Bring on the train!

Great news for Saint Paul, Union Depot, and the region overall – a second Amtrak train route is on its way! We’ve been talking about this for over 10 years - I remember first learning of this when I was at the Port Authority…. I am very excited about this project.

Amtrak will begin running the second train on May 21. The new train will depart Saint Paul midday, providing traveler flexibility on top of the current 8am eastbound train. These "Borealis" trains are sponsored by the States of Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin. You can visit Amtrak.com to learn more about pricing, route, and passenger amenities.
  
This announcement is welcome, at a time otherwise fraught with uncertainty as it relates to real estate, particularly downtown. We’ve got large tenants relocating, and the entire Madisen Equities portfolio is now on the market. I am ever the optimist:  we have a real opportunity to be strategic in our response to the current environment. Saint Paul is an undervalued real estate market. I like the proposed idea of converting Class C commercial real estate into housing, and seeking an incentive from the legislature to facilitate the transition. I also like the idea of new property owners, interested in investing in their buildings, caring for their tenants, participating in the Downtown Improvement District to invest in improved safety and cleanliness.
 
We have a transformational season before us. As I’ve said before, the downtown plays an outsized role in the region’s economy; both a second train and the opportunity to repurpose downtown real estate can only add value to a more stable regional economy moving forward.
 
See you in the trenches,

B