Top 5 Plymouth Patch Stories of 2011

Though Plymouth Patch was only around for the second half of 2011, there were many stories of interest that the community shared.

Here’s a list of the top five, most read articles on Plymouth Patch and some updates on each one. To read the original stories, click on each headline.

1.: Rebuilding continues on the building in the Parkside Apartment Complex that was devastated by a fire Aug. 26. According to Property Management Vice-President Joe Videle, construction started immediately and the units affected could be ready for occupancy in the spring or early summer of 2012.

"We're working with the city to make sure the units are completed under current construction codes and all permits are up-to-date," Videle said. "We're investigating all fire codes and working with the city on what is required and should be done."

He said the units would be brand new and available to anyone, including those who lived there before.

2. : Also in August 2011, the Northwest Islamic Community Center was approved to be share property with the . 

Tamim Saudi, vice president of the Community Center board, said it is still under construction, but they hope it will be open to the public in February 2012.

"They're still working on water pipelines, a sprinkler system and carpeting so it needs at least another month," Saudi said. "It's been going great and very smoothly, it was just that most of the contractors were busy with other jobs at the end of the season and had to finish that work before us."

A public open house is planned after the center opens. You can visit the center's website to get on a mailing list and follow its progress.

3. : In September, Plymouth discovered it would be inheriting a landmark Wayzata business as it moved from one city to another.

Owner Ken Savik said the restaurant is set to open mid-February 2012.

"Right now we're scheduled to take over the restaurant on Feb. 10," Savik said. "Construction is going great. Prior to construction, we worked on getting permitting and the city [of Plymouth] has been great to work with."

Some designs had to be altered, he said. The site used to be home to a Pizza Hut.

"The place was gutted so we started from a concrete floor, and even if it hadn't been stripped out we would have done that anyway," Savik said. "It's a little bigger than our previous location and we'll have a lobby for a waiting area and a two-sided fireplace to service two dining rooms."

But there will still be a familiar feel to the new place, as many items that decorated the Wayzata site will be in the Plymouth one. Savik also said the menu will be similar to what it was before with a few minor modifications.

4. : A final open house in September had many people weighing in on guiding principles for redeveloping the Four Seasons Mall. Early in 2011, the Plymouth City Council put a moratorium on allowing any new development on the site until a study was complete. The study resulted in the principles, which the council approved in December. 

According to city staff, since the moratorium was lifted there have been no applications for redevelopment and Wal-Mart, the property owner, has not come forward with and development plans at this time.

5. : This fall, four Robbinsdale Armstrong High School students were suspended 10 days after an alleged choking incident that resulted in a male student passing out in the hallway. The students suspended also went through an expulsion hearing, but in the end, they were able to return to school. Three that were hockey players were not allowed to play in the first two games of the season.

Mike Terres, the father of one the boys suspended, sat down with Superintendent Aldo Sicoli to discuss the hearing and process. Terres believed that due to the ruling and no charges coming forth, that his son's record should be expunged of the incident, but the district said that was not possible.

"We pleaded our case to him and the fact that the hearing officer that assessed everything said the incident was no more than a Level 2 infraction, which should result with an in-school punishment," Terres said. "But Sicoli said that was just an opinion, when in fact it was the ruling."

Terres had considered pursuing legal action, but is no longer doing so. But legal and other expenses have been hard on his family and the other suspended students' families. To help them, a group of Armstrong school community members and parents have formed Community United, which will have a benefit on Feb. 17, 2012, at the Bayview Event Center in Excelsior to raise money for those expenses.

"There will be a known-musician there and a lot going on," Terres said. "This has all been humbling for us, to have so many people in our favor and willing to take action on the bad action taken against us."

District administration and board members have told Patch because of student privacy data they cannot comment on the incident or expulsion hearing.