SARTELL - The Sartell City Council this (Monday) evening heard the plan to tear down the former Verso Paper Mill, but they tabled final approval.  City Planning and Community Development Director Anita Rassmussen asked the council to hold off on their approval pending the technical consultant reviews and agency approvals.

The property to be torn down first is 66 acres all to the east of the Mississippi River.  Demolition would begin this summer, and be completed by October of next year.  AIM Development would start on the north end of the property and work their way south.

Restrictions during the demo work include: no greater vibrations than made by a train, and the trees and shrubs would have to stay.  The hours of the demo work would be from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. seven days a week, year round, until the work is completed.

There are no historical buildings on the site of the more than 100 year old paper mill, but there are some yellow bricks that the council is hoping can be salvaged.

Items "not" slated for demolition are an office building, a warehouse building so of the bridge, and the hydroelectric dam.  The council could make their final vote later this month, or next month.

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