The ramp would be the catalyst for the redevelopment of the two-acre area along US 61 that eventually could include 56 housing units and 47,000 sf of retail and office space, according to White Bear Lake officials. The city already received $55,000 from the Met Council to pay for refining its original plans, which now are about 80% complete.

White Bear Lake owns most of the land on the redevelopment site, which it bought in 1999 for about $1.9 million. The city is hoping to transform the area into a pedestrian-friendly destination within walking distance of its main Downtown area.

The area houses several retail stores and a 100-year-old boat works.Several developers have expressed an interest in buying the land from the city if the lack of parking in the area is addressed. The city says it cannot afford to construct the ramp on its own because it already is spending about $2.5 million on new streets, trails and landscaping before development occurs.