A Community That Works

NorthfieldM I N N E S O T A

Welcome to Northfield!

alk along Division Street and you'llsee the historic side of Northfield.

It's a community that came into its own in the1870s, around the time our two fine, liberalarts colleges were founded. People here takegreat pride in that small town history andknowing their neighbors.

Look a little closer and you’ll find a communitywired for the 21st century. We still hold tosmall town community values, but we are also fully engaged in building a thrivingcommercial sector that reaches customersacross the nation, and around the world.

Tim Geary, Plant Manager of Malt-O-Meal’sCampbell Mill, our largest commercialemployer, said it best: “People in Northfieldstill have those old-fashioned rural values.They work hard, they work smart, and theyget things done.”

We want to get things done for you. In thesepages you’ll find an introduction to ourcommunity, to the resources we bring to thetable, and to some of the people, companiesand organizations that make this a great place to build a business. Whether you areconsidering a software start-up, or looking for a place to relocate an existing business,Northfield is a community that will work for you.

MARY RO S S I NG , MAYOR

Location, Location, LocationNorthfield is located on the edge of the 16th largest metropolitan area in the U.S.

Northfield offers all of the benefits of a majorcity, with the safety and comfort of a smalltown. Just 35 miles south of Minneapolis-St. Paul, with convenient access to Interstate35, Northfield is within easy reach of cus-tomers, suppliers, and an entire marketplaceof services and resources.

THE NORTHFIELD MARKET AREANorthfield is not your typical small town. Withtwo of the nation’s best liberal arts colleges,the community boasts a highly educated andskilled workforce, a high level of communityengagement, and a widely diversified com-mercial and industrial base. The town’s rootsare in agriculture and milling — still reflectedin Malt-O-Meal’s two manufacturing plants —but its future is in new technologies. Fromflexible circuits to software to transportation

and logistics, Northfield has a solid business base in a wide range of industries. Northfield is also a commercial and cultural hub for surrounding communities and townships. The market

area stretches south to Faribault, east to Cannon Falls, west to Lonsdale, and north to the southern Twin Citiessuburbs, drawing a commercial base that includes nearly 39,000 consumers.

To stimulate economic growth and development, Northfield has more than 500 acres of land for commer-cial and light industrial expansion, demonstrating the community commitment to sustaining a healthy andgrowing economy.

THE TWIN CITIESOften rated among the America’s most livablemetropolitan areas, Minneapolis-St. Paul ishome to nearly 3 million people, 21 Fortune500 companies, a top research university, andindustry-leading companies. With agricul-tural processing giants like Cargill andGeneral Mills, retail household names likeTarget and Best Buy, and innovators in manu-facturing and medical technology like 3M andMedtronic, the Twin Cities are the economicengine of the upper Midwest. The metro areadraws people and resources that are easilyreached from Northfield.

RICE AND DAKOTA COUNTIESNorthfield straddles the border of Rice and Dakota counties.The northern edge of town is in Dakota County, officially part of the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. This offers substantial benefits to companies in certain industries.The majority of the community is located in Rice County, arural county that enjoys favorable tax rates and economicdevelopment opportunities designed to stimulate and sustain rural economies.

Malt-O-Meal’s Ames Mill

The Minneapolis skyline

By the numbers,Northfield is a greatplace to locate a business.

P O P U L A T I O N

City of Northfield: 20,0071

Northfield Trade Area: 38,8992

D E M O G R A P H I C S

Median Age: 26.4 years

Population 18+: 42.6%

Race/Ethnicity:White: 88.8%Hispanic/Latino: 8.4%All other: 2.8%

Educational Attainment:High School Graduate or Equivalent (age 25+):94.6%

Bachelor’s Degree or higher(age 25+): 48.2%

Households:

Family Households: 62.9%Non-family Households:37.1% Single Person Households:30.7%Owner-occupied Housing:68.6%Median Year HouseholderMoved In: 1994Median Home Value:$174,4003

Median Household Income:$71,0772

Average Household NetWorth: $535,4882

1 All figures from the 2010 U.S.Census, unless otherwise noted.

2 University of Minnesota ExtensionService Market Area Profile (2009).

3 Rice County Assessor

Rural Northfield

Diversified Local EconomyNorthfield has a broad industrial and commercial base.

