A note from the president
Friends,
Many thanks to all of you who were able to join us last night for our Annual Meeting and Speaker Series installment. More on that below, but know that we deeply appreciate your partnership in downtown.
I would also like to extend my thanks to Mayor Carter and Saint Paul Police Chief Axtell who took the time this week to share their visions and priorities for public safety in downtown during the year ahead. We are especially grateful that they could join us amidst their busy schedules earlier this week as they monitored potential disruptions around the Capitol. We are grateful for their preparedness and for the fact that no unrest materialized.
You can find some really positive news in this article shared earlier this week that highlights continued momentum and investment in Saint Paul - our commercial building permits are up over 2019, giving me confidence that downtown is in a strong position to come back better than ever this year.
Before I close, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the tragedy that occurred this week at the Lower Landing encampment in downtown. A fire broke out that resulted in several injuries and the death of a young woman. Our public sector and nonprofit partners have been working hard to provide safe alternatives for those members of our community who are most vulnerable and sheltering outdoors, and yet continuing challenges and such tragedies are heartbreaking.
Stay warm and take care,
Joe Spencer
President
Saint Paul Downtown Alliance
