Summer is upon us and it brings a distinct energy to everyone lucky enough to live here. Extra-long days are a bonus and outdoor enthusiasts make time to get on the water, the golf course, tend to the garden, or find any reason to get outside. We literally have some of the finest weather in the Country with daytime highs in the 70’s and low 80’s and cool evenings in the 50’s.
In this Summer newsletter, we’ll provide an update on projects underway in the County; highlight a new business looking to offer an opportunity to overnight on Rainy Lake; meet the new owner of an established restaurant who, through her passion, breathed new life into it; and the new quarter minted to honor Voyageurs National Park.
Cantilever Bridge Distillery and Hotel. Construction will begin this summer on a distillery and boutique hotel in historic downtown Ranier. The project will begin with Phase I with the construction of the Cantilever Bridge Distillery, a tasting room and 31 hotel rooms. Phase II, slated for construction in 2019, will be located across the street on the shores of Rainy Lake and will feature a restaurant, coffee shop, office and retail space and eight additional hotel rooms. The multi-million dollar project is the vision of three local entrepreneurs with extensive development experience. Their vision is to create a destination property (via road and water) that will capture the history of the small port town and complement existing businesses. The project has received support from local, regional, and state entities and has used a variety of incentives, in addition to a large private investment, including tax abatement.
International Falls Airport – Phase II. Demolition of the old terminal building will begin in July and clear the way for construction of Phase II of the new International Falls airport terminal project. Phase I of the project – a completely new terminal building – was opened in October of 2017. This phase of the project will provide new space for US Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA), the National Weather Service, and the Falls Airport Commission. The 10,000 square foot structure is estimated to cost $5.8 million dollars and be completed in the Spring of 2019.
Roads, Bridges, Sidewalks. Summer is road construction time, and this summer is one of the busiest in recent years for construction throughout the county. The State, County and local communities, all are planning major road, bridge, and sidewalk projects for 2018 throughout the County. Planning continues for a major rebuild of the Highway 53 corridor through International Falls beginning in 2019. The State of Minnesota has been meeting with the City and stakeholders for a re-design of the corridor that will reduce lanes in some parts of the corridor, add green space and a boulevard with bike and ped paths.