In a significant stepping stone for city development, Maple Grove is on the verge of expanding its community center after announcing plans to acquire the adjacent Life Time’s 70,000-square foot building. According to a
social media post by the City of Maple Grove, MN – Local Government
, the acquisition will not only expand the community center’s footprint but also enrich the facilities it provides. Interested individuals can follow the project’s progress at GrowingTogetherMapleGrove.org, where more details are available.
Complementing this is Life Time’s decision to construct a new flagship fitness club on a 17.5-acre site within the Minnesota Health Village. This land deal was confirmed by Maple Grove’s Mayor Mark Steffenson in an interview with
CCX News
where he expressed the city’s excitement. “It has been a very long time coming,”
Steffenson said
, noting the years of negotiation leading up to this moment. The trade, which sees Life Time building a modern facility, allows Maple Grove to proceed with broader community center renovations, including an additional ice sheet which is part of the ongoing improvements.
These changes are expected to bring a substantial makeover to the community center. Phase one, already in motion, includes the construction of the third ice sheet. More ambitious is phase two, planned for the following year, which will feature enhancements to the aquatics area and other infrastructure, as a result of incorporating the Life Time building into the community center’s premises. Maple Grove officials have stated that the purchase will be made using $10.9 million from existing capital funds, with the complete financial involvement estimated to reach $17.5 million. This figure factors in a tax abatement and a waiver of special assessments allocated for the new Life Time facility.
Parks and Recreation Director Chuck Stifter outlined the benefits of having all city amenities in a single location. “We’ve got our ice sheet, our gymnasium, senior center, banquet facility, and a lot of communities have those on separate sites or have them split,” Stifter
told CCX News
. Maple Grove plans to relocate active recreation spaces, such as the gym and teen center, to the acquired Life Time building, enabling a centralized hub for community activities.
As for the new Life Time athletic club, it aims to elevate the health and fitness options available to the community. “We look forward to offering a new, more comprehensive athletic country club featuring our latest designs and amenities that better serves our members,” explained Life Time Senior Vice President John Griffith. The interim will see Life Time lease its current facility to ensure uninterrupted service until the new club is operational. The city anticipates bringing forward concept plans at the upcoming Nov. 25 Maple Grove Planning Commission meeting, with further reviews set for the Dec. 2 City Council meeting inclusive of the real estate exchange, leasing, and tax agreements.
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