unanimously approved the concept plan for Big Woods Business Park at its Feb. 23 meeting. The project will eventually encompass 378 acres of land west of Highway 212 and off Big Woods Boulevard — also bordered by city of Carver and Dahlgren Township. In fact, two parcels of land within Dahlgren Township will soon be annexed into Chaska to make the development plan possible.
Initial plans for the park call for 14 industrial buildings and four commercial buildings, totaling about 2 million square feet of space.
The 184 acres north of Big Woods Boulevard will house 715,000 square feet of industrial building space and 55,000 square feet of commercial space, according to initial plans.
The south side of the business park, composed by 154 acres, will eventually be home to 1.2 million square feet of industrial space.
According to the developer, Scannell Properties, phase one of the project will likely get underway by June, following further approvals and completion of an environmental impact review. The first building will be a 218,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center in the northwest corner of the site.
Jake Kurth, development manager for Scannell, told the council that the developer is in direct talks with an “end user” but did not disclose the company hoping to locate in Chaska.
Details surrounding the proposed building indicate a significant employer is headed to the community. The concept plan calls for 1,347 employee parking spaces adjacent to the industrial building, and it’s expected that the facility will house a “24/7 operation.”
“Thank you, guys, for choosing the investment in our community,” Chaska Mayor Taylor Hubbard told the Scannell representatives attending the meeting. “This is really exciting. This brings a lot of jobs and tax base opportunities to our community. This will be wonderful.”
Ward 1 Council Member Jon Grau echoed that sentiment.
“Love, love, love,” he said. “This is good for Chaska.”
Grau did express some concern about the route construction vehicles will take to access the site, noting that Big Woods Boulevard is narrow and sees heavy traffic from families dropping kids off at school.
Ward 3 Council Member McKayla Hatfield called the project “fantastic,” but added that she is focused on the project’s “greenbelt” plans that will provide important trail connections, screening and green space. Because the business park location sits at the southern entrance to Chaska along Highway 212, Hatfield said it’s important that the site looks inviting.
“I’ll be looking for that to be done really well,” she said. “And if it’s not, you’ll hear from me. I’m not shy.”
Kurth assured the council that Scannell Properties intends to work closely with the city to ensure that the project moves forward safely and meets the expectations of the community.
As part of the business park’s first phase, a new water tower and an electrical substation will be constructed in the northern section. Improvements to existing roads and new roadways will be completed as well.
After the first building is constructed, Scannell officials indicate there’s no firm timeline for future phases.
Nate Kabat, community development director, reported that the developer hopes to achieve full build-out in 10 years. He predicts it could take as long as 15 years, taking into consideration current market trends.
When asked about the possible commercial businesses that could be part of future phases within Big Woods Business Park, Kabat said a convenience store is one likely idea. Other possibilities could be a restaurant, day care or hotel, all supporting the employees working nearby, he added.
As the council prepared to approve the concept plan, Grau said he’s glad that a single developer is working on a cohesive plan for this major piece of Chaska real estate.
“It’s exciting,” he said, “but it’s also a little sad … because it’s like the last big property.”
