Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Commissioner Ida Rukavina participated in the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) Minnesota Conference on Tuesday, April 16 in Duluth. In the opening plenary session on Sustainable Mining: The Past Reveals Our Future, she presented a PowerPoint on the agency’s history, regional investments and future projects.  

A new roundabout at the intersection of State Highway 210 and County State Aid Highway 31 on the city limit line of Crosby and its neighbor Deerwood Township, was added to resolve traffic challenges and safety issues. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $150,000 Community Infrastructure grant to the city of Crosby. Total project investment was approximately $1.9 million.

The project was prompted by the 2022 opening of a new Super One Foods location in Crosby. The grocery store relocated, doubled in size and added its 11th Super One Liquor location. The new store features a full-service grocery, delicatessen, bakery and butcher shop to complement the new liquor store for convenient one-stop shopping. The 57,000-square-foot building was developed by Miner’s Inc., a family owned and operated business with 32 grocery and 11 liquor stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

The grocery store comprises 38,200 square feet and the liquor store 8,000. The remaining 10,800 square feet is leased to Cuyuna Regional Medical Center (CRMC) which expanded its health care services with a walk-in clinic, pharmacy and wellness center. The clinic serves adults and children with non-emergency medical needs. The Super One project supported approximately 100 short-term construction jobs while the grocery and liquor stores provide employment to over 80 people. (Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the initial Super One/CRMC construction project with a $350,000 Development Infrastructure grant to the city. Total project investment was $7.7 million.)

The new store and health care clinic produced additional traffic to the area, and a study identified traffic challenges including a skewed intersection, detrimental access to local businesses, pedestrian movements and drainage.

“The new roundabout improved the safety at the intersection for both pedestrians and vehicles with minimal impact to surrounding properties,” said Matthew Hill, Crosby city administrator-clerk-treasurer. “It also supported one of the city’s major retailers and healthcare providers, which are tremendous assets to our residents, local economy and tax base. Miner’s Inc. has an been excellent economic partner in our community.”

Hill explained that, in anticipation of increased traffic, Miner’s Inc. committed to covering the city’s portion of the project through its initial development agreement related to the new store. The roundabout project was completed late last year and also received funding from other county, state and federal funding sources.

Email Chris Ismil or call him at 218-735-3010 for more information about Community Infrastructure grants.

Commissioner Ida Rukavina and agency staff visited the communities of Crosby and Ironton on Wednesday, April 10.

“It is exciting to see firsthand how the agency’s programs help regional businesses and impact our local communities,” said Rukavina. “We are proud to have invested over $4 million in Crosby, Ironton and the surrounding region since 2018.”

Commissioner Ida Rukavina is pictured at Crosby City Hall with Council Member Jim Traylor, Mayor Diane Cash and City Administrator Matthew Hill.

The day began with meetings with city leaders in both communities to discuss current and future partnerships. Staff also visited the following sites, all of which were supported by agency funding. 

Cuyuna Range Elementary School Trail: A beginner mountain bike trail and learning space was completed last fall on the Cuyuna Range Elementary School grounds, providing Crosby area youth the opportunity to develop mountain biking skills. The trail is used for preschool through 6th grade students to hike, snowshoe and cross-country run. Teachers and students utilize the trail as an outdoor classroom for studying nature, bird and animal watching. The trail is also open to community members. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a Regional Trails grant to the city of Crosby.

Pictured above on the Cuyuna Range Elementary School trail are teachers Lori Vosacek and Clayton Lang with Community Development Director Whitney Ridlon and Commissioner Ida Rukavina.

North Country Café: North Country Café, a family restaurant in downtown Crosby, expanded its operations into an adjacent blighted building and doubled the size of its space. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a Commercial Redevelopment grant to the city of Crosby which helped with interior demolition. North Country Café also received Business Energy Retrofit (BER) grants.

Crosby Lofts: The sixteen ensuite private guest rooms at Crosby Lofts are forged on Main Street on the top floors of two restored 120-year-old brick buildings and are surrounded by wood-fired pizza, Thai food, a farm-to-fork kitchen, artisan ice cream, a brewery and a cocktail lounge. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a Commercial Redevelopment grant to the city of Crosby which helped repurpose the building in the central business district. Crosby Lofts also received a BER grant.

Pictured above: Community Development Director Whitney Ridlon and Commissioner Ida Rukavina meet at Crosby Lofts with owner Doug Arndt of Quinstar Investment Partners.

Victual: Victual is a specialty store with unique gourmet food and first-of-its-kind super premium ice cream that is lactose-free while still being full dairy. The agency supported the project with two Commercial Redevelopment grants to the city of Crosby for building demolition. Victual also received BER and Downtown Business Rehabilitation (DBR) grants.

Pictured: Victual President Paul Kirkman shows Commissioner Ida Rukavina and Community Development Director Whitney Ridlon some of the gourmet products available at Victual in Crosby.

BER and DBR grants are fully funded by Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation and administered through a partnership with Arrowhead  Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA).

Owners Tara and Mike Kasell utilized a Building Energy Retrofit (BER) and a Downtown Building Rehabilitation (DBR) grant to help make improvements to a building that they leased and transformed into a wine and spirit room. The Tipsy Mosquito opened for business last year in the city of Two Harbors which is located along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

The BER grant assisted with energy efficiency improvements including new windows and doors, electric and plumbing upgrades and new lighting. The DBR grant helped with code compliancy projects related to the storefront and the plumbing and electrical systems.

In addition to the grant work, Tara and Mike completely renovated the building’s inside and added seating areas, a bar and kitchen to create an upscale, cozy lounge experience for their guests. The Tipsy Mosquito offers specialty cocktails, beer and cider on tap, chilled and tap wines, signature flatbreads, appetizers and gourmet plates.

Prior to the opening of Tipsy Mosquito, Tara and her daughter Quinn leased a portion of the building’s space for their business, Port City Nutrition. Quinn eventually moved to New York, and the store closed. It was then that Tara and Mike decided to launch The Tipsy Mosquito within the same building.

Prior to Port City Nutrition, the building was vacant. In earlier years, it had been home to a grocery store, a department store and a pizza parlor and arcade.

“The building has had a lot of history in Two Harbors,” said Tara. “We are very proud to spearhead its future in such a wonderful community that is experiencing healthy growth. The BER and DBR grants gave us the extra support we needed to transform the building and add to the area’s growing economy.”

Tara and Mike’s future plans for Tipsy include the addition of a whiskey room and an outdoor patio.

Learn more about The Tipsy Mosquito.

Since BER’s inception in 2013 and DBR’s in 2018, over 630 grants combined have been awarded to help small businesses with energy efficiency and code compliancy upgrades that can result in reduced utility bills, improved building aesthetics and increased building life. BER grants are awarded in amounts up to $20,000 and DBR in amounts up to $50,000. Both programs are fully funded by Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation and administered through a partnership with Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA).

Email Erik Bennett at AEOA or call him at 218-322-6512 to learn more about BER and DBR.

The city of Aitkin expanded a paved community walking/biking trail and added a trailhead on city-owned property that was previously used by the National Guard for tank training. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $105,000 Regional Trails grant to the city. Total project investment was $524,433.

The newly enhanced trail is nearly three miles and connects to Aitkin’s city park. Residents of Aitkin and the 10 surrounding townships now have access to expanded hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails. Because the trail is paved, the system is ADA compliant and accessible to disabled individuals.

Amenities like trails can improve a community’s outdoor recreation offerings, increase quality of life and provide a setting where people want to live.

Email Jim Plummer or call him at 218-274-7006 for Regional Trails grant information.