Finance and Commerce Daily Newspaper, MN articles from September 2007

Finance and Commerce Daily Newspaper, MN archives from September 2007

Raising Cane's restaurant, with only one menu item, opens in Apple Valley.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Jim Martyka If you walk in to the new Raising Cane's restaurant in Apple Valley, you'd better be hungry for some chicken fingers... because that's all you'll find on the menu. Despite the limited menu options, Raising Cane's is...

John Kimball named chief executive at St. Paul-based American Bank.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Mark Anderson John Kimball and American Bank finally found each other. St. Paul-based American signed Kimball to a contract in July to be its new CEO after a six-month search for an executive who could deliver big bank experience...

Military bias claim against ex-employer can go forward.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Barbara L. Jones A Marine's claim that he was fired for asserting his rights to miss work for medical treatment for illnesses incurred at least in part while on active duty in Iraq may go forward, a federal judge has ruled. The...

Commentary: Historic preservation.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Stratton The Washburn "A" Mill that now houses the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis has twice risen from the ashes. The first time was in 1878, when a devastating explosion killed 18 people. The mill was rebuilt and continued...

Engineers work to keep traffic management in Minneapolis under control.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Stratton Don Sobania and his team of engineers are charged with keeping cars, bicycles, pedestrians and mass transit moving smoothly throughout Minneapolis, largely by controlling approximately 800 traffic lights. Traffic...

Twin tunnels carrying trains to and from Minneapolis-St. Paul airport were major undertaking.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Jeremy Stratton The twin tunnels that carry Hiawatha Line trains to and from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are an engineering wonder, and the awards prove it. In 2005 Bloomington-based HNTB Corp., the main consultant...

Father Louis Hennepin Bridge in Minneapolis recalls earlier spans.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Anna Pratt The Father Louis Hennepin Bridge in Minneapolis is a steel cable suspension bridge built in 1990 that pays homage to similar structures that once stood in its place. But some argue that the bridge's design was...

Minnesota Dept. of Transportation rebuilding Crosstown Commons.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Anna Pratt Many drivers are all too familiar with the woes of Crosstown Commons. Scores of commuters who head into the chronically congested interchange of Interstate 35W and Highway 62 are forced to navigate the weaving '60s-era...

Owatonna Country Club uses landscaping to control flooding.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Anna Pratt The grassy knolls at Owatonna Country Club are studded with a colorful variety of flowers, trees and other vegetation, making it an attraction for both wildlife and golfers. The golf course hasn't always been so idyllic,...

Twin Cities Tenant: Corporate concierge offers service with a smile.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Frank Jossi Want tickets to a Minnesota Twins game? Have clients coming to town who need hotel rooms, rental cars or restaurant suggestions? Need to send flowers to your spouse or mother? If you're lucky enough to work in one of...

Commentary: Integrating design and corporate identity.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Lee Seppings A number of companies refresh the appearance of their space or consider relocation options every five to seven years. While going through this exercise, there is a great opportunity to evaluate how design can impact...

Commentary: Planning to move.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Anna Pratt Welsh Cos. is approaching its upcoming move to a new 100,000-square-foot headquarters in Minnetonka pretty much the same way it would any other business endeavor: by paying close attention to the needs and wants of its...

Twin Cities Tenant: Stopping climate change.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Michael Krieger "Is it cold in here?" It's a silly question, if you think about it. But the discursive replies come pouring forth nonetheless. "Yeah, I'm freezing!" "Really? I'm hot. But maybe it's just me." Repeated countless...

Commentary: Endless bridge, boundless creativity.
September 1, 2007... Byline: Anna Pratt An "endless bridge" reaches out to the Mississippi River while the rest of the lobby seems suspended in midair, to dramatic effect, at the Guthrie Theater on the riverfront in Minneapolis. The building appears to hover...

Historic Univ. of Minnesota building is cleaner, sharper after exterior restoration.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Brian Johnson An exterior restoration that will bring Northrop Memorial Auditorium closer to its original appearance is nearing completion, one brick at a time. For more than a year, crews from Advanced Masonry Restoration have...

One word: Northrop -- Univ. of Minnesota historic building more than an auditorium.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Brian Johnson When Steven Rosenstone talks about the future of Northrop Memorial Auditorium, he chooses his words carefully. Make that his word. Deemphasizing the "auditorium" part of the University of Minnesota facility,...

