New Building, With Drive-Thru Coming To Downtown Sauk Rapids

SAUK RAPIDS - A new building is coming to downtown Sauk Rapids, although the exact business isn't known quite yet.

The new 3,200 square foot building will be built at the corner of 2nd Street and 2nd Avenue North - kitty corner from Manea's Meats. The former building, Little Dogs Grooming, was torn down this spring.

The Warnert Company owns the lot and is building the facility with a three-lane drive thru.

The Sauk Rapids City Council approved a Conditional Use Permit for the drive thru, as well as a variance request because the building will be set back from the curb.

Community Development Director Todd Schultz says it will most likely be a bank, but they may not have signed on the dotted line yet.

Construction is expected to begin within a month. Schultz says this piece of property is probably the last good location for a drive thru in the downtown.

He says Warnert owns all of the property on the entire block, with the exception of SuperAmerica. He says he believes they're trying to market the vacant Checker Auto building as a possible future restaurant.

The city is also requiring that there be additional landscaping and lighting in that block as part of the construction project.