Reading the Highland Villager #24 (October 12 - 26 Edition)

[Basically the problem is that the best source of Saint Paul streets & sidewalks news is the Highland Villager, a very fine and historical newspaper. This wouldn't be a problem, except that its not available online. You basically have to live in or frequent Saint Paul to read it. That's why I'm reading the Highland Villager so that you don't have to. Until this newspaper goes online, sidewalk information must be set free.]


Total # of articles about sidewalks: 4
Total # of articles about sidewalks written by Jane McClure*: 4


Headline: Passive park is pitched for 19 acres of Ford plant riverfront; Buried on site of old landfill is waste paint, construction debris
Reporter: Jane McClure

Short short version: [In order not to have to clean up the site for redevelopment] the St Paul Planning Commission is thinking about having a 19 acre park on the river side of the River Blvd near the old Ford Plant site (the whole site extends for 125 acres). This would likely involve demolishing the steam plant along the river [though this seems really wasteful, as that's clean and local hydro energy? -Ed.]. Article includes interesting history of the area, including details of how the 19 riverfront acres were used as a landfill through the 50s and 60s [before people pulled their heads out of their asses viz. environment and the Earth etc. -Ed.] Actually cleaning up the mess would cost $30M.


Headline: Airport zoning regs finally touch down; Overlay district puts height restrictions around Holman Field
Reporter: Jane McClure

Short short version: MN DOT received the new zoning regulations for the property surrounding the Saint Paul's Downtown airport [which is used almost exclusively by rich CEOs and Brett Farve. -Ed.]. It's called an "overlay district", and involves height restrictions and whether or not, and where, development can take place. There is a tension between users of the airport and owners of land around the airport who want to build things there, including all the way over across the river in Lowertown, and up on top of the river bluffs. For example, current regulations may affect the viability of a Saints stadium in Lowertown.


Headline: New bike boulevard off to bumpy start
Reporter: Jane McClure

Short short version: Coverage of the Pat Harris-induced bike fiasco [roundly and justifiably mocked]. Includes quote that "some residents have opposed [the bike boulevard] because of its expense and its potential for attracting more bicyclists". [This is also exactly the point of the bike boulevard... not being expensive, but attracting bicyclists. Plus, it's being paid for mostly by a Federal grant, not by local tax dollars. -Ed.] Article includes Jane McClure's [futile] attempt to explain what a bike boulevard actually is.


Headline: City plans new eastern entrance to Crosby Park
Reporter: Jane McClure

Short short version: The city will spend $350K of Legacy Amendment money to build a new entrance to the Crosby Park, along the river south of Highland sometime in 2011.

* The hardest working woman in Saint Paul journalism.