Edina votes to condemn building to make room for public parking
“A retired couple who until recently ran a dry cleaning business at 50th and France in Edina lost their fight to keep the building as City Council members voted to condemn it Tuesday night to expand public parking in the area.
It was the first use of eminent domain by the city of Edina in a decade, coming on a 3-2 vote.
Last fall, Edina began negotiating to buy the Hooten Cleaners building at 3944 W. 49½ St. from Soon and Jenny Park, but the Parks have refused to sell. They closed their business in May and had planned to remodel and rent the building.
At a crowded public hearing late Tuesday night, Soon Park told the council that he and his wife love Edina but that the city action threatened their retirement.
“We have been a good Edina business for over 20 years,” he said. “We feel the city has not treated us fairly …
“With no income … we are very afraid about how we can live.”
Many neighbors and customers testified in the Parks’ favor, with some saying they viewed eminent domain as a heavy-handed and unfair government tool.”
Smetanka, Mary Jane. Star Tribune 18 September 2013.