Minneapolis-based Smiley's Clinic uses color to overcome language barriers.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Adam Johnson Living in a country where you don't know the language can be frightening at times, especially when it comes to visiting a doctor. At Smiley's Clinic, run by University of Minnesota Physicians, more than half of the...

Ten Minnesota armories to eliminate indoor firing ranges.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Adam Johnson The Minnesota National Guard is preparing for a flurry of construction activity this fall, including the elimination of most of its indoor firing ranges at armories throughout the state. Ten armory firing ranges, in...

Business coalition asks for more time on 'no match' rules.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Brian Johnson A coalition of business interests is asking for more time to sort out the new federal rules regarding undocumented workers. The Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, which includes a handful of construction groups,...

St. Paul-based Oertel Architects gives form, function to public works buildings.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Adam Johnson At least a dozen metro suburbs are looking to expand or replace their existing public works facilities, and the majority of them are turning to one source for the design: Oertel Architects. The St. Paul firm has...

Contractors weigh risks and rewards of Minnesota's 35W bridge project.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Brian Johnson The Interstate 35W bridge project poses significant risks as well as potential rewards for contractors. The Minnesota Department of Transportation plans to offer various incentives to expedite the design-build...

Olsson Associates adds transportation services at Edina office.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report Olsson Associates has added transportation consulting to its lineup of design and engineering services at its Edina office. Industry veterans Jeffrey Rhoda and Michael Zmuda will lead the new...

St. Cloud State University hosts open house for dining hall.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report St. Cloud State University will hold an open house Sunday for its newly renovated student dining hall. The $1.5 million renovation was designed to create a better atmosphere and improve traffic flow...

Short Elliott Hendrickson adds design team leader at St. Paul office.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report Veteran engineer Jerry Mulvihill has joined the St. Paul office of Short Elliott Hendrickson. Mulvihill, who has 18 years of industry experience, will lead the firm's central region structural design...

Travis Rengstorf hired at American Engineering Testing Inc. in St. Paul.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report Travis Rengstorf has joined the geotechnical division at American Engineering Testing Inc. in St. Paul. Rengstorf has a master's degree in civil engineering, with a geotechnical emphasis, from Iowa...

Groundbreaking planned for Koda Energy plant in Shakopee.
September 4, 2007... Koda Energy, a joint partnership of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and Rahr Malting, will break ground Sept. 13 on a renewable energy plant. The plant will use agricultural byproducts, such as oat hulls and barley malting waste, and...

Minn.'s National Assn. of Industrial and Office Properties to present 'The Future of Buildings'.
September 4, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report The Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties will offer a program entitled "The Future of Buildings" on Tuesday, Sept. 18. A panel will discuss site...

Bill aims to keep sex offenders away from Minnesota schools.
September 5, 2007... Byline: Charley Shaw As parents dropped their kids off on the first day of school Tuesday morning, state Rep. Joe Atkins was holding a press conference to announce legislation he said would make it tougher for sex offenders to loiter too...

Profiling the Legislature: State Rep. Michael Beard.
September 5, 2007... Byline: Frank Jossi As a boy growing up in Clearfield, a small town in mountainous western Pennsylvania, Rep. Michael Beard (35A) dreamed of learning to fly and becoming a bush pilot. That dream died hard, but the Shakopee Republican did...

Profiling the Legislature: Sen. Jim Carlson.
September 5, 2007... Byline: Todd Messelt Sen. Jim Carlson's roots run deep into the soil of Eagan and the 38th Senate District, where he was born, raised and still lives today. Hunching over a city map in his Senate office, the DFLer points to a residential...

Avon-based companycould save consumers, retailers money when fueling vehicles.
September 5, 2007... Byline: Adam Johnson A plastic card could save consumers and retailers money every time they fuel their vehicles, whether it's a gas-guzzling SUV or a fuel-sipping hybrid. The best part is that the card is already in drivers' wallets....

With Madelia model, prairie grass points to economic growth.
September 5, 2007... Byline: Charley Shaw Within a 25-mile radius surrounding the southern Minnesota city of Madelia, 1.9 million acres of crops are planted each year. Rows of mostly corn and soybeans blanket the area. But an assortment of local officials,...

Hopkins developer proposes Crystal Airport project.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Mark Anderson The Beard Group has a tantalizing idea in the works for the 60-year-old Crystal Airport, just north of Bass Lake Road in Crystal. The Hopkins-based developer wants to convert the site's 433 acres into new housing and...

Public gets its turn on Minnesota bridge debate.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Brian Johnson Transportation officials, politicians and pundits have had their say about plans for a new Interstate 35W bridge, and now it's the public's turn to speak. In a series of recent open houses, Minnesota Department of...

