Business View Civil Municipal - July 2023

239 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 7 WI LLMAR , MN contribution to revitalizing a previously underutilized area. This downtown housing project, described as a brownfield redevelopment site, marks a significant investment in the city’s core. “What’s great about that one is that it was the first major housing project in Willmar’s Renaissance Zone,” Backman shared, emphasizing its unique offerings like underground heated parking, electric vehicle charging stations, a roof patio, and a pet-friendly area. Investing in the Future: Building a New Rail Park Backman has his sights firmly set on the future, revealing that his top priority for the coming period is the development of the Willmar Rail Park. A product of strategic planning and potential economic spin-offs, this massive 145-acre project seeks to exploit the advantages of the city’s rail infrastructure. Backman detailed, “We have an investment/ rail services company out of Kentucky... that is interested in buying the land, putting in the rail infrastructure, managing the site, and interfacing with the tenants that need rail.” They’ve established their reliability and competence with previous ventures, owning five shortline railroads and six trans-loading facilities, and are keen to progress with the Willmar Rail Park project. Walker echoed Backman’s enthusiasm for the rail park, mentioning the rezoning processes and purchase agreements that the city needs to facilitate. However, he unveiled his primary focus: implementing a municipally owned open access fiber network. As the city’s representative on this project, Walker’s duties involve extensive research and working with Hometown Fiber, an infrastructure company, to construct the network.