Elk River, MN Adopts Downtown Plan

Leland Consulting Group recently worked as part of a team led by Minnesota-based engineering, design, and planning consultant Bolton & Menk to develop a Downtown Master Plan for the city of Elk River, Minnesota. Elk River is a city of around 27,000 residents located just over 30 miles northwest of Minneapolis. Its downtown is located on the banks of the Mississippi River, and a riverside park is the site of live music and festivals throughout the summer. Leland and Bolton & Menk worked with City staff and a steering committee comprised of downtown stakeholders to identify current challenges and community priorities for creating a thriving place for residents and businesses. The resulting plan included recommendations for three key areas:

• Downtown – the community’s center, offering places to work, shop, dine, gather, and play.
• Uptown – a new walkable residential neighborhood with options for living close to downtown.
• Riverfront – a destination park leveraging views of the river with new places to recreate, gather, and play.

The City Council adopted the plan in a four-to-one vote on June 3^rd. We look forward to seeing how this area evolves over the next few years!