Headline: Alatus lays out options for six-story building on Lexington
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: An empty lot that houses melting black crusty snow for six months every year snow might become a six-story building with apartments and shops. Some apartments would be smaller, others larger. There would be 180 parking spots for people's private cars. There would be a bike/ped connection linking two streets through the site. Some apartments would be more affordable than others. Article lists proposed rents. Neighbors are concerned about apartments being expensive, students living in them, and having too many grocery stores in the area and property taxes going up in general. [Students are in fact people also. Furthermore, I believe that building new apartments does not cause property taxes to go up, that the opposite is true.] Former CM Debbie Montgomery is still commenting on things.
Headline: For project environmental impact studies get underway; Traffic studies around the Ford site will peer 20 years into future
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: A former truck factory will become housing and shops and offices. There is another study about how traffic might work. Neighbors are concerned about traffic and parking.
Headline: Takeover of Ford Fields shows Highland Ball at its best; Vision for future of complex shared during special night
Author: Dave Wright
Short short version: Little league baseball assured for Highland.
Headline: Hearings kick off study of the future of Mississippi locks and dams
Author: Roger Barr
Short short version: People in the Federal government are trying to figure out what to do with the dam by the old Ford factory. Possibilities include keeping it or removing it. Rowers are concerned about the river, others are concerned about carp. Others want to remove the dam to help the fish.
Headline: Planning Commission Ok’s revised Ford site design standards
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: There are some rules that might take effect for how buildings at the old Ford factory might look. The standards mention things like water features, materials, setbacks, landscaping, and other things like that.
Headline: City considers new ways to promote building of affordable housing
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: The Planning Commission is looking at how to change zoning and other regulations to make sure there is affordable housing in Saint Paul. Inclusionary zoning is mentioned. The city is doing a study on the topic that will take a few months. [There was a meeting of the Zoning Committee where we chatted about different approaches and there was a thorough presentation by the Planning Director about it. My take is that the details of an IZ policy are really important and we should not be focusing strictly on new construction without also changing existing zoning restrictions. I.e. if we introduce IZ rules, we should also remove parking minimums and SFH zoning, as they have done in Minneapolis, at the same time. Otherwise it will have little affect on overall affordability of new construction. It still might not.] There is a "trust fund" with some money in it. [Stay tuned.]
Headline: HPC allows solar panels atop one of West End’s most historic homes
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: An old building can have solar panels on it, says the historic preservation group.
Headline: Task force contemplates future of Grand, business association
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: A group of people who own stuff on or near Grand Avenue is trying to figure what the business association should do in the future. They are "gathering information." [Fun Fact: the Grand Avenue Business Association spent tens of thousands of their dollars to hire a right-wing PR firm to lobby people against the city's plan to install parking meters, which would raised money for the city that is desperate to fix its streets, moved the city toward its climate action goals, and also made it easier for most people to find parking on the street.] There are different ideas but fewer and fewer businesses belong to the association. There is an online survey. Neighbors are concerned about traffic and parking.
Headline: St. Thomas eyes south campus for new parking lot
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: The University of St. Thomas wants to cut down trees and create an asphalt parking lot for 40 cars. Neighbors are concerned about traffic and parking. [Maybe the University should incentive biking, walking, and transit instead?]
Headline: Commission finds favor with revised Highland District plan
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: The Planning Commission approved a plan for Highland.
Headline: HDC seeks remedy to traffic woes at Lexington-Randolph
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: Trader Joe's parking lot causes traffic. Neighbors are concerned. Bicyclists are threatened by people in cars. People do not drive their cars into the proper entrance of the grocery store. [Trader Joe's parking lots are special places.]
Headline: Developer seeks $80M public subsidy for riverfront project
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: A developer wants to build a large office and hotel complex on the river downtown in spot where the jail and the printing company were located. [It would have a massive parking lot.] The developer wants public money for assistance. [The County has already spent many millions preparing this site for development.]
Headline: Remodeled Cleveland Wok scheduled to reopen this fall
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: A Chinese restaurant in Highland will be nicer.
Headline: Fund to benefit areas around soccer stadium
Author: Jane McClure
Short short version: A nonprofit foundation has been set up for helping streetscape and marketing for small businesses near the soccer stadium. CMs Nelson and Thao are involved. They want the team to contribute to it.
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