HIGHLY EDUCATED WORKFORCEA strong public education system — including traditional schools and innovative charter schools — make this anattractive place to raise a family. Northfield is home to two of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges — Carletonand St. Olaf. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni contribute to one of the best-educated communities in theregion. Combine that with the traditional values, ingenuity, and the work ethic of a resourceful rural community, and you’ve got a can-do workforce capable of meeting almost any employment need.

INDUSTRIAL SUCCESSESFrom breakfast cereal to custom-designed flexible circuits and automation systems, Northfield is home tomore manufacturing companies than meet the eye. Malt-O-Meal’s two manufacturing plants and related distribu-tion centers reflect a 90-year tradition of homegrownindustry. In addition to Northfield’s largest employerthere are innovative businesses with a global reach:

• All Flex is an industry leading, low- to medium-volume manufacturer of poly-imide and polyester flexible printed circuits

• Cardinal CG, an innovative manufacturer of advanced residential glass products

• Multek Flexible Circuits is a leading producer of flexible interconnects for the automotive and medicaldevice industries

• Northfield Automation Systems, a world leader in roll-to-roll, thin-film manufacturing automation

GROWING SOFTWARE AND SERVICE BUSINESSESDowntown Northfield offers reasonably priced office space and arich talent pool of math and computer science students and recentcollege graduates. Software start-ups and rapidly growing firmsare finding success attracting talent and capital.

• Monster Games, an independent producer of video games for the Nintendo Wii and other platforms• ID Insight, providing fraud prevention solutions to the financial services industry• SpeechGear, an innovator in instant translation systems• StrataPoint, developer of GPS-based data systems for natural resource management• Neuger Communications Group, a full-service strategic communications firm

TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICSWith easy access to daily rail service and the Interstate highway system, Northfield is a convenient hub for a wide variety of distribution services.

• McLane, a regional grocery and foodservice supply chain provider• Upper Lakes Foods, a premier food service supplier to restaurants, churches and other establishments• Taylor Truck Line, a national transportation logistics company• Perkins Specialized Transportation Contracting, one of the nation’s leading “superload” specialists

LABORSHEDThe Northfield laborshed reaches well beyond the borders of the community.The majority of workers live in Rice County, while substantial numberscommute from Dakota and surrounding counties. Between the local popu-lation and the Twin Cities metropolitan area, Northfield businesses areable to meet virtually any need for highly skilled or specialized workers.

For families relocating to Northfield, commuter bus and van servicesto the Twin Cities metropolitan area offer flexibility to people whose careersrequire access to a large number of potential employers.

Northfield’s largest employers are highly stable companies and organizations in reces-sion-resistant indus-tries like breakfastcereal production, edu-cation, and healthcare.

MAJOR EMPLOYERS(2008)Malt-O-Meal Company 861St. Olaf College 830Carleton College 690Northfield Hospital 542Northfield Public Schools 500McLane Company 450Multek Flexible Circuits 430Cardinal CG 140

RELATED BUSINESSESAND INDUSTRIES

As a regional commercialcenter, Northfield has anestablished base of busi-nesses and professionalservices to support almostany manufacturing or serviceneed, from agriculturalimplements to banking andlegal services, engineering to fabrication prototyping,healthcare to higher education.

JOBS IN A DIVERSIFIEDLOCAL ECONOMYNatural Resources and Mining 11Construction 63Manufacturing 1,719Trade, Transportationand Utilities 1,345Information 135Financial Activities 215Professional andBusiness Services 239Education and Health Services 2,865Leisure and Hospitality 719Other Services 279

Flexiblecircuitproduced byAll Flex

Multek slitting machine forflexible printed circuits

Economic DevelopmentPartnerships & ServicesCAN-DO, WILL-DO ATTITUDENorthfield has a powerful combination of public and private organi-zations to help businesses thrive. The city’s economic developmentstaff works closely with an independent Economic DevelopmentAuthority charged with providing the resources — land and buildings,technical assistance, and access to professional services — tostrengthen the local economy. From JOBZ applications seeking taxabatements, to applications for grants and project-based loans,Northfield’s focus is on helping businesses start up and keep run-ning successfully.

BUILDING BUSINESSES ONE AT A TIMECity staff, together with a network of elected officials, citizen volunteers and development partners, welcome the opportunity to work with individual businesses to identify the rightstrategies for relocations, start-ups, and expansions. From the development of large-scalebusiness parks, to finding existing locations and buildings for smaller businesses, Northfield is a community that supports its own.

