From:
Bob Spaulding
Date:
Oct 10 02:24 UTC
Short link
Here's my fairly personal answer to one of the things that are
unfolding downtown, even in a metro condo market that has been soft
the last several years. But even in this time of deep recession, the
City has been moving forward on several projects around the downtown
area. One project close to my heart got a big leg up yesterday at the
St. Paul City Council.
Thanks to federal tax credits that were committed by the City Council
on Wednesday, it looks like the Renaissance Box building in downtown's
Wacouta Commons neighborhood will be turned into about 70 units of
below-market rate and market-rate rental housing. The historic shoe
factory will be preserved and put on the National Register, and
reconstructed with a particular focus on sustainability. The
conversion of the building - which has been almost completely vacant
for many years - will mark another key milestone for the development
of downtown's new Wacouta Commons neighborhood. Minneapolis
affordable housing developer/owner Aeon (formerly Central Community
Housing Trust) was given the tax credits. Provided the state housing
financing for the project is approved in next couple months,
construction will start on the project very soon.
I am proud to have played an integral role from the beginning of the
project. In 2004, Martin Lubell owned the building. Martin is a
unique guy and envisioned the building as a sort of unique bohemian
anchor in the neighborhood - not so different from the role the artist
co-ops play in Lowertown. But Martin had a tough product in a
struggling downtown office/retail market, and his bank was threatening
to foreclose on the building. Martin in some way wanted part of the
vision he helped build to continue in some form under the next owner.
I had been in conversations with Martin for a some time. Together
with one other person at the downtown district council, we talked with
Martin about creative ways out of his financial straits, and worked to
see if one or two of the strongest elements in his vision could be
preserved. We worked to connect former building owner Martin Lubell
with people like Aeon and other artist/affordable housing
developers. And so, I was the third person there when Martin first
gave an Aeon staff member a tour of the building.
There's a ton I'm skimming over. I learned there were a bundle of
questions that needed to be answered by the City and neighborhood, and
people to be consulted - including some I had honestly never
contemplated. There were twists and turns. But being part of the
approval process taught me a tremendous amount about how to best work
with city government, about the urban development process, and the
challenges of figuring out how to best put together a workable urban
neighborhood that gives everyone confidence.
I wouldn't normally highlight my personal role so much — I very
sincerely don't do any of this for the credit — but I think its
important when we discuss downtown to understand the stake real people
have provided to have a real impact on the shape of our city. A city
is, in the end, about its people, and how well they find a way to work
together.
My sincere thanks for everyone's diligent work on this, including the
current district council leadership, as well as my Councilmember Thune
and the rest of the City Council. I also appreciate that the Council
was able to find a way to help support projects in other parts of the
City as well. Together, we're making St. Paul an evermore attractive
place for everyone to live.
And so, three cheers to that!
Bob