Olmsted County to Buy Seneca Site With Corn Cob Water Tower
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Seneca Foods has found a buyer for its canning plant in southeast Rochester. Olmsted County today announced an agreement with the company to purchase the approximately 11 acres of the land adjacent to Graham Park. The purchase agreement lists the price at $5.6-million.
A news release says the purchase provides an opportunity to better serve residents through affordable housing, transit, and to support the current and future community activities and events at Graham Park. The County also indicated it will work with the City of Rochester to preserve the historic corncob water tower on the Seneca property.
A final purchase agreement is expected to come up for a vote by the Olmsted County Board next Tuesday.
In announcing the purchase, County officials say the property location is an asset to help realize the vision and master plan for Graham Park as a regional venue for agriculture, sports, and community and private events. A statement also notes the Destination Medical Center Corporation Board recently approved a resolution supporting locating one of two proposed mobility hubs at Graham Park. That development also calls for affordable housing, open space, and other amenities that would be linked to downtown Rochester and a second mobility hub west of St. Mary's Hospital along 2nd St., Southwest by a circulator transit service.