If approved, Alerus would demolish the building and construct a 10,000-square-foot Class A building with a large glass curtain wall facing south.
JLG Architects of Minneapolis is the architect on the sketch plans, which will be discussed at Wednesday night’s Planning Commission meeting.
Alerus Regional President Sara Ausman said the France Avenue project is just one of a couple options the bank is considering for the area, but if approved the design is meant to be open and collaborative. It would also house all of Alerus’s business lines, including residential mortgage, retirement planning, commercial lending and trust services, among others.
The building is currently home to MAPS Behavioral Health & Physical Therapy. MAPS is consolidating to the next-door building at 7400 France, said Fred Hedberg, a co-owner of the site.
Hedberg’s grandfather built the one-level brick structure in 1969.Fred Hedberg, principal at Bloomington-based Paramount Real Estate Corp. bought it in 1986 with several partners. Hedberg had been looking to lease the property.
“We really wanted to lease it. It’s been a great little building, but all of a sudden we started getting some people who wanted to buy it,” he said. “We got some strong offers and it made sense. The partnership has been going for a long time and some of the partners thought it was a good time to get out.”
Alerus has seven Twin Cities branches, including one in Edina at 7650 Edinborough Way, though that one is not a full-service branch.
