[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6145939,"mediaKeyId","5529932-74954641d9f868010ebc03c2f177c2c3","parentId",5529932,"title","Bloomington reviews 50% design for community health and wellness center; construction targeted for late 2025","audioSeconds",919,"startMs",5963000,"endMs",6882000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5529932-74954641d9f868010ebc03c2f177c2c3&start=5963&end=6882","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5529932-74954641d9f868010ebc03c2f177c2c3/thumbnail_5963000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6145939/Bloomington-City/Hennepin-County/Minnesota/Bloomington-reviews-50-design-for-community-health-and-wellness-center-construction-targeted-for-late-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145939-c31dbc215aff7f1be0320c5185563bdf/orig.mp4?Expires=1778429092&Signature=Wr107rzMYyFups9TH4hDWJ6XnJYBmpX6PGPPgq4LpPmlNZ6Pz0ajatUqBUD1xdgHv-~Cj02riL8EJhBgrD6kLZUqviX~t56qRGVDbGX-VXmvB9Zq87NYmcQFxVKw35eDN8NCpxpfE8GzyhxSIxpJGrlu3E6piyFT6wSAhCbcxvPmp5Uq1sy82EUjwpvKDB9zqd7jfhGEiC8YamLFbx7gfGpUODJRRYIV-2QLRUw5x6x99q1z63Uv0TLBSAf56LSiOW0DR~LH~Z0ATiEhT6HKsT37p8us2FcdCgWVg2~ss-pDwWoHzbpuOb14hYXyq6Vif1b2vEFpCmsZxmjWiqqP3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Bloomington, MN","date","2025-08-04T22:04:35Z","article","Bloomington — City staff and the architectural team presented a 50% design development update Monday for Bloomington's Community Health and Wellness Center, outlining program elements, site changes and a timeline that could lead to construction starting later this year.

The project team said the building is roughly 106,000 square feet and includes a five‑lane lap pool, a family/lifestyle pool with a slide, a natatorium, two divisible gymnasiums (with space reserved for a third gym in future), studios, a walking track, event/multipurpose rooms and space for public health services including WIC. Project manager Dakota Kenyon told the council the update was informational; no council action was requested.

The design team reported the project is tracking toward a LEED Silver target with a projected point total around 55 of 110 available points. Tim Guyatt of HGA and team members described a materials pallet centered on textured precast, wood accents and extensive glazing to bring daylight into public spaces. Landscape and stormwater work will include native plantings and a new fitness loop roughly a quarter mile around the building.

Access and site changes: A traffic study and subsequent discussions with Hennepin County led staff to remove an access point near Jones Place that the county would not support; instead the plan now shows a single access from Penn Avenue and an east‑west connection through the site to Penn. A southern access near Ivy Lane will be limited to serve the adjacent Presbyterian Homes. The team also described an increase in trees: the plan saves 8 of 13 existing trees along Newton Avenue and adds roughly 38–40 new trees plus about 175 shrubs to provide a planted berm between the parking and the street.

Schedule and next steps: The team aims to finish design development by the end of August, begin construction documents and negotiate a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) with construction manager JE Dunn. Abatement work on the Creekside building has already begun; if schedules align, the team said excavation and construction could start in November 2025.

Council questions addressed acoustics, glazing, safety and transit access. Council member D'Alessandro asked about sound separation between gym activity and quieter spaces; the design team said they are working with an acoustic consultant and will use acoustic ceiling tiles, insulated walls and massing strategies to reduce sound transfer. The glass in the gym‑to‑lobby connections will be tempered laminated glazing, the team said, for impact resistance and acoustic control. Council members requested continued attention to lighting and bus stops; one council member asked staff to coordinate covered bus shelters with Metro Transit.

No formal approvals were requested Monday. Staff said they will return with the development review materials later in August and any necessary hearings in September. The council and staff discussed continuing outreach to nearby residents, adjustments to landscaping and measures to minimize lighting and noise impacts on adjacent neighborhoods.

Why it matters: The center is a major capital project that consolidates parks and recreation amenities with public health services and community programming. Its design and siting decisions — especially access from Penn Avenue and the parking configuration adjacent to Presbyterian Homes — affect neighborhood traffic, tree preservation and stormwater management. The timing of remediation, abatement and construction contracting will determine when the facility can open to the public.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","August 4, 2025 Bloomington City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","City staff and the project design team presented a 50% design‑development update Aug. 4, 2025, for the Community Health and Wellness Center, detailing a roughly 106,000‑square‑foot plan with pools, gyms, clinic space and a target to begin construction this fall if permits, abatement and contracting milestones align.","taxTitle","Bloomington City, Hennepin County, Minnesota","taxId",4372,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6145944,"Bloomington council tables debate on prevailing‑wage ordinance changes after hours of testimony",4804,1164000,5968000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5529932-74954641d9f868010ebc03c2f177c2c3&start=1164&end=5968","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5529932-74954641d9f868010ebc03c2f177c2c3/thumbnail_1164000.jpg","/articles/6145944/Bloomington-City/Hennepin-County/Minnesota/Bloomington-council-tables-debate-on-prevailingwage-ordinance-changes-after-hours-of-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145944-6f13f03a992d8f08a5d20b0d265060dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1778429092&Signature=oj8ID5KE8x4iZRArDy5Z7mJfe9GR-UzoecgxHRpLxX6y2hr36DDCGI6~ofhl1-OYieHOGcYV8xo6kcdO3xhy8OyfNYCKUi0tGoDDL2-5o1l7h9nSKB7JoWQiinYegTA4CoYLly8lExfZ9LOHbdkjrU6eKG8x5~IlJDn4YQI4WZe3R2MpuiNs6c2jn9ppZjLlxuTyi-qhygwDnSKVlxDHUO0TGh-c9nrQKD3M5S69eYNIadOVtBn5uAWGC5VfjywK~tdNMrOs6lolSHGkxNbvD~JlVby4bpdDFnFbN2VNlzEBY7r7t-BKB1wUYY38Uy3zGNpJkpx3cmyCzYyHqKHVMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bloomington — The City Council on Monday tabled indefinitely a set of proposed changes to the city's prevailing‑wage ordinance after a public hearing that drew union representatives, policy researchers and developers.

