Bloomington weighs rezoning to allow rental complex to grow

Attention Bloomington families: New apartment units are potentially coming to the Southgate Apartments.

Mid Continent Management Corp., the owner of Southgate, is turning to the Bloomington Planning Commission in hopes of diversifying the options available at the 1969-built apartment complex by constructing 12 new three-bedroom apartments.

Right now, the property is zoned for R-4, which permits four to 12 units per acre. Mid Continent is asking the commission to zone the property as RM-24, which allows for 12-24 units per acre, according to planning documents.

The planning commission will consider the rezoning at its Thursday, Aug. 29, meeting. The staff has recommended approval, saying it was consistent with the guidance of the Bloomington Comprehensive Plan, which is high-density residential with 10-150 units per acre.

The complex consists of four apartment buildings located at 1001 and 1101 E. 80th Street, as well as 8100 and 8070 12th Ave S. Spread throughout the four structures are 148 one-bedroom units and 96 two-bedroom units.

Should the rezoning happen, the project would bring four three-bedroom units each to the 1001 building and the 8070 building. The remaining four three-bedroom units would then be split evenly between the 8100 and 1101 buildings, according to planning documents.

Each building in the Southgate Apartments complex, according to property tax records, is worth $6.7 to $8 million.

Some area properties approved for construction, such as the LOMA in Minneapolis, have had three-bedroom units attached as a way to bring in more families. The Family Housing Expansion Project, a program from the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, created 16 apartment buildings which have three-bedroom units meant to serve families with children.

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