Officials will break ground on the first construction project at the Rice Creek Commons this week — the start to a 427-acre development in Arden Hills.

The site of the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant, purchased from the U.S. government by Ramsey County in 2013, will be redeveloped for businesses, retail and proposed housing. The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved terms for the development of a 40-acre commercial parcel called “Outlot A” – which is just adjacent to the Rice Creek Commons – earlier this month.

A ground breaking will be held this week at Outlot A, north of the Rice Creek Commons development site in Ramsey County, for the new headquarters of Micro Control Company, a test equipment manufacturer for the electronics industry. It will take up approximately 10 acres of the 40-acre Outlot A. (Courtesy of Ryan Cos.)

The groundbreaking will include officials from Ramsey County, the city of Arden Hills and developer Ryan Cos.

The project will be the headquarters of Micro Control Company, a test equipment manufacturer for the electronics industry. The 157,000-square-foot building will take up approximately 10 acres of Outlot A, which is on the north end of Rice Creek Commons.

Sustainability guidelines

Micro Control Company will brings jobs to the area and the company was open to working within sustainability guidelines set for the development, making it a good fit for the parcel, said Ramsey County Commissioner Tara Jebens-Singh.

Ramsey County is the most fully developed county in the state, so adding a large development is significant, Jebens-Singh said. It comes at a time when the county is in need of housing, jobs and green space and the large space allows officials to think of how to meet those needs, said Jebens-Singh, who also is a member of the Joint Development Authority.

“It’s very forward thinking,” she said. “So in some ways, not only is that good for our local region, for Arden Hills and for the district that I represent in Ramsey County, but as a model for these kind of developments across the Midwest and hopefully across the country.”

The Joint Development Authority’s vision for the site is to “create economic prosperity, build an inclusive economy, have a long-term sustainable development and develop an energy-forward community by providing much-needed housing at a variety of income levels – including affordable housing – and creating well-paying jobs,” according to a county release.

“It’s fantastic to see this first phase of development at Rice Creek Commons begin to come to life and see the sustainability and clean energy measures that are being incorporated in the project. We look forward to welcoming Micro Control Company to our city as our first new neighbor in this great Arden Hills community asset,” said Tena Monson, Arden Hills city councilmember and Joint Development Authority commissioner, in a statement.

‘Generational development’

Clean-up of the site — previously the largest contaminated site in the state — is complete.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency have removed the site’s soil and surface water from the state and federal Superfund lists, and the U.S. Army will continue to operate the groundwater cleanup system as needed.

Other plans for the area include Spine Road, a future county road that will run through Rice Creek Commons. Construction is anticipated in the next year.

Joint Development Authority Chair Jon Wicklund, in a statement, called the first phase of Outlot A a “generational development.”

“This is an excellent first step in advancing our vision for a vibrant community that will spark economic development and meet the needs of the region for decades to come — and we look forward to celebrating additional site developments in the months ahead,” Wicklund said.

Originally Published: April 28, 2025 at 5:33 PM CDT