Photo by Deb Gau Marshall City Administrator Sharon Hanson and Mayor Bob Byrnes present an overview of city projects and economic development in Marshall during 2019, as part of the second annual State of the City Address held at the campus of SMSU.

MARSHALL — It was a year of changes. But Marshall city officials said 2019 brought plenty of positive developments, including new businesses coming to town and an increase in the number of building permits issued.

Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes and City Administrator Sharon Hanson gave an overview of the city’s past year during the second annual State of the City Address. Some of the developments in 2019 included new businesses moving into the former Kmart building in Marshall, expansions at local businesses including Harrison Truck Centers and Marshall Machine Shop, and the recovery of local businesses after a fire damaged a Main Street building.

“We are blessed to have a vibrant downtown,” Byrnes said.

Byrnes said building permits in Marshall also went up from 2018 levels, both in terms of the number of permits issued, and the valuation of those permits.

Last year also saw some big changes for a major employer in Marshall with the purchase of Schwan’s Company by CJ CheilJedang, and Schwan’s Home Delivery operating as a separate business. The result of the transition, Byrnes said, “is we have two corporate headquarters here in Marshall, of two really exciting companies.”

Hanson said there are signs that both businesses will stay strong in Marshall. Schwan’s distribution center in Marshall is their largest, and the ice cream plant in Marshall is still running around the clock. CJ’s capacity for investment can also help add to Schwan’s stability, she said.

“Their mainstay in Marshall, it’s really here, and gives us confidence in their future,” Hanson said.

There have been many city construction projects started over the past year, including construction of pre-softening systems for Marshall’s municipal water, updates to the city wastewater treatment plant, and major renovations at the city hall building on Main Street.

Hanson said the city is also hoping the vacant Marshall Hotel building next door to city hall can be redeveloped.

“We’ve had a lot of questions about, ‘What are you going to do about that old hotel building?’ ” she said. Hanson said the city is currently working with a developer who is interested in developing the property into a combination of office or retail space and apartments. The proposal will be discussed by the city’s planning and zoning commission next week, she said.

One big project that still lies ahead in Marshall’s future is the question of what to do with the aging Marshall Aquatic Center. Byrnes said the Aquatic Center is currently the second-oldest swimming pool in Minnesota, and described its leaking concrete as “sieve-like.”

“It is concrete that has reached the end of its life,” Byrnes said. This year, the city will be looking more into its options on updating the Aquatic Center. “One of the challenges we also have though, is where do you start and where do you stop?” The plumbing and other systems at the Aquatic Center are also in need replacing or updating.

Byrnes invited members of the public to give their feedback at a “World Cafe” event which kicks off at 5 p.m. on April 30, at the lower level of the SMSU Conference Center.

In 2019, the city was also taking stock of its planning goals for the next few years. Marshall has updated its strategic plan for 2020-2024, and Hanson said she will be communicating more about the plan.

The planning process “really lined up with the (city’s) branding research,” Hanson said. It also drew a lot of public interest and participation. A “World Cafe” event looking for feedback on what the city’s priorities should be drew more than 80 people to participate in August.

“Our community really wants to see Marshall succeed,” Hanson said.