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Saint Paul's Boulevard Rain Gardens
Guest spot by your friendly Legislative Aide Samantha Henningson
As part of a partnership between the City and the Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD), residents in the Blair/Griggs RSVP (Residential Street Vitality Program) area last year were offered the opportunity to participate in a pilot program to install boulevard rain gardens. My husband and I are lucky to live in this area and take advantage of the program, so I have a personal perspective to offer.
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Preparing the boulevard for the garden.
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Basically, when the contractors laid the new curb, they put in a depression, dug a big hole in the boulevard and filled it with permeable soils. In early June we had a huge planting day where neighbors and volunteers planted 60 of these gardens with native, water-tolerant plants. That is a lot of water diverted from the sewer (ultimately the river) that now slowly drains through the gardens into the water table.
Of course I appreciate the environmental benefit of this project as well as the neighborhood beautification. The plants are small now, but will be a couple feet tall and more filled out by this time next year. The best part about this project, though, has really been the community-building.
My neighbors and I check in about progress, and have been getting to know each other better. It confirmed my image of my neighbor, Ellen, as really gung-ho when she, with the help of Great River Greening volunteers, planted not one or two, but THREE of these gardens -- two on her corner lot and her next-door neighbors' garden as well.  | |
One of the neighborhood planting teams.
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I was also excited to see my coworker in Public Works, Barb Mundahl, show up for planting day outside of her normal work week. She helped plan the whole project and then came with a smile on her face to help my next-door neighbor plant her garden.
This program is still in the pilot phase and staff are working to make sure that it works and determine if we can offer it more broadly. We already have residents in non-RSVP noticing the new gardens and wondering if they can participate. Our office will be working with City and CRWD staff to make sure information on rain garden options is available to all interested residents.
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"On The Green Line" Campaign Launches
Don't forget to patronize University Avenue businesses as construction progresses for the rest of the season. Check out this new campaign for ideas of new businesses to visit.
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Student Housing Zoning Overlay
The City Council recently passed a zoning overlay district limiting the number of new student homes in the area around the University of Saint Thomas. For my thoughts on the process and outcome, visit this page. There is also information on this page about the private development at Grand and Finn Avenues.
The City's official student housing page includes information about the ordinance, the map of the overlay, and information on how to register existing student homes.
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Development Action on University Avenue
From day one, the light rail project on University Avenue, now known as the Green Line, has been about quality of life, better transportation access, and economic development. Construction of the the light rail project is seemingly spurring a great deal of development interest along the Avenue. Here is a sampling of the projects either underway or planned -- from west to east:
2700 University Avenue, City LimitsWellington Management and Doran Companies are looking to partner on a 220-unit mixed-income apartment building on the southeast corner of University and Emerald. This attractive, modern-looking new development would add to the new housing that has already been built in the area over the past decade, with a combination of market rate and affordable apartments, and resident amenities such as a fitness room and a pool. While not finalized, financing for the project will likely include Tax-Increment Financing from the City, as well as grant(s) from the Metropolitan Council. Chittenden and Eastman Building Local developer Jim Stoplestad acquired the building at 2402 University and is converting it to market rate apartments. Located in the Raymond/University HIstoric District, about a block from the Raymond LRT stop, this project is taking advantage of Historic Tax Credits but has not requested any direct subsidies from the City. The building will be a mix of studio and 1 and 2 bedroom apartments.
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C & E Building
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Prior Crossing
The House of Hope Church and the Plymouth Church Neighborhood Foundation are planning to build an apartment building for homeless teens just east of the the northeast corner of University and Prior. This project would fill a need in the community for stable housing for homeless teenager, a growing segment of our growing homeless population. The project would house about 40 teens.
Habitat for Humanity Headquarters
Habitat's Twin Cities Office has acquired the Zimmerman Building on the southeast corner of University and Prior Avenues, and intends to demolish the building and construct a new 3-story headquarters office building. The project will improve the visibility and accessibility of this great Twin Cities institution. The project does not involve and direct financial support from the The City of St. Paul.
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Habitat for Humanity Headquarters
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Episcopal Homes expansionEpiscopal Homes, whose campus at University and Fairview provides the full continuum of housing options and care for seniors, is planning a significant new building on the former Porky's site. The new building will include independent living for low-income seniors, a memory-care unit, assisted living, and a first-floor coffee shop. The project has received funding support from the the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, a grant from the Metropolitan Council's Transit Oriented Development Fund, as well as some City support. Episcopal Homes expects to break ground in 2013.
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Episcopal Homes expansion
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Culver's and Rehabbed Retail
On the north side of University Avenue, between Simpson St. and Pascal, owner/developers the Kline family have partnered with a regional Culver's store franchisee to bring a Culver's to the area, and re-invest in some of the outdated retail spaces on the eastern end of the block. Work is progressing on the project and should be substantially completed this fall.
Minneapolis-based nonprofit housing developer and service provide Project for Pride and Living acquired the site on the north side of University between Hamline and Syndicate and is planning a mixed-used development of retail and affordable apartments. The apartments will all be affordable to households making 60% or less of Area Median Income, filling a big need for affordable living with good transit access. To keep the rents down, this project will receive City and other government and philanthropic support, including a substantial grant from the Metropolitan Council's Transit Oriented Development Fund Program. The project will fill the entire block, and will include two buildings with a plaza space in between. The units will be a mix of studios, 1, 2, and 3-bedroom apartments and possibly some live/work units. PPL expects to be under construction in summer of 2013.
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As a group, these projects represent a potential for upwards of $200 million in new investments in Ward 4, and a significant addition of market rate and affordable housing units for our community. These projects will add greatly to the life, vitality, and livability of our community, and represent the first round of investments directly linked to the investment in light ra
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