Cook County/Grand Marais EDA advances housing and development projects
The Cook County Economic Development Authority is moving forward on several projects aimed at addressing housing, business development, and the economic fallout from this summer’s wildfires.
During the Aug. 18 meeting, the EDA Board approved a developer’s agreement with Arboda Lofts, LLC, moving a 16-unit workforce housing project in Grand Marais forward. The EDA is serving as the fiscal agent for $1.3 million in Minnesota Housing Finance Agency funding, while the Cook County Housing and Redevelopment Authority oversees the project’s development.
EDA Director Lucas Wakefield said the project is expected to be completed by January 2028, meeting the deadline tied to the state funding.
The EDA also approved an Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation (IRRR) grant extension for the Mayhew expansion project in downtown Grand Marais during its August meeting. Wakefield said the project’s financing is in its final stages, with the developer intending to break ground this year.
The proposed project, which includes a mixed-use commercial building in downtown Grand Marais, has been delayed due to financing, environmental review, testing, and other development-related matters.
In other EDA news, over the past year, the EDA has reviewed and updated its Business Development Grant program. Wakefield said work continues on the program to simply guidelines and requirements.
The EDA is also continuing to push for state assistance following the July wildfires and related closures. Wakefield said any future aid should include a long-term strategy for businesses facing increasingly frequent wildfire disruptions, including a potential state-managed insurance pool.
Wakefield said the EDA is also advancing a workforce training grant with four other Minnesota counties to identify local education and workforce gaps and expand training opportunities.
WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins sat down with Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority Executive Director Lucas Wakefield following the Aug. 18 meeting. Audio below.
Kalli Hawkins August 22, 2026
