Saint Paul Real Estate » North End http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com Your local resource to Saint Paul Homes for Sale and Saint Paul Real Estate. Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:10:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Saint Paul Real Estate Pulls Out its JackHammers and Big Ambitions http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/west-side/saint-paul-pulls-out-its-jackhammers-and-big-ambitions/ http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/west-side/saint-paul-pulls-out-its-jackhammers-and-big-ambitions/#comments Fri, 14 May 2010 03:01:11 +0000 scottf http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/?p=439 There are many parts of Saint Paul that are all but a ghost town.  Many older businesses closed, buildings were purchased with grand ambitions, but in this economy and real estate bust, nothing was moving.  Recently, though, more activity is being seen around the city.  Much of this work is not private enterprise, but non-profit and government money hard at work tearing down and preparing to build up.

Public Money

  • One of the largest government projects in Minnesota state history (topping even the $250 million spent on the 35W/Mississippi river bridge) is the Central Corridor light rail line.  This 11 mile line will link Minneapolis and Saint Paul; costing almost $1 billion by the time it is finished in 2014.  The route will travel mostly down University avenue but will also be tearing up roads around the capital, Hamline Avenue and the University of Minnesota.  While construction has started on the project West of Hamline Avenue, many obstacles stand in the way of completion including no resolution on how the light rail will route through the University of Minnesota.  Additionally, at least a dozen lawsuits have been sued by various businesses and organizations including the Minnesota Public Radio, historic churches, and various business organizations that have members that will be affected by the construction and/or the route.
  • While the Penfield project has been on the books for many years in Downtown Saint Paul, the project has continued to be scaled back.  When first proposed by the developer, it was going to be a 40 story hotel and condo high-rise.  then the project was scaled to 30 stories and now just 11 stories.  The make up of the building will change to have typical apartments at market rates.  The City of Saint Paul will take over the $50 million project as the developer, which has some people upset.
  • The West Side Flats is mostly a private $30 million project that will hold 168 apartments in a five-story building.  This prime real estate was originally going to hold luxury condos, but now the developer is reworking the project to have 20% of the units be affordable housing.  In exchange, the government will chip in $600k to build the roads and sidewalks.
  • Most of Saint Paul’s hospitals (Childrens, United, and St. Josephs) all have multi-million dollar expansions or renovations in the works.  United will spend $34 million on a new six story emergency room.  Children’s will completed its $300 million expansion of its St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses.  Not to be left out, St. Joseph’s is also adding a $20 million, 20,000 square foot expansion to it emergency rooms.

Private Money

  • The Union Depot continues to try to make a comeback.  This Lowertown landmark was once slated to be condos, shopping and restaurants until the buildings developer was unable to completed the project.  Now Ramsey County, who currently owns the property, along with state and federal help will determine the next step for this historic building.  Most plans call for it to once again become the hub for all public transportation in Saint Paul.  These plans will include Greyhound buses, linking the Central Corridor light rail into the Amtrak service and finally the future high-speed rail to Chicago.  Estimated are around $240 million, but no funding has been secured, despite demolition and remodeling already starting.
  • One of the first new Central Corridor developments happening on University Avenue is the Frogtown Square development.  This $14 million project will have retail space on the main floor and low-income senior housing on the 2nd with parking underneath.  This project is well underway and has received $3.4 million in funds from the St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority.
  • The coming light rail project is also sparking push for other housing projects including The Lyric at the Carlton Place.  This would be a 171 unit apartment building that would marketed toward arts and music enthusiasts.  These additional units would complement the lofts finished about a year ago.
  • Located near the proposed Westgate Station for the Central Coridor line is the 2700 The Avenue.  This mixed use project with office, grocery and retail will hopefully break ground this year as the project has been scaled back by 60% from its earlier designs.  Although some funding has come from a government grant, financing continues to be an issue.
  • As Snyder’s has closed up shop in the Highland Park neighborhood, Walgreens is waiting on final city planning commission approval to build a new store and additional retail space on that land.

These are just some of the almost 20 public projects and 20 private Saint Paul Real Estate projects that are being either proposed, built, or finished in Saint Paul currently.  You can read more about the projects here.