NORTHFIELD ENTERPRISE CENTEROne of the city’s primary businessdevelopment partners is theNorthfield Enterprise Center(NEC). The NEC provides consult-ing services and technical expertiseto start-ups and growing busi-nesses interested in relocating toor expanding in Northfield. NECconsultants evaluate products,services and markets, and assistwith business and financial plan-ning. The organization maintains anetwork of experienced profes-sionals providing a full range ofsupport services: accounting,legal, banking, real estate, marketing, and consulting.

Case Study: Perkins Specialized Tr NECnorthfield enterprise center

STATE, REGIONAL AND FEDERALINCENTIVES AND PROGRAMS

Job Opportunity Building Zone (JOBZ)State administered tax incentives and credits for businesses creating jobs that increase the economic diversity of the city.

Job Skills PartnershipPrivately administered grants to support trainingprograms and educational infrastructure to support the employment needs of businesseslocated in or moving to the state.

Minnesota Community Capital Fund LoanPrivately administered loan fund to finance large-scale business infrastructure investment(land, buildings, improvements, equipment andworking capital).

Small Business Loans and CertifiedDevelopment Company LoansSmall Business Administration guaranteed loanfunds to support capital, refinancing and operatingexpenses (7a) or fixed asset projects (504).

Southern Minnesota Initiative FundPrivately administered grants to support projectsthat increase employment or volunteer servicewithin target populations; support biomedical,bioagricultural or renewable energy; or supportentrepreneurs.

LOCAL INITIATIVES

Downtown Revolving Loan FundsEconomic Development Authority administered loan funds to support physical improvements tobuildings, purchase of equipment, working capital,and related activities to strengthen businesses andincrease the potential for additional employmentwithin the Northfield C-1 and C-2 commercial zones.

Master Development Fund LoansCity administered loan funds for property acquisition, construction, site improvements andworking capital.

Tax Increment FinancingCity administered tax assistance for propertyacquisition, site development and extension ofpublic utilities for industrial, manufacturing and warehouse businesses.

Tax AbatementCity administered tax assistance for projects providing employment, redevelopment or thefinance of public infrastructure.

Clement F. Shear Micro GrantsEconomic Development Authority administeredgrant funds to support small businesses poised to grow within the community.

“Even though our business is primarily aboutprecision engineering and planning, sometimes good business decisions start with an accident,” says Neil Perkins, president of Perkins SpecializedTransportation Contracting. He noticed a “for sale”sign on a building in the Riverview Industrial Parkwhile on a motorcycle ride through Northfield on asunny Sunday afternoon. A call to the realtor onMonday morning confirmed that the price wasreasonable, and that the property qualified forMinnesota’s JOBZ program to stimulate economicdevelopment in rural areas.

“I was not familiar with JOBZ,” says Perkins, “butwith the city’s help, we qualified for tax exemptionsthat made the economics of moving work for us.” Themove has been a JOBZ success. In the three and a

Building a business takes patience, persistence, partners, and … capital

ANGELS AND BANKERSNorthfield’s greatest asset is its strong network of civic-minded business leaders. One of the most powerfuleconomic development resources is 3C Capital Partners, an angel investment fund with nearly three dozenlocal members. 3C makes crucial early investments at the points of greatest leverage in helping fledgling businesses position themselves for growth. As part of the RAIN Fund Network, 3C also provides access to other investors and investment funds for projects that require funding beyond the available local resources.

Business financing isn’t left to angels alone. Northfield’s banks and Economic Development Authority workclosely with new and expanding businesses to explore all available sources of financing, loan guarantees andgrants. With the incentives and tools provided at the local, county, and state levels, Northfield takes an activerole in promoting local businesses.

NORTHFIELD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCEThe Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce actively promotes localbusiness development and expansion, serving as an essential linkbetween the business community and the city, county, and neigh-boring jurisdictions. Through its members, meetings and publicforums, the Chamber is a pro-business advocate on a wide range of key business issues from local annexationsand zoning to transportation planning, business retention, and marketing initiatives.

NORTHFIELD DOWNTOWNDEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONThe Northfield Downtown Development Corp-oration (NDDC) promotes a vibrant and vitaldowntown, serving as an advocate for downtownbusinesses and building owners. Through itsmarketing and promotional activities, along with its organization and sponsorship of a widevariety of publicactivities and festi-vals, the NDDCbrings peopledowntown andencourages thecommunity to cel-ebrate — and sup-port — Northfield.Behind the scenes,the NDDC works with the City, the EconomicDevelopment Authority, the Chamber ofCommerce, and community organizations toaddress public policy and other important issues— including transportation, parking, businessgrowth and retention, and marketing Northfield.

