Kim Melin

Many residents in Edina and across the country routinely choose to the month of January to make a New Year’s resolution. The New Year sparks hope among all of a better year to come. Becoming more fit routinely ranks among the top ten in New Year’s resolutions each year. The Southdale Edina YMCA has seen a rise in new memberships since the beginning of the year.

If you are looking to keep your resolution to stay fit this year consider becoming a member of the nonprofit center that serves Edina, Richfield, Bloomington, Eden Prairie and south Minneapolis. The facility recently opened its updated and expanded fitness center earlier last month. The remodel has been many years in the making and the expansion is expected to attract many new members. The expansion added nearly 16,000 sq feet to the building. The building now has a total of 85,000 sq feet. Executive Director Greg Hanks said that the facility expects to add about 2,000 to 3,000 new memberships this year, increasing support for other Southdale YMCA programs, along with including before- and after-school care, summer camp, youth sports and leadership programs.

I am excited to help you with your real estate goals in the year to come. If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Edina,Contact me and I would love to help you buy or sell your home.

Kim Melin

Real Estate Advisor/Edina Realty
952-201-4758

The Galleria shopping center in Edina is slated to see big changes. It will soon be the home to several new retailers. Among the new stores a 15,000-square-foot anchor store is planned for the mall’s east end later this year.

An Ohio based furniture company, Arhaus Furniture, a home design company founded in 1986 is planning to open in the Galleria also later this year. The store is anticipating it will open in the autumn of 2012. This will be the first store for Arhaus Furniture within the five-state region.

Marmi, an European influenced footwear and accessories store also plans to open later this year at the Galleria. A locally owned boutique shop, Allure Intimate Apparel, is making plans to occupy a 1,800 square-foot space next to STYLEDLIFE later this spring. Bang & Olufsen, Cole Haan, Papyrus and Hammer Made will be relocating within the Galleria in the months to come. Hammer Made, a store that has been located within the Galleria since 2009 has plans to double in size.

New stores and expanding of stores means more jobs for the area. Low unemployment rates help the area housing market. If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Edina,Contact me and I would love to help you buy or sell your home.

Kim Melin

Real Estate Advisor/Edina Realty
952-201-4758

Budget cuts this year in the Edina School District resulted in many programs being lost that many parents considered as an integral part to their children's education. The $2.3 million in budget reductions for the 2011-2012 school year resulted in the Spanish program being cut at the elementary level. Edina Community Education Services is stepping in and now offering world languages for elementary students as part of a pilot program. The pilot program offers many different languages. The program goes as far as to connect Edina’s elementary students with their very own teacher live from Shanghai, China. Virtual learning is a growing thing across the country and it has been met with many positive results.

Many parents are very happy with the program and appreciate the opportunity for their children to be able to learn a second language. Currently there are 175 students from K-5 grade that are enrolled in Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, French and Latin courses. The classes run about an hour long and the students meet either after school or on the weekends. The most popular class being offered is Spanish at this time.

Edina Community Education plans to offer even more language classes next year. If you are interested in learning more about the youth programs that Edina Community Education Services offer, visitedinacommunityed.org or call 952-848-3952.

The community of Edina is committed to providing the best education possible. Contact me and I would love to help you sell or a buy a home in Edina.

Kim Melin

Real Estate Advisor/Edina Realty
952-201-4758

A new city program put into place will make it easier for residents of Edina to go green in their home. The Edina City Council unanimously adopted the Edina Emerald Energy Program earlier this month. The program will make Edina the first city in the state to take advantage of the Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) legislation.

This program was approved by the state Legislation in 2010 and it allows for homeowners to have the cost of energy efficiency and conservation improvements assessed to their property and paid alongside property taxes. Many local businesses owners have already made plans to take advantage of the program. Running a business or a home on solar panel energy could save both homeowners and business owners money and help the environment at the same time. The PACE program along with grants and rebates are making it more affordable for homeowners to afford solar energy. Without these types of assistance the price of upgrading to solar energy is out of the reach of many homeowners and business owners. PACE is a funding model where Edina will issue a bond on behalf of the homeowner or business owner to finance a renewable energy or efficiency project. The bond is then sold to a private investor and then secured with a special property tax assessment on the building.

City Manager for Edina, Scott Neal, had this to say about the program. "It works very much like any other special assessment program that this city and other cities have used for many years,” and "The only difference is you're special assessing private improvements to private property, which is different and which is the heart of PACE." The city of Edina has adapted this program from a similar one that is in place in Sonoma County, Calif. Assessments for improvements under the PACE program cannot exceed more than 10 percent of the property’s value, or have a repayment plan that is longer than 10 years. If you choose to take part in this program and the project will cost more than $20,000 you will need city council approval. Projects under the $20,000 mark can be approved by city staff.

Edina is leading the way with helping its residents take advantage of green opportunities. If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Edina, Contact me and I would love to help you buy or sell your home.

Kim Melin

Real Estate Advisor/Edina Realty
952-201-4758

The children at South View Middle School will soon feel less crowded as a result of the Edina School Board recently approving a $2.3 million addition and renovation The vote was approved 6-0. The new addition and renovation will add five new classrooms, renovate existing rooms and expand the cafeteria.

South View Middle School houses kids in grades 6- 9, and according to Wold Architects and Engineers who surveyed the facility last year the school exceeds its functional capacity. Wold Architects & Engineers surveyed facilities district wide. Last December they reported their findings and the school board asked them to return with a plan for short-term relief. According to their findings South View Middle School will be short on space for 168 students beginning this school year.

The new two-story addition will be built along the southeast corner of the building and will be 5,750 square-feet with plans to break ground this fall. The cafeteria expansion will begin next spring after school lets out. The cafeteria will expand to 5,100 square feet up from its current size of 2,820. The expansion and renovation is expected to be completed by fall 2012. The funding for the renovation and expansion will come from the districts lease levy and alternate facilities funds.

The community of Edina is committed to providing the best education possible.Contact meand I would love to help you sell or a buy a home.

Kim Melin

Real Estate Advisor/Edina Realty
952-201-4758