The popular Minnesota resort, Madden's on Gull Lake, is already on the mend following last July's devastating storm damage.

Phase one of Madden's $13-million renovation and rebuilding project was recently completed and plans are to finish the rest of it by the resort's season opener on April 22.

The biggest part of its first phase was the newly constructed Voyageur, which has 36 new guest rooms and a remodeled hospitality room between its two buildings. The Voyageur, located on the resort's west shoreline, cost $3.5 million.

In total, Madden's will either rebuild or renovate about 10 buildings, including some smaller cabins, on the sprawling 1,000-acre property.

Management of the Up North hot spot, which is two hours north of the Twin Cities, hired Nor-Son, Inc. to reconstruct the buildings in time for its next wave of vacationers.

"Construction thus far is going very well and our guests will return in 2016 to a better-than-ever Madden's experience," Abbey Pieper, vice president of Madden's on Gull Lake, said in a prepared statement.

About 40 percent of property will be new construction, but Pieper says it will still maintain "the original Madden's charm."

Kristen Leigh Painter