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.
Category: Land Use
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.
Brooklyn Park Adopts the Ambitious Northwest Growth Area Development Plan
Brooklyn Park approved a 700-acre Northwest Growth Area Plan to spur biotech, housing, and transit-oriented development amid economic challenges.
Why the Midway’s Suburban Design Is Killing Its Commercial Future
The Midway’s retail crisis isn’t just about vacancy — it’s about suburban design choking transit-accessible land with parking lots and car-oriented stores.
Six-Unit Homes Bring Citywide Benefits, Anxiety Nearby
Two proposed multi-unit buildings near St. Thomas would be a step toward much-needed denser housing but faces pushback from nearby residents.
South Minneapolis Cold Case: Kingfield’s Missing Beer Stores
A suspicious lack of beer stores in one Minneapolis neighborhood raises troubling questions, forcing simple six-pack runs to become odysseys.
How St. Paul Can Re-Legalize Small Commercial Development
St. Paul may be ready to relax its prohibitions on neighborhood commercial buildings. Here’s how it could get over the finish line.
How St. Paul’s Commercial Zoning Rules Hamper the City
Beyond negative impacts on walkability, restrictive commercial zoning inhibits incremental development and raises barriers for small, independent developers in St. Paul.
Allow Corner Stores and Coffee Shops in St. Paul’s Residential Zones
It’s illegal to build corner stores and other small commercial spaces in most of St. Paul, thanks to decades-old zoning codes. That should change.
Minneapolis Has More Households Than Ever Before
Minneapolis’ population is increasing, but its housing needs are increasing even faster. Why? More individual households need more individual spaces.