By: Mollee Francisco 

If you could create the downtown Chaska of your dreams, what would it look like? Would it be full of antique shops like Stillwater? What about a host of unique gift shops like Excelsior? Would it utilize its location on the river and its historic brick buildings as a tourist lure? Would it cater more to those in need of government services or to those looking for a day of recreational shopping?

Several downtown residents shared their visions for downtown Chaska. Some of their answers involved admittedly ambitious projects. Others were only minor changes. But all seemed geared to creating a vibrant downtown Chaska that draws in visitors, delights locals and makes Chaska a true “destination” place.

My downtown

Lisa Oberski moved her family to downtown from their Liberty Heights home last year.

“I love the feeling you get down here,” she said. “There’s a stronger feeling of neighborhood, a connection with your neighbors. If you see someone coming towards you, you say ‘hi.’”

“There’s a sense of history that you don’t get in any other section of town,” she added.

That said, Oberski has more than a few ideas about what would be part of the ideal downtown for her.

“In my downtown, it’s a quaint walk from place to place,” she said.

“I’d like to see some used book stores, antiques, oddities shops, and how about a small-town jeweler who still greets you when you come in the door?” she said, pausing for a moment to give a second thought to the question. “I don’t know if this can happen anymore in Chaska.”

Oberski cited traffic as the number one threat to Chaska’s downtown.

“The traffic has created a pass-through city,” she said. “It’s the wrong kind of image for the area.”

“It feels like you’re being run over all the time,” she added.

Sara Hanlon, who lives and works downtown as owner of the Mill House Gallery, agreed.

“Until (Highway) 41 is re-routed there can be no such thing as ‘pedestrian-friendly,’” she said in an email.

“Highway 41 is the single biggest threat (to downtown).

“The obscene amount of truck traffic is damaging, literally,” she added. “The vibration causes continual damage to homes and buildings.

“And then there is the noise level. If you are a pedestrian walking with a friend, there is no quality conversation taking place between you.”

Charm and convenience

It was the charm and convenience of living downtown that drew Hanlon and her husband Mike to Chaska eight years ago.

“Carry-out food, groceries, restaurants, post office, banks, etc. are so close by that an entire day’s errands are completed in a very short time,” she said.

“It is rare to find a real small town within the growing metro area,” said Hanlon. “The old downtown is the only part of Chaska that sets it apart from all the cookie-cutter bergs through the metro area.”

The ease of living downtown also lured Julie Parvis and her husband Leo back after years in the Bavaria Hills neighborhood.

“We love living downtown and having easy access to the library, city hall and other services,” she said. “By living downtown, we feel we are more a part of the community, we feel more of the ‘pulse’ of the city by being in the center of things.

“We love our neighborhood,” she added. “We have great neighbors who are so friendly and helpful. We love the big, old trees and the character and charm of the old homes.”

But Parvis envisions much more for downtown Chaska. Her wish list includes more restaurants and more unusual and unique boutiques.

“I don’t think there has been enough support to keep downtown thriving,” she said. “If we are going to have a bustling, attractive downtown area, we need to support (businesses) in every way we can.

“Downtown has a lot of character and charm with the beautiful Chaska brick buildings and the old-fashioned looking lamp posts, but it doesn’t take advantage to create a lively, colorful, attractive place that will attract tourists and locals alike.”

Stillwater model

“I would love to see Chaska more like a smaller version of Stillwater or Hudson,” said Parvis.

“I just don’t think the atmosphere or the ambiance is there that a rivertown like Chaska should have, and we don’t have that reputation either,” she added.

Oberski would love to see Chaska embrace its location on the Minnesota River.

“I’d like to see steamboat rides,” she said. “People could go to Carver for the day.”

“I would love to see carts and stands along the river walk on the east side selling things like popcorn or specialty foods,” said Parvis. “That would encourage people to walk along the river, enjoy the view and make it more of a tourist destination.”

Both Oberski and Parvis also added a farmer’s market to their ideal downtown.

“We have this great park in the center, why don’t we have a farmer’s market there in the summers?” asked Parvis.

Oberski said Firemen’s Park would be a great location for a weekly farmer’s market and would draw people to the scenic downtown park.

Hanlon’s focus was also on the area of intersecting highways 41 and 212. For her, it’s all about preserving downtown’s historic character.

“Development on the two corners of (Highways) 41 and 212 should be required to keep a historic look in design,” she said. “You simply cannot claim to have a historic district then remove long standing structures that are in good condition and start messing around with modern architecture.”

“And finally, spend a little of our money on a well-designed monument sign to be placed somewhere on the (highways) 41 and 212 intersection,” she added. “Have it read, ‘Welcome to Chaska’s Historic Downtown.’”

“Let the people know we actually have a historic district!”

“Many people don’t like change,” said Parvis. “But I think we have a great opportunity here to really make Chaska the ‘best small town’ if (we) better develop and take advantage of our wonderful downtown area.”

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