Fort Snelling To Be A Village?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- There may soon be new signs near the airport indicating the "Village of Fort Snelling."

Strange as it may sound, the phrase could pave the way for fixing up part of the old fort.

Several governmental partners are considering an agreement that would result in making Fort Snelling a municipality.

The village could then provide services and attract development for the fort's abandoned Upper Post, which has 45 historic buildings, many of which are in need of renovations.

The area could draw offices, shops and housing because it's near the airport and has a light rail stop that runs to Minneapolis and the Mall of America.

The site is owned by the Department of Natural Resources and is in the National Park Service's Mississippi National River area.

A state, county and federal government agreement currently in the works would make way for a permanent authority to govern the Upper Post, but that could take up to two years.