A Perkins project, behind a standard tanker.

LOCAL BANKS ANDCREDIT UNIONS(all addresses in Northfield, MN 55057, unless indicated)

Citi Financial Services, Inc.1500 Clinton Lane, Suite H507-645-2516www.citi.com

Community Resource Bank1605 Heritage Drive 507-645-4441www.community-resourcebank.com

Community Resource Bank —Owatonna618 Division Street South 507-645-4441

First National Bank of Northfield329 Division Street507-645-5656www.firstnationalnorthfield.com

First National Bank South1611 Honey Locust Drive507-664-0820

Frandsen Bank & Trust715 Stafford Road NorthDundas, MN 55019507-645-8825www.frandsenbank.com

Premier Bank Minnesota112 E 5th Street507-645-4418www.PremierBanks.com

US Federal Credit Union2010 Jefferson Road #D507-650-4510www.usfed.org

Twin Cities Federal2423 Highway 3 South507-664-3840www.tcfbank.com

Wells Fargo Bank700 Water Street Street507-663-7300www.wellsfargo.com

Local Investors and Business Partners

ansportation Contracting

half years since relocating to Northfield, Perkins’firm has grown from 16 employees to more than 60.

Almost all of Perkins’ business involves moving“superloads” from point to point. “We could literallybe located anywhere. Northfield offers us access to atalent pool, and it’s a great place to live,” says Perkins.The complex engineering and fabrication of custom-designed trailers enables the company to haulanything from power generation equipment to themolds for jumbo jet wings.

Even in a down economy, the company isthriving and planning to expand its building and addstaff. “Our direct competitors are located along thegulf coast, so once we hire and train, there’s littlerisk of losing our people to the competition,” saysPerkins with a smile.

From infill to greenfield, Northfield has space for almost any business

INFILL OPPORTUNITIESNorthfield offers a wide range of availablebuildings and development properties.From office and retail space in the historicdowntown, to commercial property withconvenient highway access along Highway3, to industrial spaces in the RiverviewIndustrial Park, Northfield offers flexibilityand competitive prices for buildings, land,and rents.

Many available properties are listed inthe Minnesota Department of Employmentand Economic Development’s PositivelyMinnesota website (www.mnprospector.com). For information on smaller proper-ties, or to discuss a specific need,Northfield’s Economic DevelopmentDepartment is available to help.

GREENFIELDDEVELOPMENTIn addition to space in theRiverview Industrial Park,Northfield has more than500 acres of prime devel-opment land in the north-west corner of the city.With access to DakotaCounty on County Road 23to the north, and directfrontage on Highway 19 tothe south, this businesspark is within convenientreach of Interstate 35,offering easy access toMinneapolis-St. Paul and beyond.

UTILITY SERVICESElectricity and natural gas service to Northfield are provided by Xcel Energy. The Xcel Windsource program isavailable to businesses committed to sustainable energy use. Water and sewer services are provided by the City of Northfield, at rates well below those of the Twin Cities metro area.

Basic telephone and high-speed Internet services are provided by a variety of companies, including Qwest,Hickory Tech, Charter Communications, and Jaguar Communications.

REAL ESTATESERVICES(All addresses in Northfield, MN 55057, unless indicated)

APPRAISALS

Appraisal Minnesota416 Division Street 952-221-4000www.appraisalminnesota.com

Northfield Appraisal, Inc.1283 Bollenbacher Drive 507-645-7260www.northfieldappraisal.com

REALTORS

Coldwell Banker South Metro 419 Division Street507-663-1234www.coldwellbankernorthfield.com

Edina Realty1281 Bollenbacher Drive507-645-4491www.edinarealty.com

Land Vista LLC205 South Water Street952-292-2370www.landvista.net

RE/MAX315 Division Street 507-645-7653

Swenson Realty801 Water Street South507-645-6678

Brian TrebelhornRE/MAX Advantage Plus866-788-4795www.briantrebelhorn.com

Tradition Realty800 Heywood Road612-481-3802www.traditionrealty.com

PROPERTY MANAGERS

E & J Management Company1403 Heritage Drive, Suite E507-663-1572

Land’Sake1300 Bollenbacher Drive507-663-7100

Osborne Properties4210 W. Old Shakopee RoadBloomington, MN 55437952-881-8166www.krausanderson.com

