Former Denny Hecker Dealership to be Transformed into Park and Ride, Library Admin Offices

Books and buses make strange bedfellows, but so it will be. As of Sept. 1, Scott County's library administrative services will take up residence at 1615 Weston Court in Shakopee—site of a former Denny Hecker dealership which will soon be the county's newest park and ride and transit station.

Currently, the library system's administrative department—which runs seven city libraries and Scott's law library—is located in an office space at the Savage Library. The library system has leased the offices from the City of Savage for the last 13 years. 

"It will be a little different for us because we won't be in a library. There are some problems with that, but some advantages too," said Vanessa Birdsey, director of the Scott County Library System. "We'll be getting used to a new facility, but it should not have any impact on how we do business." 
 
The dealership just off US Highway 169 and County Highway 17 closed in 2008 after the economy went into free fall and Hecker ran afoul of the law. He is currently serving a 10-year sentence for bankruptcy fraud. Scott County purchased the property in November of 2010 for $3.2 million, with $2.3 million in aid from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The Marschall Road station will be the county's third, in addition to Eagle Creek Park & Ride and Southbridge Crossings Transit Station. Once complete, it will be the transit hub for the county, with a 400-stall park and ride for BlueXpress commuter bus service. It will also serve as the transfer site for SmartLink. 

Birdsey said the county board decided to co-locate the library system at the transit station.

"We were trying to get out of leased quarters that we were in," Birdsey said. "Since we were buying the building it made sense to move there. We were able to get rid of virtually all leased space."

Construction on the new transit station was set to begin in March. The offices will be remodeled over July. It is scheduled to be substantially complete in October. The station is expected to be fully operational in 2014. 

The office spaces in Savage will likely be dedicated to the Savage Social Club and the Savage Arts Council, said Savage City Administrator Barry Stock.