If you?Äôve come through Kimball any time in the past week, you can?Äôt help but have noticed the empty lot where Arnold Auto once stood.
For sale for several years after Tim Arnold retired for health reasons, the large corner lot (plus the adjacent lot) were recently purchased by Randy and Rose Mattson of Annandale.
There are no specifics at this time about which businesses will go there, as no contracts have yet been finalized. What we do know is that construction wil begin ?Äúin full earnest?Äù next spring. By then, all the plans, architectural drawings, and permits will be in place.
?ÄúThere?Äôs way too much stuff to do before winter,?Äù explained owner Randy Mattson.
?ÄúWe?Äôre past the point?Äù of getting anything built this year, he added.
He also explained that there was no scenario where he could have used the building that was there. Tuesday, Sept. 9, the apple trees were taken down. The lot will remain level, and empty, all winter.
The plan is to build 5-7,000 square feet of retail/office space, with anchor businesses on each end of the complex and space for other businesses between. Development of the second lot, to the east, may follow, with a building perpendicular to the first one.
?ÄúI?Äôm extremely pleased that we?Äôre moving forward with this,?Äù Mattson said.
(If you are interested in leasing space here, please call Randy Mattson at (612) 669-3950.)
What used to be Arnold Auto, on the corner of Highways 15 and 55 in Kimball, was levelled Friday afternoon, Sept. 5. The lot will remain vacant until spring when several new businesses may go there. Staff photo by Jean Doran Matua.