Peterson Property & Management Company801 Highway 3 North 507-301-3333

New Business Development Opportunities

Central Building, downtown Northfield

Annexed Land

COMMUNITY IDENTITYNorthfield is a uniquely balanced community. In thelanguage of the Claritas PRIZM® system, it is BigFish, Small Pond, Country Squires, and Fast-TrackFamilies. Bottom line: Northfield is an engaged,well-educated, active, family-oriented community.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENTCity government is organized under a council/man-ager system. Citizen involvement is extremely activethrough standing boards and commissions, as wellas ad hoc, issue-oriented task forces. Commercialand industrial development are guided by citizenboards including the Economic DevelopmentAuthority, the Planning Commission, the HeritagePreservation Commission, and the EnvironmentalQuality Commission.

COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONSFrom established service clubs like Rotary, Lions,Sertoma, and the League of Women Voters, to theVFW, American Legion and Elks, there are a dozenways to get involved. Northfield is served by morethan 25 churches, covering all of the majorreligious denominations.

There are summer youth sports leagues forbaseball, soccer, basketball, tennis, as well as a full roster of school sports programs. A growingYMCA provides family programs and recreation activities for younger children.

HOUSINGTwo-thirds of Northfield’s residents own their homes, which have a median value of about $174,400. The city offers approximately 2,500 units of residential rental housing, with a consistently low vacancy rate. This is a very stable community.

SCHOOLSThe Northfield Public Schools provide an excellentcomprehensive K-12 education through three tradi-tional elementary schools (one of which offers aSpanish immersion program), a middle school and ahigh school. The district also sponsors an elementarycharter school (Prairie Creek) and a secondary charterschool (ArtTech). There are two Montessori schoolsand a K–8 parochial program at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church. Northfield students consistently out-perform state and national standards.

Two nationally rankedprivate colleges — St. Olafand Carleton — attractnearly 5,000 bright andactive students. The col-leges’ efforts to link stu-dents to local businessesand organizations throughinternships and volunteerservice are a valuablecontribution to the quality of community life.

ARTS AND CULTUREThere is always something to do in Northfield. College events areopen to the public, providing con-certs, plays, exhibits, and lecturesthat are not typical for a communityof Northfield’s size. In addition, awide variety of non-profit organiza-tions create a rich tapestry of pro-grams for artistic expression andentertainment, from music and theater to dance and history.

Quality of Life in Northfield A N N U A L C O M M U N I T YE V E N T S A N D F E S T I V A L S

Spring-SummerCommunity Memorial Day

CelebrationTaste of NorthfieldJunebug Music FestivalCrazy DazeFourth of July CelebrationRice County FairVintage Band FestivalTheater in the ParkDakota County Fair

Fall-WinterDefeat of Jesse James DaysVeterans’ Day CelebrationTurkey TrotWinter WalkSt. Olaf Christmas FestivalJingle Bell Run

ARTS AND CULTURALORGANIZATIONS

Northfield Arts Guildwww.northfieldartsguild.org

ArtOrgartorg.info

Riverwalk Arts Quarterwww.riverwalkartsquarter.com

Northfield Historical Societywww.northfieldhistory.org

Cannon Valley Elder Collegiumcvec.org

Community Band concert

Northfield Arts Guild

St. Olaf College

CITY OF NORTHFIELDC O M M U N I T Y D E V E L O P M E N T D E P A R T M E N T

801 Washington Street Northfield, MN 55057Phone: 507-645-3018 | http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/business | Email: eda@ci.northfield.mn.us

Community Development DirectorJody Gunderson | 507-645-3018 | Jody.Gunderson@ci.northfield.mn.us

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF GR IFF W IGLEY AND DOUG BRATLAND .

Northfield, Minnesotais situated along the banks of the Cannon River in the rich agricultural

region of southeastern Minnesota. The city is bursting with vibrant

culture, esteemed academics, celebrated arts, progressive technology,

innovative businesses, and a cherished history. The City of Northfield,

the Northfield Economic Development Authority and a wide-ranging

professional community are committed to helping current and

prospective business obtain the resources necessary for success.

Northfield’s Bridge Square

Visit the CITY OFNORTHFIELDWEBSITE

Take a look at theGET TO KNOWNORTHFIELDvideo.