Top 10 stories, No. 3: Construction boomed in Mankato in 2013

MANKATO As the state and nation continued its relatively slow ascent out of the recession, the Mankato area saw a dizzying amount of new construction and business growth in 2013.

Topping the list is the recently started $15 million Tailwind Group project along Front Street and Riverfront Drive in Mankato. The project will see the demolition of Miller Motors and RedSky to help make way for a housing and retail building on Front Street, a parking ramp and a seven-story office tower along Riverfront Drive.

Construction in Mankato was up by a third in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period last year.

The $8.9 million Mankato Clinic expansion on the Wickersham Campus is underway, with an opening slated for mid-2014.

VINE Faith in Actions $5.5 million project near downtown is transforming a former college classroom building turned government office building into in an adult community center for area residents in mid-life and beyond. The complete gutting of the Nichols Office Center began this year, with completion expected in the middle of next year.

Imperial Plastics built a new $10 million building in the citys east-side industrial park.

A flurry of retail and restaurant construction also took place this year, much of it in-filling vacant lots along Madison Avenue.

Pawn America recently opened a new store with more warehouse and retail space than its former site on Madison Avenue.

A new Panda Express restaurant also opened recently in front of Cub Foods on Madison Avenue.

Family Video and Marco's Pizza built a building along Victory Drive, behind McDonalds. The video store is open with the pizza shop to open soon.

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Top 10 stories, No. 3: Construction boomed in Mankato in 2013