The initiative to reconstruct the downtown streetscape in Chaska, Minnesota, emerged as part of an award-winning master plan commissioned by the city and authored by Minneapolis-based consultant HKGi. City administrator Matt Podhradsky and other city leaders were inspired by a visit to Franklin, Tennessee, after which they deemed their downtown in need of becoming a more walkable place that was better capable of attracting visitors, new residents, and new businesses. As Podhradsky explained, "We can't control what businesses come to the downtown, but we can control the environment within the downtown."

Important Aspirations
The city exerted control and fostered a strong, vibrant downtown by investing in public infrastructure, as suggested in one of the plan's guiding principles: create inviting downtown streets, sidewalks, and trails. A key initiative was renovating the existing streetscape, addressed by HKGi's Downtown Streetscape Schematic Plan, which established design guidance for the area's modernization. In doing so, the plan implemented another guiding principle: enhance the community's pride and historic sense of place.

 
Echoing the Past
As a history buff, Podhradsky knew there was a tale to tell in downtown Chaska. Evidence of its rich heritage as a manufacturing center can be found in historic building stock and in place names such as Firemen's Clayhole. The newly refurbished streetscape, as Podhradsky said, "[Tells] the story of Chaska through the fabric that makes up the community." A heritage-inspired materials palette creates a deep sense of place by providing the streetscape fabric with color and texture in addition to inspiring the people and businesses binding that fabric together to craft today's chapters of the town's story.

Fortunately, Chaska's manufacturing history dovetails nicely with the needs of a modern streetscape. For nearly a century - from the 1860s through the 1950s - the town was known for its Chaska Brick: high-quality, cream-colored, and made from the clay deposits found in and around the area. The bricks helped build downtown Chaska and were shipped up the Minnesota River to St. Paul for use throughout the state. The growth of Chaska Brick gave rise to another notable manufacturer: Ess Brothers and Sons, Inc., a foundry and machine shop that manufactured various iron products. These two prominent products in Chaska's history became the foundation for the new streetscape's materials palette. HKGi's Amy Bower, PLA, specified bricks and pavers from the Belden Brick Company's City line and Lakeshore blend. These durable products closely resemble Chaska Brick and, according to Bower, lend the streetscape "an old-school character, including thicker mortar joints and finishes" that reflect masonry techniques found in downtown Chaska's historic buildings.

As an added touch of authenticity, the streetscape design also included gateway monuments and street markers embedded with authentic Chaska Brick, which the city collected from building demolitions across the region. Complementing the brick are iron bollards, railings, and bike racks. Using the wood mold originally employed to cast the bollards that once lined downtown Chaska's city square, Bower worked with a national metal foundry to design these custom site amenities that recall Ess Brothers ironwork from the early twentieth century. Other historic elements include red brick pavers reclaimed from a street demolition in St. Paul, sourced with help from the city's engineering consultant, Stantec. These bricks have proven extremely durable - a necessity during Minnesota's difficult winters. Monument pillars and seatwalls throughout downtown contain etchings and prints of historical photographs supplied by the Chaska Historical Society, as heritage panels display photographs, maps, and narratives that aid in wayfinding while relating stories of various locations.

Accommodating Foot Traffic
The other key objective of the streetscape design was to create a safe, pleasant experience for pedestrians through the downtown core. This initially meant crafting routes that would move people away from Minnesota State Highway 41 (MN 41), a heavily trafficked roadway through the middle of downtown. According to Jeff Miller, HKGi's lead author of the downtown master plan, the high traffic volumes led to the development of a 'Brick City Paseo' concept, which uses alleyways as pedestrian thoroughfares around the downtown in addition to creating new public gathering spaces. Mid-block crossings provide entry points to the Paseo. Each crossing includes an amenity zone featuring benches and trash receptacles. Many of the zones also have custom-built seat walls with limestone caps, streetlights, wayfinding signage, and heritage kiosks. Plantings and shade trees entice pedestrians to comfortably rest while gateway arches with string lights invite them into the Paseo.

To improve traffic conditions along MN 41, Podhradsky said that city staff had long envisioned a reduction from a four-lane roadway with no turn lanes to a two-lane configuration with left-turn lanes; however, being a state highway, expectations for this were low. Podhradsky noted that the city did not want MN 41 traffic routed around the downtown because of the value the activity brings. Fortunately, a series of events prompted the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and Carver County to look more closely at the potential to reconfigure MN 41. Traffic data collected by the two agencies and the city indicated that the two-lane configuration would indeed be possible. The city hired national engineering consultant Bolton and Menk to lead the Downtown Highway 41 Project. Tim Lamkin, project manager from Bolton and Menk, notes that this is the first time MnDOT implemented a 'road diet' on a principal arterial roadway in the Twin Cities Metro. Besides the reduction of traffic lanes and the addition of left-hand turn lanes at controlled intersections, safety measures include pedestrian medians at uncontrolled intersections, the elimination of street parking in the corridor, and a substantial expansion of the pedestrian zone along MN 41 from 7-9 feet wide to 18 feet wide. Early data indicates a 34% decrease in crashes along the corridor.

Assessing the Outcome
While the endeavor continues to expand, Nate Kabat, community development director for Chaska, has maintained close communication with downtown business owners and residents, receiving anecdotal evidence that points to the project's triumph. Several buildings have been or are being renovated, and ownership changes indicate an increased willingness to invest in the downtown area. The extensive list of awards the project has received also signifies success. These include the 2024 Project of the Year in the Transportation Category from both the APWA Minnesota Chapter and the City Engineers Association of Minnesota, the 2025 Grand Award from ACEC Minnesota, and the 2025 Outstanding Project of the Year from ASCE Minnesota.

As seen in LASN magazine, November 2025.