MARCH 2021
ReConnect Rondo:
In the 1930’s Rondo Avenue was the epicenter of the Black community in Saint Paul. Hundreds of Black homes and businesses created a bustling and thriving community in the Rondo Neighborhood. In the 1960’s I-94 was built, tearing through this community and destroying hundreds of homes and businesses. Not only was the hub of the Black community destroyed to make way for the I-94 project, those owners of these businesses and homes were not fairly compensated for what was demolished, “when the state highway department decided to demolish a huge swatch of the neighborhood to make room for I-94, the men were only paid a fraction of the buildings' value.” Marvin Anderson, Board Chair of the ReConnect Rondo project, explained to the Minnesota House Transportation and Finance Policy Committee meeting last month.
The ReConnect Rondo project works to right those wrongs. Specifically, the project plans to create a land bridge that would sit on top of I-94 for several blocks, offering space for new homes, retail & office, restaurants, and more.
The ReConnect Rondo project is an opportunity to rectify the injustice that occurred more than 50 years ago, while improving the area and providing long term economic stimulus to Saint Paul, the Twin Cities, and the entire state of Minnesota.
Additionally, the land bridge would serve as a symbol of inclusion and reconciliation.
Better & Better Podcast w/ Midtown Greenway Coalition Executive Director Soren Jensen:
The Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS® (SPAAR) launched a podcast in 2021 called the Better & Better Podcast. This podcast was created to have meaningful discussions and intentional interviews around real estate and REALTOR® Association topics in a conversational and casual setting. The most recent episode of the podcast was with Soren Jensen, Executive Director of the Midtown Greenway Coalition, and he talked about the history of the Greenway, the plans to expand it into Saint Paul, and what it’s expansion would mean for real estate.
The Midtown Greenway is a 5.5-mile-long former railroad corridor in south Minneapolis with bicycling and walking trails. Thousands of Twin Cities residents use the Greenway everyday in the spring, summer and fall, and hundreds continue to use it during winter months despite the cold temperatures.
Last spring the SPAAR Government Affairs Committee approved funds for the Greenway extension economic study, which Soren points to as a vital contribution to get this project started. The Coalition was able to leverage SPAAR’s donation to persuade other organizations to donate as well.
The Midtown Greenway Coalition is seeking to build a new partnership, one that would help bring the Greenway into the City of Saint Paul, this partnership is the Extend the Greenway Partnership.
This from midtowngreenway.org: “The greenway extension includes converting the Short Line Bridge over the river into a bicycle and pedestrian trail. CP Rail currently owns and operates the bridge, which has an average of one train per day, serving three remaining customers along the Hiawatha/Hwy 55 corridor.
The project includes creating a new Saint Paul Greenway, using the same rail line. This new Greenway would extend through Union Park, along Ayd Mill Road, and end in downtown St. Paul at the river.
The Partnership will also work to support the proposed Min Hi Line, which would connect the Midtown Greenway to Minnehaha Falls Park, also using the same rail line along Hiawatha/Hwy 55. All organizations that share the vision of extending the Greenway are welcome to join.
The Partnership seeks to include elected officials, government agencies, neighborhood groups, nonprofits, and businesses from both Minneapolis and Saint Paul.”
