Downtown Saint Paul at a Post-Pandemic Crossroads

Re-imagine downtown Saint Paul given post-pandemic investments in housing, the riverfront, and multi-modal transportation. Discuss downtown’s evolution as the east metro center, illustrating how it can build on its strengths including durable public spaces, robust tourism, and historic resources.

Pandemic impact on downtown jobs/ongoing work from home: Additional investments in housing, open spaces, and the riverfront to add more vitality and amenities to downtown (for residents and businesses)
• Pandemic impact on downtown business: Additional investments in housing, open spaces, and the riverfront to add more customer base to downtown
• Undoing urban design impacts of a downtown oriented around skyways: A downtown plan update that will emphasize activation of ground-level of buildings, including additional residential uses and active uses such as storefronts
• Commuter, business, and resident reliance on vehicular transportation for transportation: Investing in multi-modal transportation (aBRT, rail and bikeway infrastructure) to facilitate and encourage other modes

Downtown Saint Paul must focus on creating additional access for its future success, including greater access to the riverfront (projects such as the Riversedge and the River Balcony); greater access to housing opportunities at a range of incomes including deeply affordable; and greater access to quality transit and public spaces.