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]]> http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/west-side/saint-paul-pulls-out-its-jackhammers-and-big-ambitions/feed/ 0 Saint Paul School Board Restructuring Schools http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/north-end/saint-paul-school-board-restructuring-schools/ http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/north-end/saint-paul-school-board-restructuring-schools/#comments Thu, 13 May 2010 02:00:42 +0000 scottf http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/?p=434 The St. Paul School board has been working on a plan to combat both declining enrollment and a $27.2 million district budget short fall.  After weeks of debates the school board made the final decision to close the Arlington Senior High School and move the Washington Technical Middle School and the Wellstone Elementary school into that building.  They also voted to co-locate the Hazel Park Middle School Academy into the Battle Creek Middle School building, Ames and Sheridan Elementary will move into Haxel Park Middle School Academy, Franklin Music Magnet will move to North End and lastly Prosperity Heights will move to Hayden Heights.

All of this movement of schools did not come without a large amount of uproar from parents and students.  The roar was especially loud at Arlington as next year the 11th and 12th graders will be moved to another school.  Most of the students were excited to be at the top of their school and now they will be starting a strange place.  Sport teams will be upset and many athletes that used to start at Arlington wonder if they will get a chance to play next year.

the Saint Paul School board also decided to cut the English Language Learners for those students that are learning English as their 2nd language.  Currently there are about 30 juniors in that class.  They will now be forced to start over at another school.  This change will even effect some students that have Saint Paul Homes near the closing Arlington Senior High.

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]]> http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/north-end/saint-paul-school-board-restructuring-schools/feed/ 0 Judge says Club Cancun in St. Paul is Not Too Noisy http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/north-end/judge-say-club-cancun-in-st-paul-is-not-too-noisy/ http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/north-end/judge-say-club-cancun-in-st-paul-is-not-too-noisy/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:59:20 +0000 scottf http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/?p=208 Although Club Cancun at 1638 Rice Street in the North End bar in Saint Paul has a reputation for frequent fights, noise complaints, and a rowdy reputation, the judge ruled in favor of the bar, over turning a $1000 fine for a February 14 noise violation.  The judge concluded that the City of Saint Paul had not met its burden of proof in fining the owner of the club.

Despite changes in management, hiring an off-duty police officer, hiring a “sound mitigation expert” to reduce sound from bands the club still gets complaints from neighbors.  The police were instructed to keep an eye on the club for possible violations.  The judge determined that the city relied on one persons complaints to base their fine on.  Several of the complaints were investigated by the police and found unsubstantiated.

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]]> http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/north-end/judge-say-club-cancun-in-st-paul-is-not-too-noisy/feed/ 0 North End Saint Paul Neighborhood Gets New Apartments http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/north-end/north-end-saint-paul-neighborhood-gets-new-apartments/ http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/north-end/north-end-saint-paul-neighborhood-gets-new-apartments/#comments Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:43:25 +0000 scottf http://www.stpaul-real-estate.com/?p=96 Today the Winnipeg Apartments open to the public for leasing.  Several old buildings including the Flower Hut (the site of a 1990s double murder) were torn down to make way for this mixed use development.  This is an innovative, green development in the North End neighborhood of Saint Paul that combines the look of historic buildings with the cost saving green features.

The project consists of 56 rental units and 6,000 square feet of commercial space.  The project was financed with $12.5 Million from various public and private sources.  Fifty of the units will be set aside for families at the 50-60% area median income.  They will pay no more than 30% of their income in rent.  The other 6 units will be set aside for very low income families paying no more than 15% of their income in rent.

Current floor plans consist of 1-3 bedroom units and range in price from $676 to $967 per month.  They range from 655 square feet to over 1400 square feet with 2 bathrooms.  Each unit has covered parking, air conditioning, dishwashers, washer/dryer in unit, and controlled access.  The green features will also ensure the residents a lower cost of heating and cooling their apartments.

This is an outstanding building in any neighborhood.  For a low income family to be able to rent a 3 bedroom/2 bathroom apartment with all the amenities (and being brand new to boot) at less than $1000 per month is incredible.  Here is the Winnipeg’s web site.

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