Downtown Revitalization – What’s Moving?

First off, Sunday night Mike Logan from the Minneapolis Regional Chamber and I welcomed Portland’s city and business leaders for their 2025 Best Practices Trip. Many of our regional partners – including the Met Council, Greater MSP, our chambers, and downtown organizations – are engaging with them. We crossed paths with Jay Cowles, Charlie Zelle, and I know the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance provided a walking tour of downtown Saint Paul on Monday afternoon. The visit highlights the value of intercity collaboration, especially around downtown revitalization, public safety, and industry investment. We are looking forward to our own trip to Detroit at the end of October!
 
In case you missed it: last week I joined city leaders and stakeholders for a roundtable organized by FOX 9 on the downtown revitalization underway. The conversation reinforces how interconnected these issues are and how vital it is that we keep moving forward together.

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FOX 9 hosts roundtable discussion on future of Saint Paul

​As downtown areas in cities across the country struggle to recover from the pandemic, Minnesota’s capitol city faces unique challenges. Several office towers have been abandoned after Madison Equities walked away from its entire real estate portfolio. An obsolete and over-retailed skyway system is dragging down street-level business. The stadium that draws millions of visitors is now considered outdated and in need of huge investments in public money for renovations, according to the Minnesota Wild and city officials.

Watch the full conversation from FOX 9