Plenty of action in Cloquet for businesses, development

Things are humming along in Cloquet through the lens of Holly Hansen, the city's community development director. On all fronts - housing, redevelopment, new and recovering business - the city is "very steady" in progress made since the economic downturn a decade ago.

Hansen arrived in Cloquet in the midst of that recession, in 2009.

"There's been a lot of change," Hansen said. "But we are a small city that can hold its own."

There are some obvious signs of activity along Hwy 33, where the new roundabout has opened and construction continues on the Aldi site near Perkins and the new Members Cooperative Credit Union building across from the former Lemon Tree building. Work also continues on housing projects, including the 57 units at the former Cloquet Middle School and 35 at the White Pine

Apartments that are just beginning

construction.

"A lot of housing has popped," Hansen said.

Smaller local businesses have also popped in the last six months.

There's a new local newspaper in town, the Pine Knot News at 122 Avenue C, and a new retail flooring and carpet business opened off Highway 33 next to Wells Fargo bank on the frontage road.

Cloquet Flooring owner Tom McConnell had worked in the flooring business for 29 years. He decided to open up after Carpet Connection closed, and Cloquet Interiors burned down.

"I didn't want Cloquet to go without a flooring place," McConnell said. "And I've been surprised at how busy we've been. Things have been pretty steady."

On the other end of Hwy 33, North Factor opened Aug. 6 in the remodeled building at the corner of Hwy 33 and North Cloquet Road that previously housed Surplus Depot. Owned by Matt and Tina Hughes, North Factor offers ATV and snowmobile service, small engine repair and welding services, while growing the sales area with used equipment, including ATVs, mowers, snowblowers and more.

Al Cottingham, the city's planner and zoning administrator, said there has "been a different shift" in investment in the city. It's coming from the private sector, he said, with the city not needing to do much by way of incentives.

Cloquet Avenue has seen a cosmetic change on the road surface that has helped bolster activity on the city's main street, Hansen said. One huge shift will occur when City Hall moves down 14th Street to take advantage of the vacated MCCU credit union space, which will have room for the city police as well, freeing up needed space at the fire hall. Carlton County has approved a purchase agreement to buy the current city hall building to fit its growing space needs.

"There is a lot of public investment going on," Hansen said of the shuffle. Add to that the improvements along the river at the various parks, she said, and "the entire core has a facelift."

That should continue as ideas flow on improving the city's historic West End business district along Avenue C, she said.

Here is a quick list provided by Hansen of the projects on Cloquet's plate:

-- $3 million project on West Carlton Avenue. Country Club Patio Homes was completed this summer and had 12 prefabricated homes. In addition, the city sold its former water tower property, making room for two homes. There are six other homes under construction in the city. Housing has been a need in the city, Hansen said, as a study showed in 2014. With the new apartments, those needs are being filled, she said.

• The Aldi on Big Lake Road represents a $1.7 million investment. The discount grocery chain is a coup for the city, Hansen said, because the market for "big box" and "junior box" stores has slowed. Online purchases are one reason. "Retail is always an unknown," she said, but the city will take what it can get from private investment.

• The Members Cooperative Credit Union building on Hwy 33 is a $3.1 million project. When it opens, the city will take over the credit union's space downtown for city hall and police, which now share space with the fire department.

• On Stanley Avenue, the State Farm Insurance building is getting a remodel and the former High Mark Construction building is being eyed for a professional office.

• The post office has seen improvements in tuck-pointing and the McDonald's restaurnt off Hwy 33 is getting a makeover.

• The city spent $3 million on repaving and striping on Cloquet Avenue from Hwy 33 to the border with Scanlon, adding pedestrian and bike-friendly bump-outs and lanes. It is spending $1.9 million on infrastructure improvement in the West End, which hasn't seen anything but cosmetic fixes the past 100 years, Hansen said.

• Kids are enjoying the new skateboard facility in Athletic Park, Cottingham said. And the Voyageur is standing tall and shiny over the $4 million in improvements at the Dunlap Island riverside parks.