With a Building Bigger than Mall of America, Fridley Land Poised for Big Things

The sealing of the deal this month to turn a huge industrial parcel of land along East River Road in Fridley into a sprawling business park caught the attention of Minnesota's biggest daily newspapers. 

Fridley Mayor Scott Lund told the St. Paul Pioneer Press the scale of the project is unprecedented: 

"Formerly known as the FMC site, the parcel is home to the state's largest industrial building. The structure, nearly 2 million square feet, was built in 1940 as a naval ordnance manufacturing facility for the Northern Pump Co., which later became FMC Corp. ...

"'It's probably the most complicated land use deal in the history of Fridley,' said Mayor Scott Lund, noting the site's size and contamination. 'Given all that, it's very exciting to have a significant improvement that will only add to the tax base of Fridley as well as create jobs.'"  

The building now housing BAE Systems is bigger than the Mall of America, the Star Tribune reported: 

"Hyde Development plans to pump $100 million to $150 million to clean up and develop the site in a project that could ultimately create 4,000 jobs, said Paul Hyde, principal at the firm. ...

"Hyde Development specializes in projects involving environmental contamination. 'This is our fourth Superfund site that we’ve done; we really like these projects,' Hyde said. 'We like it because of the location near 694 and East River Road, the proximity of the Northstar commuter line and the fact that the industrial market is recovering.'”

Related: 

• Report: Huge Fridley BAE Site Sold
• Tentative Deal Would Redevelop BAE Site
• BAE Property Redevelopment Process Moves Ahead