WAYZATA — In a unanimous vote Tuesday night, the Wayzata City Council approved the Landmark Wayzata redevelopment, clearing the way for the former TCF headquarters at 200 Lake Street East to be replaced with a six-building, mixed-use development along the city’s most visible stretch of lakefront.
The council adopted Resolution 13-2025, approving a Planned Unit Development (PUD) concept plan, general plan, zoning amendment, shoreline conditional use permits, and a design deviation for street tree spacing. It simultaneously denied a requested deviation related to massing breaks, affirming that each building core must be separated by a full three-story void.
Consultant Planner Eric Zweber opened the discussion with a concise presentation outlining the scope of the request. The project includes six distinct building cores stretching between Ferndale Road and Barry Avenue, with a mix of ground-floor commercial space, upper-level residential units, and underground parking. “This is a long, narrow site with high visibility and significant impact on the downtown lakefront,” Zweber said. “The proposal meets city code for height, parking, and shoreline requirements, with 162 parking stalls provided for 156 units.”
Zweber emphasized that although the development includes massing breaks at the ground level, the applicant had sought approval to connect the second and third floors between the cores—effectively eliminating the upper portions of the breaks. City staff and the Planning Commission had recommended denial of that request.
The council concurred, with each member offering remarks before the vote.
Council Member Jeff Parkhill supported the resolution, calling the requirement for full massing breaks “a reasonable compromise.” “These voids amount to just 5.5% of the project,” he said. “It’s not a big ask, and the added light and air—especially on the north side in winter—will benefit everyone.”
Council Member Alex Plechash, who served on the Design Standards Task Force, reflected on the original intent behind the city’s architectural rules. “The term ‘massing break’ was created to prevent exactly what we see in the lakeside rendering—a single, massive structure,” he said. “This requirement is about ensuring the building remains consistent with Wayzata’s scale and character.”
Council Member Ken Sorensen agreed. “This long façade without full breaks just doesn’t align with the purpose of the PUD district or our comprehensive plan,” he said. “We’ve talked about this at length, and the planning facts are clear.”
Council Member Molly MacDonald added that she was “proud of the work done by staff, the Planning Commission, the applicant, and the community” in bringing the project to this final stage. “I support the resolution as written,” she said.
Mayor Andrew Mullin acknowledged he had a “slight difference of opinion” regarding the definition of a massing break but agreed that the subjective and objective criteria of the PUD provided sound rationale for requiring the open separations. “I would’ve preferred something closer to the Planning Commission’s version,” he said, “but there isn’t the will of the council to move in that direction, and I support the consensus.”
Following a roll call vote, the council unanimously adopted the resolution. A second vote approved the first reading of Ordinance 849, which updates the official zoning map to reclassify the site from its 1989 designation for office and banking uses to a 2025 PUD district for mixed-use residential and commercial.
“Congratulations to the developer,” Mullin stated. “We wish you well as you bring this project forward to construction.”
Final permitting is expected to proceed later this year, with construction anticipated to begin shortly thereafter. The development joins other transformative lakefront projects such as Panoway, Meyer Place, and The Promenade—redefining the western gateway to downtown Wayzata.
