AMMAN: Jordan’s Economic Development Authority gave a review of Jordan’s economic and development endeavors in 2017 during its Dec. 19 meeting. It has been a year of ups and downs.
Thomas Nikunen, Jordan’s city administrator, said every project has its challenges. Jordan has had a few projects and challenges, that is in 2017.One of the items mentioned in the Economic Development Authority’s year-end report was the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church redevelopment site, which was “discussed during many of the meetings.” The authority wrote a letter of support for redevelopmen
of the site and the Jordan City Council approved up to 15 years for a tax increment financing district. The developer couldn’t make the numbers work at this time,” Nikunen said. “Also, the tax law changes starting Jan. 1 take away the ability to issue tax-free bonds for housing so that makes it less
St. John’s leadership made the announcement to its congregation earlier this year. A statement Nikunen received from the church read: “The parish has decided to not proceed with anything at this time. There does not appear to be a compelling interest.”
It wasn’t the only long-anticipated project to get put on hold. The plat for the long-anticipated Clancy’s and Jordan hotel project finally expired after a roller coaster of a year. In April 2015, the Jordan City Council approved a site plan, conditional use permits and a $1.1 million tax abatement for a new hotel and expanded Clancy’s to be built in the Triangle Lane business district in Jordan. Days later, Jordan Hotel Partners LLC, the investment group on the project, withdrew, and the project was put on hold while Jordan sought another financial partner.
Jordan construction owner Terrance Eid, the builder on the proposed hotel project, faces nine counts of felony theft-by-swindle in Hibbing for an apartment complex in which he was the general contractor. His pre-trial date has been pushed back to March 29.
