A new era is about to dawn in Willmar Monday.
A real estate closing is expected, selling the majority of the land and buildings at the Willmar Regional Treatment Center to a private Willmar company.
MinnWest Technology of Willmar will purchase 95 acres and 37 buildings on the WRTC campus for $900,000. MinnWest is a partnership of Nova-Tech Engineering and Epitopix, two Willmar companies with roots in Willmar Poultry.
Kandiyohi County will purchase the remaining 18 acres and seven buildings for $1.
MinnWest Technology intends to house Nova-Tech and Epitopix on its new campus. The company also plans to recruit other technology and business enterprises to the campus, bringing significant jobs to the community.
ADVERTISEMENT
The day MinnWest Technology concludes its WRTC purchase will be a historic day for Willmar. There are many people -- private company owners, city officials and staff, county officials and staff, business leaders, local legislators and state officials and staff -- who have played roles in the long journey to concluding this deal. They are all to be commended.
Citizens will have an opportunity to speak at a public hearing on Jan. 23 concerning a zoning ordinance allowing for establishment of a technology district on the WRTC campus.
This technology district, recommended by the Planning Commission, will protect the WRTC campus and ensure the future uses of the property.
Among the permitted uses would be animal health product and services, biotechnology businesses, business and technology incubator, component assembly, engineering businesses, medical and dental clinics and research and development.
Yet, completing the campus sale is likely the easy part of the project. There is much more work before MinnWest Technology can be considered a success.
However, closing this public-private deal is a real good start!
