How should Saint Paul improve its zoning along transit routes?
Saint Paul is considering rezoning land – but how to do it? Luke Hanson argues we need to upzone, especially along transit routes.
Category: Land Use
Why You Should Pay Attention to Saint Paul’s “Traditional Neighborhood District” Zoning Study
Through rezoning, the city has an opportunity to foster new housing, businesses, and walkable, vibrant main streets while simultaneously improving the tax base.
To Solve Saint Paul’s Fiscal Problems, We Need More Density
Saint Paul needs to dramatically expand its property tax base to become a financially resilient city — updating its zoning rules to enable “dense” buildings is an obvious first step.
Guesswork at City Hall: How Midway’s Zoning Cap Got Waived
Saint Paul waived a zoning cap to let LuLuLand fill a vacant Herberger’s, without publicly examining why the cap, or the corridor’s transit vision, exist.
How Zoning, Home Building, and “Intentional Communities” Kept Rent Lower in Minneapolis
Minneapolis beat back housing rent inflation through a combination of public policy reforms and lower interest rates that powered a historic housing expansion.
The Ghost on the Corner: A History of the Midway CVS
From a contested 2007 construction to boarded windows, looting, legal fights, and a city-forced demolition — the story of one building that became a symbol of everything Midway has struggled with for two decades.
The 2026 Urbanist Legislative Agenda: A Mid-Session Check-In
Session update: rail corridors, Waymo, Yes to Homes, e-motos, super speeders and the defensive work that didn’t make the podcast preview.
Progress from 2024: Minneapolis Adds 574 New Homes with Adaptive Reuse
Through adaptive reuse, Minneapolis turned office space into 574 apartments. Possible new State legislature may make this easier, though the retail market remains challenging.
Rerouted Lives: How Route 52 Transformed West St. Paul
In the 1960s, St. Paul’s West Side Flats were razed for highway and industrial development: displacing families, shuttering businesses, and leaving lasting social, economic and cultural scars.
An Ode to the Nicollet Avenue Bridge Over the Midtown Greenway
A look at unique features and changes to the area amidst the demolition of the Nicollet Avenue bridge over the Midtown Greenway.