By Sam Ding In December 2012, after two years of renovation, the brand-new Union Depot in Downtown Saint Paul revealed itself. Situated in the Lowertown neighborhood, this train station has transformed into a multimodal transportation hub while serving the people of Saint Paul as a public space. It was a heavy investment— from both the […]
By Anna Turner In 1873 at a Saint Paul City Council meeting, Horace W.S. Cleveland, the landscape architect responsible for much of the design of the Twin Cities’ original park system, declared his intention to designate a lot on Summit Avenue for the public. The sprawling views of downtown Saint Paul and the Mississippi River, […]
History of Rondo + Highway Built in 2018, Rondo Commemorative Plaza is a physical reminder of the destruction of the Rondo Neighborhood by the construction of Interstate 94 and the resilience of the community who lives there. Located in the historic Rondo Neighborhood on the corner of Fisk Street and Concordia Avenue (formerly known as […]
By Rose Giblin-Vance Background Rice Park is located in downtown Saint Paul, near an urban luxury hotel. Despite this, it felt fairly public and inclusive to most people. My main reasoning for this is the fact that it seemed fairly open to the public. It is located near public transit and although formal in appearance, […]
By Grace Jones Editor’s note: streets.mn is once again presenting essays on Twin Cities’ public space from students at Macalester College. Read through all the essays from this and previous years here. In capitalist societies structured around private property, public spaces often become sites of conflict and conflict resolution. The nature of public space in a […]
By Christine Justiniano Editor’s note: streets.mn is once again presenting essays on Twin Cities’ public space from students at Macalester College. Read through all the essays from this and previous years here. Background Newell Park is a space of around 10 acres located in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood of St. Paul, just off the busy Pierce-Butler […]
By Maura Haas Editor’s note: streets.mn is once again presenting essays on Twin Cities’ public space from students at Macalester College. Read through all the essays from this and previous years here. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a transitional period for public spaces. In the last year, we have shifted how we engage […]
By Seth Buikema Editor’s note: streets.mn is once again presenting essays on Twin Cities’ public space from students at Macalester College. Read through all the essays from this and previous years here. Discussion of public libraries in the mainstream media is often grim and uncertain. Taken for granted, these public spaces are often seen as […]
With “a little bit of everything for everyone,” Mattocks Park spans a neighborhood block, nestled snugly between rows of family homes in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood. Housing a large green space with shaded seating, two gated tennis courts, a half-court basketball court, baseball diamond, and playground with a separate “tot-lot,” the park provides a space that […]
Imagine you are strolling down the sidewalk on the busy, urban road of University Avenue in St. Paul, MN. The Green Line train dings to announce its arrival at the Fairview Station as cars fly by and construction vehicles clunk and hum across the street. City life is abuzz all around you. You spot a […]