New Development Across From Spirit Mountain Looking For Retailers To Fill Proposed Spaces

One thing that seems to have been constant in Duluth in the last few years has been new construction, namely housing developments, but unfortunately for the average resident of Duluth rent in these new apartment complexes is too high with the average 1 bedroom costing around $1,000 a month.

RiverWest is a new development site that is hoping to have single family housing and retail all in one area, but again will the rent for housing truly be affordable? That is a wait and see. The big push right now is to get businesses interested in being part of the retail part of the project.

The 27 acre site is a rare find in Duluth nestled at the bottom of Spirit Mountain, near the St Louis River and ample trails. Brad Johnson a developer out of Chanhassen has stressed that RiverWest would spotlight what the area is well known for and that is an outdoor destination. What they are also hoping for besides retail is to secure a hotel as part of the project as well.

Johnson said:

Lodging, it turns out, is probably a key element to the success of that whole area. Spirit Mountain has some lodging at the top of the hill, but there is no real lodging at the base of the hill, which people tend to like because they can stay nearby — or in our case just across the street.

Having lodging and retail at that particular area in Duluth would be a huge boost for Spirit Mountain for people using the facility from out of town. Hopefully despite being in a pandemic this will draw new retail shops to the area and a new hotel as well.