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Welcome

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our community of Richfield, Minnesota.

In 2008 Richfield celebrated its centennial year, having been incorporated as a village in 1908. The first settlers in 1858 certainly would not have pictured the vast changes that would take place on this fertile property once referred to as “Richland” over the next 150+ years. A first-ring suburb located immediately south of Minneapolis and directly west of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport, Richfield has gone through numerous transitions since its early days.

Richfield is embracing global changes to encourage the economic sustainability of this community. As you will see throughout this publication, additional information can frequently be found online. Whether you access the Internet in the comfort of your own home or at a public access point such as Augsburg Park Library, we hope this will facilitate the ease of locating what you need in a timely manner.

In addition to providing an environment that allows for economic development, the community is also looking toward its long-term environmental impact and sustainability. Perhaps you’ve had a chance to see some of the landscaping around Kensington Park when grabbing a bite to eat at Chipotle Mexican Grill, Potbelly Sandwich Shop or Noodles & Company. Did you know that this produce is part of a larger initiative by the Cornerstone Group throughout the Twin Cities? Not only are residents of Richfield considering urban farming as a way to reduce energy costs and live sustainably, the city is doing its part as well.

The City of Richfield has taken steps to ensure that it is improving its energy efficiency. The Public Works building now contains the following energy saving and life cycle cost saving features: geothermal heating and cooling, sky lights to limit the amount of electrical lighting during business hours, porous pavement in the parking lot to reduce the pollutants in drainage leaving the site, a rain garden that allows infiltration and biological processes to reduce the amount of pollutants leaving the site and an Energy Recovery Unit to moderate the temperature of the ventilation intake air, in turn reducing the amount of heating and cooling needed.

Richfield’s location places us within minutes of the Mall of America, the largest shopping center in the U.S., directly across I-494 in Bloomington. St. Paul, the capital city of Minnesota, sits just to our east across the Mississippi River. The historically famous Fort Snelling is just northeast of Richfield at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers.

Richfield has a jewel in its midst in the form of the Wood Lake Nature Center. The site features 150 acres of serene wetland and native grasses and stands as the first urban nature center in the U.S.

And we are the home to one of the world’s largest retail electronics companies, Best Buy. This Fortune 100 company selected Richfield as the site of its new world headquarters campus several years ago, and is the largest employer in Richfield. As a company and through its foundation, Best Buy works with nonprofit organizations to support programs that provide opportunities for youth. The company’s goal is to provide positive experiences that will help them to excel in school, engage in their communities and develop leadership skills. Through these initiatives, Best Buy acts as a good corporate citizen in Richfield.

Just as we welcomed Best Buy to the community in 2003, we are rolling out the red carpet for 1,600 US Bank employees in the Meridian Crossings buildings at 35W and 494. US Bank is headquartered in Minneapolis, and the employees in Richfield represent about 18 percent of the company’s total Twin Cities-based workforce.

Many well-known retailers are among the purveyors of goods in Richfield at its many modern shopping areas. Target, The Home Depot, Borders, Land’s End and others share the stage with our tried-and-true hometown favorites like Broadway Pizza, Patrick’s Bakery and Old Country Buffet, which started at 66th and Nicollet in March 1984.

From our central location, you have access to cultural and sporting events in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. Downtown Minneapolis, only eight minutes away, offers the Guthrie Theater, Orchestra Hall and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, as well as sporting events at the Metrodome, Target Center and Target Field. In St. Paul, the Ordway Theater is not to be missed, while the Xcel Energy Center offers a hockey-viewing venue second to none and hosts world-class concerts.

Richfield offers housing choices for everyone. Single-family homes (about 70 percent of our housing) are in an affordable price range. Townhomes, apartments, high-rise condominiums, senior citizen-only residences and assisted-living complexes are located throughout the city.Educational opportunities in Richfield serve all ages. We are fortunate to have day care sites, Montessori schools, parochial schools, private schools and post-secondary schools to augment a fine K–12 public school system.

All work and no play, you ask? Not true in Richfield. We have acres of playgrounds, parkland, a two-sheet ice arena, an outdoor swimming pool with two waterslides, a skateboard park and tennis courts. Our recreation department works hard to maintain our recreational facilities for the enjoyment of all ages.

Richfield offers opportunities to live, work and play for its citizens and visitors alike. Those of you who live here already know what a family-friendly city we have. If you’re a newcomer or a visitor, we say, “Welcome—we’re glad you’re here!”