Development Is Happening in Saint Paul

Happy March!  Our team is feeling beyond grateful for a successful Annual Meeting. If you missed it, I encourage you to pause for just five minutes and watch this incredible video, produced by Comcast.  It beautifully captures the essence of our theme and is quite moving.
 
I’m still riding the wave of inspiration from our evening together last Thursday. Because we talked so much about the importance of investing in our cities, today I want to highlight three transformative projects - and the people behind them - who are leading the way.
 
Dr Bill McGuire and Allianz Village development. In late February, Dr. McGuire once again spoke at a community meeting about his bold vision for Allianz Village. I deeply admire and value the unwavering commitment and optimism demonstrated by Dr. McGuire and his leadership team. We need more of this mindset. This Pioneer Press article details both the challenges and his steadfast vision for Saint Paul’s future. We look forward to seeing this vision come to life.  
 
Saint Paul Port Authority and The Heights Redevelopment. I know this organization from the inside, and I can tell you - their very purpose is transformation. The Saint Paul Port Authority steps in where the private sector and the public need one another to bring a project to life.  Their latest product? The Heights on the East Side. Converting a 124-acre golf course into both housing and commercial/industrial space, projected to provide 16x the taxes along with more business and more housing. All with livable wages, incentives to developers to hire employees from within the city itself.  It’s development with commitment to community.
 
Sherman and Landmark Towers.  – In 2023, Sherman Associates purchased Landmark Towers with plans for a residential conversion.  Later that year, the City partnered with a $21M tax incentive to support the project. The conversion is scheduled to open in 2025 – a critical step in addressing the urgency and stark reality of office-to-housing conversion projects.
 
Saint Paul’s development future is rich with possibility. In addition to these projects are others like Osborn370, The Bridges, and those within the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance’s Downtown Investment Strategy, all shaping the city’s next chapter.
 
In each of these examples above you’ll find visionary individuals, strong teams, and committed partnerships. Together we CAN manifest greatness here.

See you in the trenches,
B