Downtown Redevelopment Plan: City of Sandstone, MN

Abstract

The City of Sandstone hopes to position itself as an outdoor destination town. Owing to its close proximity to ice and rock climbing at Robinson Quarry Park, whitewater rafting on the Wild and Scenic Kettle River, bicycling on the Willard Munger State Trail, and a plethora of recreational opportunities at Banning State Park, Sandstone has numerous natural and cultural assets that can be leveraged to support its downtown economy. Through interviews with visitors at the 2024 Sandstone Ice Festival and local business owners, quantitative analysis of visitor data to nearby parks, and case study analysis of economic development strategies employed by similar communities, this report identifies strategies that the City of Sandstone might employ to develop its downtown economy and its status as a recreation destination. Recommendations include broad policies or programs that the City might enact as well as site-specific land use proposals, which fall into five themes: marketing, housing and lodging, supporting local business growth and development, enhancing the downtown experience, and increasing access to downtown. In addition to this report, a digital Downtown Redevelopment Plan was also developed on ArcGIS StoryMaps for easy accessibility to the public.