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What is the Breckenridge Port Authority?

  • The Port Authority Board consists of seven members and the Mayor.  The Mayor serves as the Executive Director and does not vote. 

 

  • The Board assists the City Council with matters that pertain to economic development.

 

  • The Port Authority has specific powers that are provided through State Statutes that allow its creation.

 

  • The Board meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month at 3:30 p.m. in the Breckenridge City Hall Council Chambers.

 

  • The Port Authority receives $7,000 through a levy from the City Council.

 

  • The Port Authority has the ability to own property and has been the primary developer of residential lots in Breckenridge.

 

  • The Port Authority has a Business Incubator and a rental storage business located at their Industrial Mall site on the south side of the City. The rental storage business generates approximately $73,300 per year in gross rentals.

 

  • City Staff provides the staff administration support for the Port Authority.

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  • The City Administrator maintains accounts for the Port Authority as part of the City’s accounting system.  The Port Authority’s cash balance has averaged around $350,000 over the last 10 years, and the checking account is combined with that of the City’s.  An annual financial audit is conducted on the Port Authority Funds in conjunction with the City’s overall annual financial audit each spring.

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Breckenridge Port Authority Goals 2020

 

  • Housing

    • Develop a plan for what’s next. 

      • Conduct a joint meeting with the Planning Commission

        • Where does Breckenridge grow next?

        • What types of development(s) do we want/need?

    • Start the 2nd apartment – this would include completing lot preparations, review & approve plans, start construction, etc… 

    • Discuss ideas to attract spec housing by outside contractor(s)

  • Development

    • Complete the acquisition of properties that were began in 2019

      • Create a plan to build access and infrastructure so we can sell lots

      • Complete the addition of butcher shop to the community

    • Create a plan for commercial growth

      • Get the current Breckenridge businesses together and ask for input/feedback

        • Business Social/Mixer – After a regular meeting?

      • Focus on downtown & supporting existing businesses

    • Stop-N-Go

      • Begin clean-up and prepare for re-sale

    • Host a Hemp Forum – Joint with SVEDA?

  • Outreach/Marketing/Social Media

    • Continue down the path we’ve started regarding increasing use of social media

      • Pursue both residential and commercial/tourism marketing strategies

    • Review how we are spending our marketing dollars – seek outside advice?

    • Continue with guest speaker strategy

      • Structure monthly meetings so that guest speakers only come to 2nd meeting each month

      • Invite smaller employers as well

Breckenridge Port Authority Past Projects:

 

Residential & Commercial Land Developments

Northland Addition

Northland Addition was the Port Authority’s first residential development.  It is located in the northwest portion of the City near the golf course.  The lots are all residential, single family lots.

 

Prairie View Addition

The Prairie View Addition was created as a place for people with mid-level incomes to build.  The lots were smaller and more affordable.  A grant from the Bremer Foundation helped keep the lot prices down.  A grant from Minnesota Housing Finance helped pay special assessments.  The creation of this addition was a huge success and turned out to be everything that the Port Authority hoped for.

 

BN Commercial Property Development

The Burlington Northern Commercial Property Development Project was an aggressive and very successful project that the Port Authority undertook. It provided ownership of land for businesses located in the BN right-of-way along Minnesota Avenue and also an opportunity to develop vacant properties.

 

Gewalt Addition

Gewalt Addition was the third residential subdivision created by the Port Authority. It focused on the place everyone agreed should be developed, the east side of the City near the high school.  The Port Authority made a deal to sell the remaining multi-family lots to Legacy Development Corporation for the construction of multi-family units. In 2005, Legacy opened its first housing unit for residents age 55+  and then built a second one after that.

 

NP Property Development

As part of the Burlington Northern right-of-way acquisition, the Port Authority also purchased the old Northern Pacific right-of-way. This provided a place for commercial and residential construction opportunities on the south side of Breckenridge.  The land east of 8th street was subdivided for commercial development with 1/3 going to Wilkin County for the new recycling center. The other 2/3 was sold for commercial industrial development. Todd's Welding purchased a majority of the property except for some unusable property east of 10th Street. Krump Construction completed construction of their shop/storage building in 2006. The land west of 5th street was subdivided for residential property and designated as Heritage Estates.

 

Heritage Estates Addition

Heritage Estates was the fourth residential subdivision created by the Port Authority. It provides residential construction opportunities in the southwest portion of Breckenridge.

The entire multi-family section was sold to a company for the construction of duplexes.  There are still some single-family lots available which have all been reduced by $2,000 thanks to a Bremer Foundation grant. City crews did the prep work for the road base to help reduce the cost of special assessments in this subdivision.

 

Heritage South Addition

The land for Heritage South Addition was acquired by the Port Authority for redevelopment efforts after the flood of 1997.  Located near the Bois de Sioux River which now has permanent flood protection in place, this subdivision offers very peaceful and scenic views for the outdoor enthusiast. 

 

Oak Park Estates

When St. Francis Hospital moved to their new location and demolished the old hospital, they asked the Port Authority to look at possible uses for the property.  This was developed into a beautiful residential subdivision called Oak Park Estates. 

 

Gewalt Park Addition

This is the newest residential development and was created in 2014.  Located on the eastern edge of the City just beyond Gewalt Park, it boasts a peaceful “country-like” atmosphere with the rolling fields in the background.  Lots in this subdivision range in size from 15,000 square feet to almost 30,000 square feet.

 

Residential & Commercial Housing Developments

To help promote residential growth, the Port Authority has built spec homes in some of the newer subdivisions.

 

Spec home 2013:  302 Chicago Avenue

  • 1317 sq. ft. each floor; double car garage

  • Three bedrooms, two baths on main floor; basement has roughed in plumbing for additional bath plus two egress windows for two potential bedrooms

  • Advertised for $189,900

  • Built by West Central MN Communities Action

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Spec home 2015:  309 Buffalo Avenue

  • 987 sq. ft. each floor (fully finished basement); double car garage; deck

  • Four bedrooms, two baths total (two bedrooms and one bathroom per floor)

  • Advertised for $205,900

  • Built by West Central MN Communities Action

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Spec home 2017:  210 16th Street North

  • 1,845 sq. ft. each floor; double car garage

  • Three bedrooms, two baths & laundry room on main floor

  • Full (unfinished) basement with roughed-in floor heat and roughed-in bath

  • Advertised for $289,600

  • Built by Hansen Construction

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Apartment Buildings: 

Based on public input regarding a lack of temporary housing in Breckenridge, the Port Authority provided incentives such as land and TIF (Tax Increment Financing) to a developer who is constructing a 24-unit apartment building on 8th Street South with intentions to possibly build two additional 18-unit apartment buildings.

 

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