Saint Paul’s “Significant” views. This map is in beta.

The draft of Saint Paul’s comprehensive plan has been released.  It is not as exciting as Minneapolis, or as ambitious as Red Wing’s.  Deep within lies the above slide, noting ‘significant public views’.  I had doubts so I went and looked myself.

Fairview looking east up Ford.

Cap Wigington’s iconic water tower is there, but to get an angle on it you end up with a better view of the bustling traffic at Ford and Fairview.  This view gets a 3/10.  Turn around, look west across the river at Minneapolis and you get a view worth 4/10.

Snelling looking east down Montreal.

The next view at Snelling looking towards the river down Montreal let’s you see the bluffs on the other side, but only as a brown smudge in the distance, framed by the comically enormous and chronically under trafficked Montreal.  What’s funny about this view is that within line of sight is a perch for an actually good view.

Pedestrian bridge between Highland Park Picnic Shelter and Circus Juventas

This neat little pedestrian bridge further down the hill actually provides a view that includes things to look at.  Since I fixed it for them I will give this view a 7/10.

Summit Overlook Park facing southeast.

Summit Overlook park has a great view, but the anti-human ridges installed on all the seating behind the view suck the romance out of things.  5/10.

Absolutely no relaxing in this picturesque park.

Finally, the cream of the Significant View crop. The view of The Capitol and our fair Downtown from the picturesque bridge dangling over I-94 at Dale. This view receives a Rusty Chain Link Fence/10.

We’re going to be making decisions off of these Comp Plans for a while going forward, but take them with a grain of salt, at least when it comes to the views.

[See also Saint Paul Alley Cat #1.]