North Shore News Hour

It seems that zoning in some form or another comes up at every meeting of the Grand Marais City Council. At the Tuesday, September 9, council meeting a request for a zoning ordinance change within the Cedar Grove Business Park was discussed.
 
The Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) oversees the business park. EDA Executive Director Mary Somnis attended the council meeting to answer questions. Somnis explained that the requested change to the city's ordinance would simply add services to the list of allowed uses at Cedar Grove Business Park.
 
The need for the change came up because of a purchase offer to the EDA for a business park lot from Brad Shannon with the nonprofit organization NorthPoint. Shannon would like to create a youth center on a lot abutting the Gunflint Trail. He is looking at a small lot to the west of the Como Oil and Propane lot.
 
After an offer and counteroffer, an agreement was made for Shannon to purchase the lot in question for $25,000, including closing costs.
 
However, it appears the youth center concept does not fit in the business park under current city zoning ordinances. Somnis said for the EDA, the youth facility falls under services, which is an allowed use in the business park covenants.
 
Somnis said the ordinance change was being requested to align the city's ordinance with the business park covenants, which would then allow Shannon to proceed with the proposed teen facility under the services moniker.
 
There was considerable discussion of what is allowed in the business park and about the original purpose of the business park. Councilor Kelly Swearingen asked for more time to consider the request.  Councilor Craig Schulte also said he would like some more time to do some research.
 
Grand Marais City Administrator Mike Roth noted that the lots have been sitting vacant at the Cedar Grove Business Park for a long time. He suggested that the city would benefit from a lot sale to any entity, nonprofit, or not.
 
Roth said, “Think about if we don't sell this lot to anyone. The special assessment that is paying for the water and sewer that was constructed for this will continue to be paid by county and city property taxes. And the use, the maintenance of those water and sewer pipes will continue to be paid by other ratepayers.
 
“If we do sell this property, irrespective of whether they pay property taxes, the sale will support the bond that was used to pay for the construction of the water and sewer. The use of the water and sewer then will be paid with rates. There could potentially be employment that's created as well.
 
“So it seems to me, even if we're concerned about this being supported with public dollars, that it being sold for actual cash, then developed and used by anyone is a better situation than not being sold and the EDA continuing to own it, and continuing to pay the special assessment for the water and sewer with city and county property taxes,” said Roth.
 
Councilor Tim Kennedy serves on the Grand Marais Planning Commission, which recommended approving the change. Kennedy noted that the ordinance change would better match the existing conditions at the business park, which includes mainly businesses that offer some sort of service, not any manufacturing.
 
Kennedy talked a little bit about the original plans for the park and noted that many local businesses, such as road contractors, heavy equipment companies, etc., reserved lots for equipment storage and warehouses.
 
However, that did not happen, said Kennedy, adding, “And then the economic decline happened and pretty much none of those businesses ended up performing on their reservation agreements and unfortunately, the park had gone ahead and made decisions and here we are today.”
 
Kennedy said, “We all know the struggles that we've had over the years to try to get occupancy in the park and you know, we have some good businesses in there paying taxes.  They’re providing services there, you know, employing people, it's beginning to work”
 
In addition, Kennedy noted most of those existing businesses are “service-type activities.”
 
Kennedy noted that Shannon hopes to move ahead with his lot purchase but deferred to his colleagues and agreed to wait to review more information on the history and the use of the business park. As far as the EDA vision for the business park, Somnis said yes, the hope is that the park will fill with commercial enterprises.
 
Somnis noted that during the discussion a couple of people mentioned the vision of the EDA and what sort of businesses are wanted there. She said, “What we want in the business park is people that have some kind of commercial use. You know, we're not out looking for nonprofits, that isn't a vision. It's a response to the inquiries that are coming in."
 
Somnis said the EDA would continue to work toward the goal of more commercial establishments in the business park and talked a little bit about the inquiries that she had had recently.
 
Somnis agreed to provide a map of the business park as well as the covenants for the councilors and return to a future meeting. The council will consider the request again at their next council meeting,
 
Listen to this report on news from the city of Grand Marais with WTIP reporter Rhonda Silence.
 

The WunderBar Eatery and Glampground opened in 2017 with hopes to revitalize the building that was once the Harbor Light Supper Club. However, in August 2019, the owners of the Wunderbar, Chris and Teri Downing, doing business as Heart Rock LLC, were in bankruptcy court. Financial troubles plagued the business which brought the concept of “glamping” to the North Shore, offering stays in several revamped campers and elegant Lotus Belle tents.

The glamping model was well received and WunderBar received a great deal of media attention around the region. The funky atmosphere and frequent live music nights made the Wunderbar a popular destination for many locals. However, according to Chris and Teri Downing, keeping the WunderBar open year-round was a struggle.

WTIP spoke with the Downings in August 2019, who said Heart Rock LLC was in the process of restructuring. A GoFundMe site was established and the Downings raised approximately $50,000 to keep the eatery afloat. The couple thanked the community for its support at that time. Listen to that interview here.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the WunderBar had to shut down operations, although Chef Chris Callendar continued to offer meals, free of charge and/or by donation to the public until the WunderBar announced it was closing its doors permanently in June 2020.

The final chapter for the WunderBar is taking place this week, with an auction of the contents of the building and the campers and cabin in the yard. Auction Masters & Appraisals is conducting an online auction now through Tuesday, September 16.

On the auction list is a 1957 Mallard camper trailer, two 1963 Winnebago camper trailers, a log cabin once owned by Minnesota Governor Jacob Preus, picnic tables, a couple of televisions, a professional smoker with propane tank, an expresso machine, seasonal décor and much more.

The auction catalog also includes some of the items that were in the bar when it was Harbor Light Supper Club, owned by Doug and Sandi Rude, such as a jukebox, pool table and furniture. WTIP contacted Auction Masters to confirm that those items were included in the sale. Greg Christian of Auction Masters said the Rudes no longer own any of the items on the list.

To see the catalog of auction items or to register to bid, visit the auction website here. 

The Rudes still own the Harbor Light building, which once had a purchase offer from Dollar General. That sale fell through in 2016 after public opposition over the proposed discount franchise and the city of Grand Marais’s issuance of a moratorium on construction of any commercial retail development over 5,000 square feet along the highway on each end of town. The moratorium passed in February 2016 remained in effect for one year.

So for now, the future of the Harbor Light Supper Club building is once again uncertain.