Sarah Abe, Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority administrator, told the council the city's prevailing‑wage ordinance was adopted on June 17, 2024, and applies to projects in which the city, HRA or port provides funding when a total project cost exceeds $175,000. Staff presented five proposed changes that included administrative clarifications and two broader policy options: an explicit waiver process for individual projects and expanding the small‑project exemption from the Davis‑Bacon standard of 8 units up to 20 units.

The ordinance proposal would clarify that pass‑through and conduit bond funding are exempt, add an explicit rule‑making authority for administration, and offer a two‑step test for any waiver that would require (1) consistency with the comprehensive plan and demonstrated financial infeasibility and (2) at least one additional showing such as prior failed development attempts, a site vacant for five years, or a unique hardship.

Why it matters: Bloomington's prevailing‑wage rules affect any development that receives public assistance and crosses the $175,000 project‑cost threshold. Supporters of the existing ordinance said it protects workers from wage theft and levels the playing field for legitimate contractors; opponents urged flexibility for hard‑to‑develop sites and small projects.

Speakers at the public hearing urged opposing outcomes on starkly different grounds. Lucas Franco, research manager for a construction union representing workers in Minnesota and North Dakota, said, “we can't try to solve our housing crisis on the backs of vulnerable workers.” Jake Schweitzer of North Star Policy Action and other speakers presented research and examples purporting to show widespread wage theft and argued exemptions would reward developers who undercut labor standards. Representatives of the developer seeking relief at a site in Bloomington provided pro forma materials to staff and said remediation and site conditions drive their economics; Kevin Knaes of the Port Authority said staff had reviewed the developer's pro forma and remediation estimates.

Council debate focused on process and scope rather than the general principle of protecting workers. Several council members said they were not satisfied with the outreach and level of stakeholder engagement before the proposal was presented and expressed concern about giving staff broad rule‑making authority without clearer guardrails. Council member D'Alessandro offered a motion to approve the administrative clarifications while removing the policy provisions (the 20‑unit exemption and the waiver language). That motion failed on a 3–3 vote. Council member Lohmann then moved to table the item indefinitely and direct staff to return with alternatives and additional stakeholder work; the motion carried 4–2 (D'Alessandro and Mayor Tim Bussey opposed).

Formal actions taken at the meeting:
- The council closed the public hearing on item 4.1 by motion (motion by Council member Lohmann, second by Council member Rivas). The hearing closed without immediate council action.
- A motion by Council member D'Alessandro to adopt the administrative amendments while excluding the waiver provision (23.36(c)) and the 20‑unit exemption (23.36(d)) failed 3–3.
- Council member Lohmann moved to table the entire item indefinitely and direct staff to bring back alternatives; second by Council member Rivas. Motion passed 4–2.

What was discussed and not decided: Staff presented administrative items staff said would clarify existing practice (for example, confirming that federal Davis‑Bacon small‑project exemptions apply and explicitly exempting pass‑through and conduit bond funds). The council did not adopt the policy changes — the waiver procedure or the proposed expansion of the exemption to projects of 20 units or fewer — and did not change the effective threshold ($175,000) announced in the 2024 ordinance. Council members and commenters asked staff to return with more analysis on how many projects could qualify for waivers, what documentation would be required, and what contractual protections (affidavits, payroll audits, complaint channels) could be required where a waiver might be granted.

Next steps: The item is tabled indefinitely. Council directed staff to continue stakeholder engagement — including labor groups, developers and the HRA/port — and to return with options and additional analysis. If council later adopts amendments, staff said the ordinance changes would be posted per statutory notice and would be effective 10 days after posting, and any administrative rules would be effective 30 days after publication if rulemaking authority is granted.

Context and balance: Union and labor‑aligned groups urged the council to reject policy exemptions, saying prevailing wage prevents wage theft and does not materially increase project costs when contractors play by the rules. Several research presenters and a compliance monitor described historical and recent examples of subcontractor wage theft tied to projects where prevailing wage was not required. Developers and port authority staff said remediation and site conditions can make particular projects economically marginal and provided pro forma estimates to the city for staff review. Council members repeatedly separated administrative clarifications from policy changes and expressed concern about adopting broad new waiver authority without a detailed, public standard and stronger outreach to affected parties.

For now, the ordinance remains as adopted in June 2024; the council will consider further changes only after additional staff analysis and wider stakeholder consultation.","After a public hearing and nearly three hours of testimony on Aug. 4, 2025, the Bloomington City Council voted to table proposed policy changes to its prevailing‑wage ordinance and instead postpone further action to allow more stakeholder work and staff follow‑up.","actionData","errors"]

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Bloomington reviews 50% design for community health and wellness center; construction targeted for late 2025

Bloomington council tables debate on prevailing‑wage ordinance changes after hours of testimony