explains.“It’s about the connectivity here—the sense of engagement, where people genuinely care about what’s happening in their community and actively take part in shaping it.” ADDRESSING AGING INFRASTRUCTURE Like many other century-old cities, Columbia Heights faces aging infrastructure challenges. Its parks, buildings, and water systems need investment, and the city has embraced redevelopment as a key strategy to address these issues. The city’s approach to redevelopment is both innovative and practical. It often relies on publicprivate partnerships and creative problem-solving to move projects forward. One of the most notable examples is the new City Hall, located in the heart of downtown Columbia Heights. “This building sat vacant for eight years, and people said we couldn’t do anything with it,” Chirpich says, referring to the former office building that now houses the city’s municipal offices. “But we tore it down and redeveloped the site into a mixed-use project, with City Hall on the ground floor, 270 apartments above us, and a bank next door. It’s a cutting-edge public-private partnership.” Chirpich emphasizes the importance of these partnerships in tackling large-scale redevelopment projects, noting that the city often has to be resourceful due to limited financial resources. By working with private developers and other public agencies, Columbia Heights can address longstanding infrastructure issues like water and sewer problems while revitalizing the city’s critical areas. “We’re turning over by driving development,” Chirpich says. “When we do large-scale redevelopment, we find ways to fix infrastructure issues that have been around for decades.” One such project is redeveloping a 12-acre site in Columbia Heights, including new housing units 5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 10 COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, MN
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