Tag: Lakewest Development

Lake West Lawsuit Challenges Wayzata’s Handling of Lake Street Redevelopment

May 29th, 2025

WAYZATA – Lake West Development LLC has filed a lawsuit against the City of Wayzata, alleging the city acted unlawfully in its handling of a proposed redevelopment at 200 Lake Street East—formerly the site of TCF Bank’s corporate headquarters.

In a 50+ page petition filed in Hennepin County District Court on May 22nd, Lake West seeks a writ of mandamus and declaratory judgment, claiming that the city improperly blocked its application for a new four-story residential development. The site is currently zoned as a Planned Unit Development (PUD) within Wayzata’s Shoreland Overlay District.

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According to the complaint, Lake West had submitted two redevelopment proposals simultaneously—one featuring a four-story “Core Conservation/Cluster” plan and another with a three-story “Traditional” design. The dual submission was intended to offer flexibility amid what the developer called the city’s “unlawful resistance” to four-story construction.

The core of the dispute centers on a 1989 PUD agreement approved by the city that allowed for the construction of the existing four-story TCF building. The developer argues that this agreement eliminated the typical zoning restriction that limits buildings in the C-4A commercial district to two stories, creating a precedent for additional four-story construction on the site.

City of Wayzata Served in Forthcoming Lakewest Lawsuit

On February 21, 2025, the City of Wayzata issued a “Notice of Incomplete Development Application” in response to Lake West’s four-story redevelopment proposal. While the lawsuit does not detail the city’s specific reasoning, it argues that the notice failed to meet legal requirements under Minnesota’s 60-day rule, which mandates that cities must approve or deny a complete application within that timeframe—or the request is deemed automatically approved.

Lake West also asserts that the city’s own zoning code provides two paths for buildings over 35 feet in the Shoreland Overlay District: either through a height variance or a conditional use permit (CUP) via a Shoreland Impact Plan. The developer claims it followed the CUP path and submitted all required documentation.

The lawsuit frames the city’s actions as a pattern of obstruction, citing previous rejections of redevelopment proposals for the same site. Lake West’s legal filing emphasizes that there was no legal basis for rejecting the four-story plan and that the city’s handling of the application was procedurally defective.

The property in question is one of the most prominent parcels along Wayzata’s lakefront corridor. As the city continues to balance development pressures with its small-town charm and lakeside identity, the outcome of this legal battle could set a precedent for future projects in the downtown core.

The City of Wayzata had not issued a public response to the lawsuit as of publication.
Lake West Development to Present Landmark Wayzata Plan at March 24 Public Hearing

March 20th, 2025
A proposal from Lake West Development for the former TCF Headquarters located at 200 East Lake Street. Image courtesy Lakewest Development.

After years of debate and multiple redevelopment proposals, Lake West Development and owner Curt Fretham will present their latest vision for the Landmark Wayzata project at a public hearing before the Planning Commission on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.

The project, proposed for the former TCF headquarters at 200 Lake Street East, has taken on new urgency following recent vandalism and water damage at the vacant building. As reported by Wayzata.com on March 11, the property has been subjected to break-ins, property damage, and flooding, raising concerns about its ongoing deterioration.

Vandalism, Water Damage Impact Former TCF Headquarters in Wayzata

Latest Proposal for Landmark Wayzata

Lake West Development’s fifth attempt to redevelop the site includes:
- 50 residential units
- 23,690 square feet of ground-floor commercial space
- Underground parking
The application seeks several city approvals, including:
- Design Review
- Planned Unit Development (PUD) Concept Plan and Amendment
- Shoreland Residential PUD/Conditional Use Permit (CUP)
- Shoreland Impact Plan/CUP
A Long Road of Redevelopment Efforts

The former TCF headquarters has remained vacant since 2020, and previous redevelopment plans by Lakewest Development have struggled to gain city approval:
- 2020: Plan to convert the office building into 10 condominiums and add new residential buildings denied by the City Council.
- 2021: Two-building mixed-use project with 35 residential units withdrawn after the Planning Commission recommended denial.
- 2022: Two three-story buildings with 32 residential units and 42,000 square feet of commercial space denied by the City Council.
- 2023: A single mixed-use building with 30 residential units and a request to rezone the property denied by the City Council.
What’s Next?

