Construction crews may soon appear on a large swath of suburban land that's sat empty for more than 40 years. The Ramsey County Board has given the green light to Rice Creek Commons — a mix of homes and businesses planned for the site of the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant.

The factory began churning out .30- and .50-caliber ammunition during World War II, and then closed for good in 1976. In the ensuing decades, soil and groundwater pollution made the land unsafe to reuse. In the 1980s, the site was added to the EPA's Superfund program.

Ramsey County entered the picture in 2013 when it bought 427 acres of the site beside Interstate 35W and — with the Army's help — began cleaning it up.

"We expect to delistthat site from soil contamination. It is basically ready to go," said Louis Jambois, an economic development consultant who is Ramsey County's lead negotiator on the project. He expects construction crews could start grading the land as soon as next year.

Meeting in closed session Tuesday, the Ramsey County Board gave the go-ahead to sell the site to the developer Alatus, LLC for nearly $63 million. The proposal calls for the company to acquire the property in five phases between 2020 and 2034.

The master plan includes three residential neighborhoods, plus parks, retail and office space to be called Rice Creek Commons.

Arden Hills Mayor David Grant welcomes apartments and condos in a city of mostly single-family homes. They'll allow people who can no longer manage the upkeep to remain in