Winners named for 7th annual Top Women in Finance.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Michael Krieger Finance and Commerce has selected the winners of the 2007 Top Women in Finance award. The honor, now in its seventh year, is reserved for women who have contributed to the financial services arena by positively...

Dale Street Village planned at University and Dale in St. Paul.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Burl Gilyard Neighborhood groups have been talking for years about redeveloping the northeast corner of University Avenue and Dale Street in St. Paul. Now Beverly Hawkins said its time has come. Hawkins is president of NEDU...

Groups find new use for greenhouse site in St. Paul.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Burl Gilyard The Dale Street Greenhouse traces its history to the 1880s. But when the previous owner went looking for a buyer for the business, she found no takers. Enter the nonprofit Greater Frogtown Community Development Corp....

Unions press Gov. Pawlenty for a special session.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Charley Shaw Union officials and transportation advocates Wednesday called on Gov. Tim Pawlenty to call a special session to fix what they said is a "transportation funding crisis" in Minnesota. "What we need is dedicated funding...

Ace Hotel Group to anchor mixed-use project in South Minneapolis.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Burl Gilyard When Seattle-based Ace Hotel Group opened a new hotel in Portland, Ore., earlier this year, the project won plaudits from the New York Times, which dubbed it "the country's most original new hotel." Now Ace is...

St. Louis Park-based Sholom Community Alliance developing W. Seventh campus.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Burl Gilyard St. Louis Park-based nonprofit Sholom Community Alliance is building a senior housing and care campus at West Seventh Street and Otto Avenue in St. Paul. The Rossy and Richard Shaller Family Sholom East Campus will...

Hennepin County to examine possible sale of Century Plaza.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Bill Clements The Hennepin County Board voted unanimously on Tuesday to study whether to sell a downtown building that some see as a good site for a major convention hotel. Century Plaza, which houses 850 county staff at 1111 Third...

Bloomington-based United Properties closes on Ford Centre deal.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Burl Gilyard Bloomington-based United Properties has purchased the Ford Centre, a 268,000-square-foot Class C property near the site of the new Twins baseball stadium in Minneapolis. Terms of the sale, which closed last Friday,...

Rum River Plaza in Ramsey sold for $1.8 million.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report A 29,000-square-foot retail center in Ramsey has been sold for $1.8 million, according to the Minneapolis office of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, which represented the seller. Rum River Plaza, 5900...

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport light-rail stop to reopen Saturday.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report The Humphrey Terminal light-rail station at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport will reopen early Saturday morning. The station has been closed for the past year during the first stage of the...

Lander Group moves to northeast Minneapolis.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report When Lander Group moved last spring from Uptown to its new digs at 1302 Second St. NE, the development firm was the first to occupy the 5,100-square-foot, 85-year-old former bank building. Lander,...

United Properties of Bloomington assigned to Carlson building.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report Two senior brokers from United Properties of Bloomington have been assigned to handle leasing for an office property owned by Carlson Real Estate Co. in downtown Minneapolis. Sonja Breyfogle and Jim...

Finalists announced for Minneapolis's $1 million Opus Prize.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report The Opus Prize Foundation has announced the three finalists for its 2007 $1 million humanitarian Opus Prize. The Opus Prize will be presented at a ceremony Thursday, Nov. 8, at Catholic University's...

Route changed for Women Run the Cities in Minneapolis.
September 6, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report Because of the 35W bridge collapse, the route for the Sept. 23 charity running event for Minnesota Commercial Real Estate Women (MNCREW) has changed. The event's 10-mile race will now begin and end...

St. Paul-based security firm Icon hires Minneapolis PR firm Maccabee Group.
September 7, 2007... Byline: Bob Geiger Elijah Shaw, a direct man who keeps steady eye contact, is comfortable watching for signs of danger when rap and hip-hop musicians or supermodel Naomi Campbell are in the spotlight. The nationally renowned bodyguard has...

Porsche drops Minneapolis-based Carmichael Lynch agency.
September 7, 2007... Byline: Bob Geiger Minneapolis ad agency Carmichael Lynch has lost its account with Porsche Cars North America after vehicle unit sales dropped 2.7 percent through the first eight months of the year. The German car and SUV manufacturer on...

Tech consultants' report shows explosive growth in electronic data discovery.
September 7, 2007... Byline: Jane Pribek In 1987, there was one business dedicated solely to providing electronic data discovery services. In 1992, there were about five more. By 2000, there were about 40. Today, there are more than 600 businesses offering, or...

