Jensen's Supper Club in Eagan is about to undergo a remodeling and a name change to Jensen's Food & Cocktails, which the owners say will better reflect the restaurant's new style and expanded hours.
The restaurant will close during remodeling, which will run from June 30 to July 9. In addition to new dining rooms, the restaurant will add an outdoor patio with seating for 40. Smart Associates of Minneapolis has been hired to do the design work.
Jensen's Food & Cocktails will reopen July 10 and offer lunch and dinner. "Our dinner menu will largely stay the same. Favorites like popovers, walleye and prime rib will remain as well as the evolving chef-driven specials including fresh fish," executive chef Nate Bode said.
The changes will be completed about a month before an influx of traffic to the Cedar Grove redevelopment area expected when Paragon Partners' new outlet mall opens.
Training grant for Intek
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development recently awarded a $260,096 grant to Dakota County Technical College to train 165 employees of Intek Plastics in Hastings.
The grant was awarded under the agency's Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Program, which works with businesses and educational institutions. In this grant, the program leverages nearly $652,000 from Intek.
Intek Plastics is a custom plastic extrusion company that has 153 employees and plans to hire 10 to 20 more in the next three years. The grant will enable the business and college to develop new and customized entry- and advanced-level training programs to be held at the worksite.
Homebuilding eases off
Homebuilding activity in Dakota County appears to be following the overall trend in the metro area — brisk but not quite as robust as last year.
The latest Keystone Report for the Builders Association of the Twin Cities said metro-area communities issued 1,855 building permits for 3,332 housing units through the end of May. That compares with 1,867 permits for 3,266 units for the same period in 2013.
Lakeville continued to be the most active homebuilding market in the Twin Cities, with 138 permits this year vs. 149 for the five-month period last year. Multiunit housing powered building activity in Eagan, which had 39 permits for 240 units compared with 44 permits for 71 units through the end of May last year.
Farmington reported 33 permits through the end of May, down from 47 for the same period a year ago. Rosemount also posted a slight decline, with 29 permits through the end of May compared with 33 last year. Burnsville had no permits compared with two last year.
Hastings reported eight permits, unchanged from a year ago.
Apple Valley had 25 permits, up from 24 through the end of May last year. Inver Grove Heights reported 24 permits up from 18, and Mendota Heights had four permits, up from two a year ago.
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Susan Feyder • 952-746-3282
