Standing as bookends, two vacant buildings have been the city of Staples symbols for ten years or more. That just may be coming to an end

Jerel Nelsen, the Staples Economic Development Authority (SEDA) executive director, told that group of two potentially interesting developments.

Nelsen, at the SEDA’s March 23 meeting, said the Woodland Container building, commonly called the ‘box factory’ in Staples, is scheduled for demolition this spring or summer. He said he learned this information during recent talks with the Burlington Northern firm’s land subsidiary..

The building west of Staples is on Burlington Northern land and is believed to contain some contaminated soil, a result of the chemical treatment of the plant’s wood products over the years. The Woodland Container firm, which ceased operations there more than ten years ago, was the last occupant. The vacant building also had major damage in a tornado a few years later.

First constructed in the late 1940s, the building’s large kiln was used to dry wood for a residential home building process called Redi-Wood. Several houses built in Staples in the 1950s were built from wood produced there. The plant later produced pallets and other wood products and gained the name the box factory.

Nelsen also told the EDA board to expect to take action, possibly at their April meeting, on the large building at the east end of town known as the Carter Ringer building. This structure’s owner, Norbert Johnson, is close to letting the building go tax forfeit. Staples was a gap lender for his purchase of this building in 1995 and (along with the North Central EDA and Initiative Foundation) holds first place on the mortgage. Nelsen said none of the lenders want to see this property go tax forfeit. He also said the best thing would be to have a buyer for the property once the city acquires the deed. He indicated there could be some movement in that direction in the near future.

The Carter Ringer building was built in the early 1960s using donations from Staples residents who contributed to a fund drive run by the former Staples Development Corporation. The sewing factory went through a series of owners over the year, with Johnson the last owner of the former Pine County garment firm.

Also at the March 23 meeting, the SEDA members learned that a site just south of Highway 10 and also south of the planned Veteran’s Memorial Park could be the location

- a few months or years down the road - for a Staples Farmers Market shelter.

Members of SEDA discussed using a city owned lot just north of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks and east of the city light department shop on Wright Avenue as a Farmers Market site.

Mel Wiens, from the local Farmers Market group of growers, indicated his group believed this site, just a few yards off Highway 10, would be a good site for their proposed 120 by 32 foot open sided structure. When built, it would be used for at least weekly for sales of garden produce and other items.

Currently the Farmers Market has been holding sales on Saturday mornings at the Staples Dairy Queen. They also are set up on Thursday afternoons at the Lakewood Health System Hospital. Wiens said they also intend to be operating this summer one afternoon a week at Verndale and at Pillager.

In other matters, the SEDA :

o APPROVED a post issuance Compliance Procedure and policy for tax exempt governmental bonds. Staples issued such Build America bonds and, due to them becoming very popular, the federal government is requiring audits. City Clerk Phil Lindaman was named compliance officer.

o APPROVED interest only payments for three months for two firms with SEDA loans. The firms were Liberty Machine and KDA Trucking. The SEDA board also approved a request from PCM Products to re-amortize a loan for 24 months at 6 percent interest.

o LEARNED plans are taking shape for solving an excess moisture problem in one section of the Staples Industrial Building.

o WAS INFORMED of a Leadercast seminar May 7 at T Maxwell’s sponsored by the LEAP Group.

o DISCUSSED the city’s Broadband initiative, a tax abatement request from Ernie’s Food Market ownership, potential needs for Stan Widmer’s boat production, should that become a reality; better directional signs for Staples from Highway 10 and numerous other items.