In a Year's Time

Looking back at 2014, it is amazing to see how far the city of St. Cloud has come in a year’s time. One example where you can clearly see progress is the St. Cloud brand. St. Cloud GREATER was unveiled in April to better represent the city as a whole. Up until this point, the city has never had a “brand” -- this is exactly why GREATER was launched. 

“We have continually heard from so many people about the need for a strong, identifiable brand message for St. Cloud. Businesses and residents are proud of this community and they've asked the city to deliver a unified message that resonates with the pride and loyalty, and that conveys a message they can use to promote St. Cloud and attract workers, residents and visitors,” said Mayor Dave Kleis.

It’s a bold statement, that is meant to display all of the amazing things that happen in St. Cloud. Along with the GREATER branding, the St. Cloud GREATER Facebook page and Twitter handle were established in 2014 to engage with the community, and create a space to talk about St. Cloud. You can also join the conversation on LinkedIn and Pinterest. The City of St. Cloud is continuing to engage the community through the new and improved City of St. Cloud Website launched at the beginning of 2015. Connecting to news and information is easier now than ever before.

Not only does St. Cloud have a new brand image, there have been multiple development projects where the city has seen great progress. All of these projects will ultimately provide jobs -- and opportunities -- for residents and business owners in St. Cloud. Along with construction, there were notable awards for infrastructure development in St. Cloud.

• The City of St. Cloud’s Economic Development Authority received a $99,600 grant awarded by the Minnesota DEED (Department of Employment and Economic Development). This grant was for the demolition of the former Granite Bowl, along with construction of public infrastructure. On the 1.05-acre site, a 17,000 square-foot office building has been constructed. This project will create nine jobs and 52 jobs will be retained -- along with the new opportunities that will arise from the office spaces.
  

• Park Industries expanded in St. Cloud by adding 33,760 feet of production space. The company was awarded $624,000 from the Minnesota Minnesota Job Creation Fund -- which will be disbursed once the company hits its performance goals. “The Minnesota Job Creation Fund is working, helping Minnesota companies like Park Industries expand and create more jobs in our communities,” said Governor Mark Dayton. Park Industries has roughly 225 employees and is the largest stone working equipment manufacturer in North America.

• Water & Wastes Digest awarded the City of St. Cloud with the 2014 Top Water and Wastewater Project, for the rehabilitation and expansion of the municipal wastewater treatment facility. It was chosen because of the attention to creating an environmentally friendly and sustainable facility that will serve residents for decades to come.  

These are just a few examples of progress in the St. Cloud area. We look forward to what 2015 will bring! If you haven’t already, check out the new website to discover ways you can stay connected to news and events in 2015.