Reading the Highland Villager #209

[Villagers stooping on Marshall.]

[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: Friends of Mississippi River push for cleanup of Ford Plant landfill; PMCA has yet to determine risks posed by riverside dump
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version:  There is industrial waste by the Ford dam. Inspectors are inspecting it. Ford owns the land right now but maybe not forever. The spot is called “Area C”. [“Area C” was like the “Area 51” of Ford site angry conspiracy people during the great Ford site battle of 2017. Anytime someone mentioned “Area C”, you just knew that some crazy nonsense was about to come up… ]


Headline: Permits OK’d for Snelling-St. Clair apartments; Decision paves way for new six-story building [Shouldn’t that verb be “unpaves”, as half the site is a surface parking lot?]
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: An old strip mall will probably become 188 units of housing and some retail space. Neighbors are concerned about size and people looking into others’ yards. [Note that this site was already rezoned, so this was just a very small Conditional Use Permit for a few feet at the top edges of the by-right development.]


Headline: Landlords balk at the higher costs of organized trash system; With a cart for each unit, monthly fees to skyrocket
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: Saint Paul is finally organizing its trash collection so that it’s not a free-for-all. Some will pay more, others will pay less. CM Thao is quoted asking the City to look at “cart sharing” for duplexes etc. [In my experience, apartment trash collection is always or often overflowing.] City staff person says the added admin. costs would be too high. [Just rip off the bandaid already. Let’s do this, and it’ll all be fine.]


Headline: Support grows for senior housing at Riverside site
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: And old school will become 163 unites of housing for seniors. The streets will also be redesigned to be safer for everyone. [This passed at the Zoning Committee unanimously.] One person would have liked to have seen mixed-use here.


Headline: BZA denies an irregular lot spot for new Macalester-Groveland home
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: A person will not be allowed to split their lot and build a new home because it’s a bit too narrow. (0.2’ it seems.)


Headline: More money found for new Summit Ave. bridge, Lexington Pkwy. reroute
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: Two road projects are going to be a little more expensive than the City initially thought. [Sidenote: roads are very expensive.] Bike-related quote from the article: “A third local street improvement with an adjustment is a mill and overlay project in downtown with $1 million in MSA funds and another $1 million in assessments from abutting property owners. That includes sections of 9th, 10th, and St. Peter streets and possibly part of Kellogg Boulevard with street stripling to complete the Capital City Bikeway.” [Wait, what? Does anyone know if this is real? Huge, if true.] 


Headline: Red Rabbit receives licenses to hope over to Grand Avenue
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: A former restaurant / club will become a new restaurant. It has a patio [that has long generated Villager controversy… stay tuned!].


Headline: County proposes upgrade for busy Edgcumbe-Sheridan site
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The intersection of these two roads by the freeway will get new traffic signals.


Headline: New owners look to take over Vine Park Brewing on West 7th
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The old brewing place got bought.


Headline: County OKs licenses for sale of Tav on Ave to new owners
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The old [crappy] bar [that motorcycle people enjoyed going to] got bought. CM Noecker says people should give the new owner a chance before asking for earlier closing times.


Headline: Merriam Park neighbors balk at Xcel’s clear-cutting of trees
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The energy company cut some trees down.


Headline: Commission OKs permit for larger Tobasi Stop in Summit-U
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: The guy that owns a gas station and convenience store in Rondo will probably be allowed to expand it and build a new building.


Headline: New homes on rise across area
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: A developer is building an 11-unit apartment building, while other developers are also building smaller apartment buildings. [Stop the presses! Good to see “missing middle” housing.]


Headline: Bicyclist dies in crash with bus on Summit
Author: Jane McClure

Short short version: [Septuagenerian grandpa Alan Grahn] was killed while riding a bicycle by a turning school bus in Saint Paul’s most-used bike lane.