Nearly two years since Thomson Reuters, a global legal publishing and media data firm, announced it would leave its longtime Eagan headquarters, the 179-acre campus is set for redevelopment.

The Eagan City Council on Tuesday voted to rezone the site at 610 Opperman Drive from major office to include light industrial uses and a mix of residential units to align with Ryan Companies’ redevelopment plans.

“Ryan Companies’ redevelopment vision for the former Thomson Reuters campus preserves the historic balance this site has always had in our Eagan community,” Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire said in a statement. “The light industrial components ensure it will continue to be a foundational part of Eagan’s property tax base while thoughtfully preserving the environmental features that make the area desirable for the thriving neighborhoods next door.”

As outlined in the local developer’s proposal, Ryan plans to allocate 120 acres in the central and eastern portion of the site for industrial uses like data centers and research and laboratory spaces. The remaining 59 acres are planned for a mix of housing types to include single-family homes and an estimated 114 townhomes.

(Courtesy of the City of Eagan)

A large component of the redevelopment project is one building that could stand 120 feet tall and have 3.6 million square feet of floor space.

The building, called Project Nova, will convert what was a multi-story north industrial office building with a 350,000-square-foot footprint to an industrial warehouse and logistics building with a 650,000-square-foot footprint.

According to the project narrative, the Project Nova user, who has yet to be identified publicly, is an “advanced logistics company that uses multi-floor/mezzanine buildings for implementation of their robotic technology.”

Criticisms of the project

No residents spoke out during the public comment period at Tuesday’s meeting, but past complaints have concerned the height of Project Nova and the preservation of surrounding oak trees.

Council member Mike Supina said at the Nov. 4 council meeting that he didn’t share the concern regarding Project Nova’s height. Supina also noted the nearby water tower is taller than the proposed building and closer to the road.

Regarding green space, after hearing community members’ concerns, the revised proposal calls for the removal of 1,485 trees, down from 2,109 in the original plan. The revision also calls for the preservation of 710 trees, up from the original 626 trees, according to city documents.

“While change is never easy or always welcome, I believe that this plan is a win-win-win success for Ryan Companies, Thomson Reuters and Eagan as a whole,” Mayor Maguire said.

The development’s final approval is expected to occur at the Dec. 3 council meeting and demolition of the existing data centers and office building could begin as early as February, said Eagan City Planner Mike Schultz.

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