Minnetonka-based Cargill subsidiary re-branded.
September 7, 2007... Byline: Bob Geiger Minnetonka-based Cargill Inc. this week changed the name of its Sunny Fresh Foods Inc. subsidiary to Cargill Kitchen Solutions Inc. and announced plans to expand its lineup of egg and breakfast products through...

Striking out harassment in the locker room.
September 7, 2007... Byline: Justin Rebello Gregory Stenmoe doesn't pitch or hit or catch fly balls; he doesn't review game film, scout young prospects or sign free agents. But he does provide another critical resource for professional athletes -- workplace...

Gov. wants special session.
September 8, 2007... Byline: Charley Shaw Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced $32 million in flood relief on Friday and said he wants a one-day, flood-relief-only special session. Pawlenty was hoping to finish hammering out an agreement with DFL legislative leaders on...

More lawyers get flex arrangements without flak.
September 8, 2007... Byline: Dan Heilman When Julie Drewes' daughter Ella was born 13 months ago, she knew her daily routine would change. Fortunately for Drewes, a transactional attorney at Briggs and Morgan, she was able to work with the firm to devise a...

Minneapolis-based Dolan Media posts second quarter results.(Financial report)
September 8, 2007... Byline: Finance & Commerce Staff Report Minneapolis-based Dolan Media Co. reported its second quarter 2007 results after the close of the market on Thursday, its first such report as a newly public company. Dolan reported second quarter...

Construction economists are hopeful about commercial building climate.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Brian Johnson Construction economists remain hopeful about the non-residential building climate, despite the recent news that all construction activity fell 0.4 percent in July. While the housing market continues to slump,...

Minnesota state treatment center to leave Fergus Falls landmark.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Adam Johnson After almost 120 years, the sprawling complex of the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center soon won't house medical patients, as state and county officials prepare for the construction of a new 60-bed chemical...

Minnesota Department of Transportation's Crosstown project makes progress.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Adam Johnson Despite a couple of headache-inducing traffic snarls, the road closure at Interstate 35W and Highway 62 over the weekend was a big leap forward for the $288 million Crosstown project. As new beams were placed on the...

Warm-mix asphalt being considered for Minnesota.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Brian Johnson When it comes to asphalt paving technology, warm is hot. Transportation officials in Minnesota and throughout the United States are warming up to warm-mix asphalt technology as a clean and economical alternative to...

U.S. Department of Labor awards $3M in flood assistance to Minnesota.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Finance and Commerce Staff Report The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a $3 million grant to assist with flood-related cleanup efforts in southern Minnesota. The grant, awarded to the Minnesota Department of Employment and...

England-based Cybex to open new plant in Owatonna, Minn.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Finance and Commerce Staff Report Cybex International, a Derbyshire, England, based manufacturer of exercise equipment for the commercial and consumer markets, will cut the ribbon at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday for a $15 million...

Minneapolis-based KKE Architects elects Randy Lindemann to board.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Finance and Commerce Staff Report Randy Lindemann has been elected to the board of directors of Minneapolis-based KKE Architects. Lindemann has spent most of his career at KKE, where he has led design projects on justice facilities...

April Haas joins Hay Dobbs as an architectural designer.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Finance and Commerce Staff Report April Haas has joined Hay Dobbs as an architectural designer. Hass, who has a degree from the University of Minnesota, is LEED-certified and a member of the St. Paul Heritage Preservation...

Residential construction in the Twin Cities remains slow in August.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Finance and Commerce Staff Report Residential construction activity in the Twin Cities continues to lag behind last year's pace. In August, Twin Cities municipalities issued building permits for 911 housing units, down from 1,646...

Minnesota-based FlowSense to work on U.S. Fish & Wildlife project.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Finance and Commerce Staff Report The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has awarded a contract to FlowSense for asbestos abatement and remediation services. FlowSense -- a Maple Grove-based firm that provides HVAC services, mechanical...

Visitor's center renovations proposed for Minnesota's Fort Snelling.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Adam Johnson The Minnesota Historical Society wants to build a new visitor's center to replace the leaky bunker that now welcomes visitors to the Fort Snelling Historic Landmark site. The proposal is part of a $24.8 million project...

Minnesota school wish lists reach $540M.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Brian Johnson More than $540 million worth of school construction will be on the line this fall as dozens of school districts go before the voters with bond referendums. At least 28 districts will ask residents to pay for a...