With the March 24 Planning Commission hearing approaching, Lake West Development has launched a website, www.landmarkwayzata.com, to provide details and encourage public feedback.

If approved, the project will move to the City Council for review on April 15, 2025.

As vandalism, water damage and mold continue to impact the property, the upcoming public hearing will be a critical moment in determining the site’s future.

Wayzata residents and stakeholders are encouraged to attend the March 24 hearing at City Hall to share their views on the Landmark Wayzata proposal.
200 Lake Street Redevelopment Plan Denied, Again

July 15th, 2023

Parking & density issues top Council concerns, redevelopment approval seems imminent

Lakewest Development owner Curt Fretham has been seeking to redevelop the former TCF headquarters lot for the past several years.

Each time the developer has been in front of the Wayzata Planning Commission & City Council, his proposals have been denied for various reasons.

Image courtesy Lakewest Development

Opposition in 2021 to the removal of the existing building was fierce with over 2,000 persons signing a petition supporting denial of any re- development in order to preserve the building.

Fretham’s latest plan was before the Wayzata City Council in late June and was again denied unanimously. The plan included 6 requests from the City including a rezoning to commercial use from the existing CUP.

A rendering of 200 East Lake Street in Wayzata..Image courtesy Lakewest Development.

The rationale behind the denial this time was related primarily to a plan to share parking stalls among condo owners and retail and office or daytime users.

However, the comments from the Council and community members seems to be shifting to- wards approval of a redevelopment of the site.

Becky Pierson, the President of the Wayzata Area Chamber of Commerce, indicated in public remarks that in reviewing the informa- tion in the application with the Chamber Board that, “…this is a large section of the west end that has been vacant for approximately 8 years 200 Lake Plan Denied, Again and probably 10 years by the time we get some approvals. We have had several developers that have tried to develop this very difficult lot, failed, and given up and it feels like this pro- posal has evolved to something that is accept- able…” Pierson continued, “I’m looking at this not at a detail level but from a very large corri- dor perspective, and the [Chamber] Board felt that… …[the City] should bring this applica- tion to approval and completion however you can do that.”

Council member Jeff Parkhill weighed in on the application, “I think you guys have nailed it on the look and feel, the design… …I think the scale of the property drives the parking needs, if it were smaller there would be less demand, so it’s kind of a self imposed problem for you guys.”

Council member Cathy Iverson stated, “Thank you for your resilience, because you have been after this for a while. I see you are not a quitter, and each time I think the appli- cation has gotten better. Thank you for that… …but I think the density is driving the parking issue.”

Council member Alex Plecash remarked, “Lots of pros to talk about tonight, but let me start with this: rezoning this makes sense to me. It absolutely should be rezoned in my opinion. Redevelopment is also very necessary for everyone involved. The big [issue] for me among all the parking issues is that residents Curt Fretham addresses the Wayzata City Council. Parking & density issues top Council concerns, redevelopment approval seems imminent would not have dedicated parking. If I was go- ing to buy a place that costs whatever it costs to live there, I would want to know that I had dedicated parking. There may be creative ways to fix that.”

Fretham responded, “I appreciate all the hard work and deliberation of the staff and the council and the outside third parties. The comp plan says to used a CUP for parking wherever possible, so we did that.”

Fretham will likely be back in front of the City with another application in the coming months.

Stay tuned to Wayzata.com for more information on this and other City business.

Tag: Lakewest Development

Lake West Lawsuit Challenges Wayzata’s Handling of Lake Street Redevelopment

Lake West Development to Present Landmark Wayzata Plan at March 24 Public Hearing

Latest Proposal for Landmark Wayzata

A Long Road of Redevelopment Efforts

What’s Next?

200 Lake Street Redevelopment Plan Denied, Again