Proposed redevelopment of Camping World prompts traffic study

BAXTER — A redevelopment project is percolating for the large and vacant former Camping World site just off Edgewood Drive along the Highway 371 corridor in Baxter.

The City Council approved a traffic impact study for a proposed redevelopment of the former Camping World site. The city noted the development may have impacts to surrounding roadways. The study will look at the potential impacts of a redevelopment on Highway 371, Excelsior Road, Design Road, Clearwater Road and Edgewood Drive. Short Elliott Hendrickson was approved for the traffic study.

Camping World

closed the Baxter store on Nov. 16, 2023

, along with other Minnesota stores, and it has been vacant since. There were multiple theories across the community about what might go into the space with early thoughts going toward other outdoor recreation companies, but most recently a potential buyer indicated the space would be a service provider instead.

The building was originally a Walmart store

before Walmart built a new supercenter farther south and vacated the building. Gander Mountain leased space in the 117,000-square-foot site and in 2014, the building owner Oppidan Investment Co, out of Minneapolis, announced its plans to redevelop the location into a regional power center.

Gander Mountain and Ashley Furniture once shared the building before the furniture store left the building in 2008 during the Great Recession. Gander Mountain had a going out of business sale at the store in 2017. Camping World bought Gander Mountain out of bankruptcy in 2017 and rebranded it Gander Outdoors. Gander Outdoors reopened the store in the spring of 2018.

In a letter to the city, SEH stated the redevelopment of the Camping World site will have implications on the ongoing Minnesota Department of Transportation Highway 371 access study and the interchange study MnDOT is doing for the future overpass at Highway 371 and Highway 210. There is a meeting Tuesday, Sept. 10, at MnDOT’s Baxter office, 7694 Industrial Park Road, regarding the overpass with one for businesses from 12:30-2 p.m. and a public meeting from 4-6 p.m.

The Highway 371 Access Study is expected to recommend future closure of the Highway 371 and Design Road intersection, which will have an impact on the traffic patterns in the area, Justin Anibas, project manager at SEH, wrote in an Aug. 22 letter to the council. “The future closure of this access will be included in future analysis scenarios to determine if there are any impacts, regardless of whether the site is redeveloped.”

MnDOT’s access study collected turning movement counts at Excelsior Road, Design Road and Clearwater Road last year, which SEH notes will be utilized for the Baxter traffic study. SEH will collect turning traffic counts during a 13-hour period from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Excelsior Road and Edgewood Drive, Design Road and Edgewood Drive, and Clearwater Road and Edgewood Drive. The traffic analysis will look at existing conditions and what 2030 would look like with the development five years after it opened and without it.

The city agreed to the study not to exceed $17,500.

The draft traffic impact analysis is expected to be back before the city by Oct. 18 for review with any revisions completed before Oct. 29.

In other business, the council:

Approved a proposal related

to the new dog park for design and construction

services with Widseth not to exceed $54,900.

“The proposal includes surveying design services, advertising, bidding, and construction staking,” a report to the city stated. “The proposal also includes the preparation of cost estimates for the project for the City Council’s consideration at a future City Council meeting.”

The dog park features are expected to include a 24-stall paved parking lot on the south side next to a paved access walking trail. A 10-foot wide paved access trail is proposed to connect the fenced dog park with the parking lot and the existing Clearwater Road trail.

Other features include: irrigation equipment, restroom facilities, concrete pad for benches and bike rack, and a 24-foot by 40-foot covered pavilion with concrete floor.

Plans call for a decorative wall bisecting the pavilion between the separate small and large dog portions of the park. A proposed wall will have a bridge replica, poem panel and pet remembrance area.

The park is expected to have a large dog area of about 29,750 square feet with a small dog area of 16,630 square feet. A woodchip trail would extend south of the dog park enclosure to an island in an existing wetland and then north to the parking area on the park’s west side. Permits will be required where the trails cross the wetland area.

Screening is also planned on the east side of the parking lot and dog park. Widseth stated it was prepared to begin work immediately with the authorization of the contract.

Approved a contract with WSB not to exceed $34,917 for the Loren Thompson Park hockey rink project.

“The City of Baxter budgeted for the replacement of the hockey rink at Loren Thompson Park for 2024 construction. Based on the estimated costs of such an improvement, it was concluded that the project would exceed the competitive bid thresholds set out in State Statute of $175,000 for the replacement of such rink. The intent of the project is to design a replacement rink that will fit into the City’s proposed budget for such improvements. The new hockey rink will be the same size as the existing rink. City staff approached WSB to provide a scope of work and professional services agreement to provide survey, design, bidding, and construction staking services for the replacement of the rink at Loren Thompson Park.”

Approved a temporary liquor license for Jack Pine Brewery for temporary liquor sales on Sept. 21 at the Northland Arboretum.

Approved a $2,370 donation for a memorial park bench from Deanndra Eschenbacher-Hondl to be dedicated in honor of Don and Gladi Eschenbacher at Mississippi Overlook Park on a trail parallel to the river.

Accepted the donation of two trees from Tammy Schultz to be placed in the city cemetery by the columbarium.

Renee Richardson, managing editor, may be reached at 218-855-5852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at @DispatchBizBuzz.