AGC officials traveling state in search of troubled bridges.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Brian Johnson A handful of local transportation boosters are hitting the road this month to document examples of what they see as Minnesota's "crumbling infrastructure." The group includes Tim Worke, director of the Associated...

Bridge inspection categories and definitions.
September 11, 2007... Byline: Brian Johnson Bridges and culverts that carry vehicles and are longer than 20 feet are included in the National Bridge Inventory System. National Bridge Inspection Standards ratings describe the condition of a bridge or culvert....

Rochester-based Muve Inc. receives top honors at the Minn. Cup.
September 12, 2007... Byline: Adam Johnson Less than two weeks after a national health report found that obesity rates rose in every state between 2003 and 2007, Muve Inc. found itself in the spotlight last week with a possible solution. The Rochester startup...

Special session tackles floods, not bridges in Minnesota.
September 12, 2007... Byline: Charley Shaw On Tuesday morning, before a House committee began discussing the special session disaster relief bill, members viewed photos of damage from the recent floods that killed seven people in southeastern Minnesota. Photos...

Profiling the Legislature: Terryl Clark.
September 12, 2007... Byline: Todd Messelt When Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, started her first term in office last year, she was already a familiar face in the Senate. As a lobbyist for children and family advocacy groups like the Minnesota Community...

Profiling the Legislature: John Berns.
September 12, 2007... Byline: Frank Jossi Despite spending only a year at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Rep. John Berns sees that experience as a turning point in his life. "I was a kid from a small town and it was a bit of a culture shock,...

Investors feeling the pinch of changing credit markets.
September 13, 2007... Byline: Burl Gilyard As the debt markets continue to roil, investors are seeing deals fall apart, get yanked off the market or get re-priced. Michael Houge, principal with Minneapolis-based Upland Real Estate Group, got a close-up look at...

Rumors and more rumors about Best Buy's plans to open store in downtown Minneapolis.
September 13, 2007... Byline: Burl Gilyard The buzz about Best Buy Co. opening a store in downtown Minneapolis has been ongoing for a couple of years, but the prospects for a deal remain unclear. The latest speculation has the Richfield-based electronics...

Midland Building being converted to Hotel Minneapolis.
September 13, 2007... Byline: Bill Clements Bill Morrissey is hoping the new Hotel Minneapolis in the old Midland Building will become for Minneapolis what the Saint Paul Hotel is for St. Paul -- a signature downtown attraction. Morrissey's company, Morrissey...

Placing blame for mortgage meltdown in Minnesota.
September 13, 2007... Byline: Dan Heilman The mortgage crisis is playing out in myriad ways, and is affecting millions of people directly and indirectly: Lending has become more restrictive, home-sale figures have plummeted, foreclosures have skyrocketed and...

Minnesota lawmakers pass $157M in flood relief for southeastern Minnesota.
September 13, 2007... Byline: Charley Shaw State lawmakers spent a long Tuesday night and Wednesday morning at the Capitol to pass $157 million in flood relief for southeastern Minnesota. The eight-hour special session started a day after Gov. Tim Pawlenty...

Minnesota Legislature's special session: Long night's journey into ... humor.
September 13, 2007... Byline: Charley Shaw Moments of levity interrupted the hurry-up-and-wait moments of boredom during the special session that stretched from Tuesday evening into the wee hours of Wednesday morning. House Minority Leader Marty Seifert,...

Special sessions becoming more frequent, says Minnesota House Research division.
September 13, 2007... Byline: Bill Clements Perhaps it's no surprise, but special legislative sessions, once rare, have become more frequent during the more politically combative last few decades. According to the House Research division of the Minnesota House...

Ripley Gardens opens in north Minneapolis.
September 13, 2007... Byline: Burl Gilyard Nonprofit affordable housing development is always a long, slow road. The journey typically demands patience and a myriad of funding sources. The story was no different for Minneapolis-based Central Community Housing...

Maple Grove townhouse project open for business.
September 13, 2007... Byline: Finance and Commerce Staff The sales center has opened for a new townhouse project in Maple Grove. The Townhomes at Arbor Lakes, featuring 52 townhouses that cost from $219,000 to the $350,000s, is located off I-94 and Weaver Lake...

Opus Building dedicated at Mayo Clinic.
September 13, 2007... Byline: Finance and Commerce Staff Officials from the Opus Group, Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) this week dedicated the Opus Building, a 40,000-square-foot imaging research center on the Mayo campus in Rochester....