Reading the Highland Villager #254

[A Villager bound on a residential walkway.]

[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. Until this newspaper goes online, sidewalk information must be set free. See also: Three Reasons Why I Re-Blog the Highland Villager.]


Headline: Decade of construction work begins on Ford site; Ryan Companies lays out schedule for carrying out massive project
Author:

Short short version: A former car and truck factory was torn down and it will become housing and some office / retail buildings. There was a meeting about it. Construction will be noisy. Some trees might be saved. It will all take years. Some streets will be closed for a while. There will be dust.


Headline: Spring ushers in a long season of roadwork; Getting around by car in 2020 will include a maze of detours
Author:

Short short version: Some roads need to be fixed, and government workers are going to fix them. Article lists some o the projects.


Headline: City hosts discussion on Ayd Mill Road redesign
Author:

Short short version: There was a meeting planned for what to do about a city-owned freeway spur. [But it was cancelled due to the pandemic. There was a video instead; see also.]


Headline: City committee frowns on proposed changes to Ford plan; Planning commissioners fear amendments would undermine intent of plan
Author:

Short short version: The developer of the former car and truck factory wanted to change some things about the zoning and street plan, and the Zoning Committee accepted some of the changes but rejected others. [I missed this meeting, but the full Commission recently met online last week and almost nearly unanimously approved the Zoning Committee's recommendations.] One of the issues was the amount of commercial space that would be required on the corners of the site. [The plan calls for the barest minimum of "mixed-use", 10% of the space, and the Commission decided to keep that in place.] Another issue was whether to build a "shared street" [in a back alley space or to have the 30' street delineated with sidewalk and curbs]. The Commission also voted to keep the shared street design in place. [There is no compelling reason not to do this, and in fact, many reasons to try it out and set a good precedent for walkable slow-speed street design in the city.] The changes will go to the City Council now. [If the past is any guide, the Council will simply give the developer whatever they want.]  


Headline: St. Paul outlines new regulations to better protect tenants
Author:

Short short version: Some people want to allow tenants to have more rights. CM Jalali and Mayor Carter are pushing a proposal that would install a set of things that would give renters more leverage in negotiations with landlords. [This is similar to the Minneapolis changes that were recently passed.] Article lists changes in detail, e.g. tenant screen guidelines, limits on security deposit, etc.


Headline: Blame it on bedrock - Plans revised for 7-story building on W. 7th
Author:

Short short version: An apartment building that was to be built in a vacant lot / auto garage might have to change because the bedrock is not low enough. There will be a new kind of parking ramp that "stacks vehicles." There will also be more units, and it will be higher. It still requires permits and variances. 


Headline: Four stories of affordable senior housing proposed on West End
Author:

Short short version: A new 47-unit apartment building for older people might be built in a "green space" in which children sometimes play. There would only be eleven parking spaces. Quote from neighbor: "it's not the most inspired building." 


Headline: Rejection of service shop demolition throws wench into Selby-Dale plans; HPC says developer can't replace garage in historic district with 5-story building
Author:

Short short version: A 49-unit apartment building was planned, but the Heritage Preservation Commission does not want a boarded up auto garage to e torn down. The garage dates to 1915 but was changed in 1926 to expand the road. Quote from preservation report: "the structure still architecturally reads as an auto garage." The developer thought about trying to keep and re-use the building but said it was not possible. A preservationist is quoted saying "[it is] an elegant example of a historic garage." Another Commissioner said that the apartment proposal "reminds me of Cabrini-Green, only shorter." [Well, there it is... I think that might be the most ridiculous thing I've ever read in a non-editorial Villager article! It's also probably racist.]  Another person was allowed to testify and said that there is "massive height drift" taking place in Cathedral Hill. ["Height drift"? I do have to give credit to this person for making up totally new and creative concepts. For reference, the proposed building is five stories. Fun fact: the also five-story Blair Arcade building used to be even taller, back when it had a turret. It would be so much easier to defend the preservation community if they were not so frequently absurd.] 


Headline: Bandshell, deck sought at Keg & Case; West 7th market also looks to lift liquor restriction
Author:

Short short version: The food hall in the old brewery would like to add a performance bandshell and a patio with a liquor license. CM Noecker is trying to figure out how to loosen up the regulation.


Headline: St. Paul looks at loosening its residential design standards
Author:

Short short version: It might become easier to do an addition to your house in the future. Some people fixing homes find it difficult to comply with the rules.