They would have to raise $6 million as a cooperative to counter Continental Property Group’s bid to purchase it from Lowry Group LLC. The contract finalizing the sale is set to be signed June 11.
Another option would be to convince Continental to maintain it as an MHC, but as MHProNews reported, managing partner Phil Johnson said the infrastructure is 70 years old and would have to be upgraded in the 96 home site community. “The park no longer meets the standards of modern manufactured home communities,” he said in a letter to the residents.
President of CPG, Traci Tomas, who once worked at Lowry, said the company plans on including some affordable housing options in the redevelopment, which she said would be residential.
State law requires property owners to provide relocation assistance when an MHC is closed for redevelopment. While CPG has said it will offer $2,000 to $10,000 to each family, many of the residents have homes that are too old to move, and many of whom are Latino, say their community is in danger of being destroyed.
They and their supporters plan to attend the May 10 St. Anthony Village city council meeting to plead their case. City planners have urged redevelopment of the land for several years.
Johnson says developers have approached him numerous times about the property, noting its proximity to a shopping center. ##
(Photo credit: MHVillage–Lowry Grove, St. Anthony, MN)
