City Council Gets Look at Plans for Cinemagic Site

Rarely does a new "exurb" like a St. Michael experience the pheomenon as redevelopment even once.

But less than five years after the city moved forward with a plan to redevelop its downtown and create a new system of transportation through the community via the Cornerstone and one-way pair projects, St. Michael is poised for another shot at regeneration.

The St. Michael City Council will take a look at a conditional use permit application and planned unit development (CUP and PUD) tonight when it convenes at 7 p.m. at

In its presentation, Commercial Realty Solutions, located in Buffalo, is asking the city to consider additional signage for what it is calling the St. Michael Business Center, a new retail destination at the southeast corner of Interstate 94 and Highway 241.

In representing the prospective buyer, CRS does not wish to divulge the building’s new tenant(s) at this time. But the City of St. Michael has already agreed to change the building to a retail site within its B-1 Zoning District.

City of St. Michael Community Development Director Marc Weigle said the city should be able to divulge who the main tenant of the retail center will be "very soon, possibly at [tonight's] meeting."

The St. Michael Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the CUP and PUD requests last week, at its monthly meeting on April 4. That includes a new, 400-foot sq. ft sign posted on a 50-foot pylon along Interstate 94. 

That sign will be used by the old theater building's main tenant, a tenant in another lot that is still vacant, and . An LED sign is allowed under the agreement, with content specified by the main tenant of the former theater site.

The applicant has also requested signage on the building, a possible 55,000 sq. ft. expansion on the building's east side, and an outdoor sales area for use 10 weeks per year. The exapnsion would double the theater building's current size.

Plans, including architectural drawings, can be seen in the attached PDF.