and we will work with business and property owners to see if there’s another way for that streetscape to look,” he says. Potential options include changing to a two-way street, moving parking to another area, and expanding sidewalks to create larger patio space for restaurants, and pedestrian-friendly areas. HOUSING AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT Eric Bode, Owner of BoCo Real Estate, discusses the shifting demographics New Ulm is experiencing, noting a growing influx of retirees and younger people taking up roles in professional services and business ownership. He says this change has sparked a demand for new housing options.“Right now, we’ve had a shortage in the single-family home category, just from the aspect of people coming to town and people not moving out of their current homes into the next venture in life,” he recounts. To encourage a turnaround of housing stock, the city has put together a rehab program, helping homeowners to get their homes in shape to sell. “So, rehabbing the bones of the building- roofs, windows, things like that,” details Dalton. “If you’re 65 and older, you don’t make any payments until you sell the house. If you’re younger than 65, it’s a ten-year 1% interest loan to help you with those projects.” New Ulm is also pursuing the development of apartment units, reflecting findings from a recent housing study. “As of right now we have a 1% vacancy rate,” Dalton reports.“We have roughly 5900 individuals driving into town every day for work, some because they can’t find a place in town. So, looking at what’s going on, I think this will fulfill our need.” Along with encouraging mixed-use development in the downtown area, New Ulm is seeing the reuse of existing properties, creating unique housing opportunities. George’s Ballroom, a beloved art deco building with a storied history in the city, is no longer inhabitable and will need to be demolished. On approval, a developer has plans to convert the property into a multifamily, mixed use offering. Dalton expands, “We have gone through the State Historical Society, and they gave us certain things that we had to adhere to when demoing the building. We had a street dance, and there’s a sign outside that the developer has to take down. They have every intention to keep that sign on site and potentially restore it to its glory days.” A 70,000-square-foot former shopping mall in the downtown is also being transformed to include housing, greenspace, and some retail, with parking 150 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 08
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