Plans are moving forward for the Art and Science Academy in Isanti to build a middle school to house students in the fifth through eighth grades.
The Art and Science Academy is a public, tuition-free charter school that opened its doors in September 2014 at 903 Sixth Ave. Court NE, Isanti. The academy leadership would like to build a middle school just north of the existing school. Grades kindergarten through fourth grade would continue to be housed in its existing location.
During the Isanti City Council meeting May 16, the council approved the preliminary plat for the Art and Science Academy addition as well as the conditional use permit and site plan-building appearance for the construction of the middle school.
The academy staff is working with Premier Bank to purchase a 13.3-acre parcel north of Cajima Street Northeast. The property will be platted to include a 10.9-acre parcel for the school, right of way for the extension of Seventh Avenue Northeast and a pond lot.
The school will be one story and have 10 classrooms and up to 250 students, and the site exceeds parking requirements by providing 33 stalls. The parking lot is designed to have buses and staff enter at the northern entrance and parents and visitors will enter from the southern entrance.
Execution of term sheet for hotel project
Isanti Mayor George Wimmer presented the council with a term sheet for the proposed hotel project.
The city’s development team has been working with a developer to bring a hotel to the city of Isanti, and outlining the items needed to be resolved and the parameters to work within to finalize the terms of a deal is necessary to represent the city’s level of commitment to the project.
The term sheet serves as a guide to finalizing terms and associated documents that will be brought back to the City Council and Economic Development Authority for final approvals.
Wimmer stated approval of the execution of the term sheet allows the city to take the next needed steps to keep the hotel project moving forward, and more detailed information will be presented at a future council meeting.