Hundreds of new homes proposed for Wyoming golf course site

A bold development that would eventually bring more than 400 new housing units and 50 acres of commercial uses to Wyoming, Minnesota, is on track to begin as soon as this summer, but that could change if the wheels of government stop turning.

Though the project appears to have solid support from city leaders, who see a need for more housing choices in the east central Minnesota town, the project’s timeline rides in part on what happens with a higher governmental authority, according to the developer.

Developer Alan Roessler of Paxmar Development said the Greenwood at Carlos Avery proposal requires federal floodplain approvals that could be delayed if the government shuts down again. Another shutdown could happen this Friday if lawmakers fail to reach a deal to fund the government by then.

“That will be really playing into our timing. Another shutdown could push this project out another year,” Roessler said in an interview Monday. “It’s a real wild card. You don’t have any real idea on what is going to happen.”

If all goes as planned, the Paxmar proposal will bring 300 single-family houses, 100 multifamily units, and 50 acres of commercial development to a 193-acre site at the former Greenwood Golf Links golf course in Wyoming. Paxmar owns the property.

The site is bordered by the Carlos Avery State Wildlife Management Area on the northwest, and is just north of East Viking Boulevard and west of Interstate 35, according to an Environmental Assessment Worksheet.

The city of Wyoming is accepting comments on the EAW through March 13. After the environmental review, the project would go before the city for additional reviews, said Fred Weck, the city’s zoning administrator.

Weck said there’s a need for more housing in Wyoming, a Chisago County community located along the I-35 corridor about 35 miles north of downtown Minneapolis. Affordable and senior products are in especially short supply, he said.

“The county itself is very short on commercial space, so the commercial portion of this development is also needed,” said Weck, who added that Greenwood at Carlos Avery would be the city’s biggest new development in a long time.

Elsewhere in Chisago County, Paxmar is proposing nearly 600 units, including apartments and single-family houses, on a farm property just west of I-35 in the southwest quadrant of 400th Street and Flink Avenue.

A June 2018 study from Maxfield Research shows potential demand for 4,760 new housing units in Chisago County through 2030. During that time, Wyoming’s population is expected to grow by 27 percent, the study said. The town currently has about 7,900 residents.

Wyoming has the highest median income among all the Chisago County submarkets, according to the study. In 2017, the median household income of Wyoming was $77,414, and that’s projected to increase to $82,283 in 2022, the study said.

Between 2000 and 2017, Wyoming issued permits for 262 new single-family houses and 32 new multifamily units, according to the Maxfield study.

Roessler said the development would play out in six to eight phases, with home prices ranging from about $200,000 to $500,000. Potential commercial uses include a 100-room hotel, retail and offices.

“Everything we are proposing is based on consumer demand,” Roessler said. “We are not trying to put a round peg in a square hole, so to speak.”

Related:

• Nearly 1,000 housing units proposed for North Branch