As we are all working feverishly to get a handle on our situation, B Kyle and I authored an opinion piece about the importance of helping our employers mitigate immediate struggles and accelerate our recovery. I was also very happy to watch Mayor Carter announce his proposal for a Bridge Fund package that will provide some immediate relief to small businesses and families. I think this is vitally important as we wait for assistance from the state and federal government to make its way into our downtown community.
Conditions continue to evolve quickly. You likely all saw Governor Walz's announcement of his Stay at Home order. This temporary measure takes affect tonight, and will further decrease the number of reasons to leave our homes. This may likely affect downtown and potentially change skyway access as more downtown buildings restrict access to comply. We’ll share more information about that as it becomes available. Overall I am grateful for the leadership we are seeing from Governor Walz and appreciate his smart, data-driven actions to date.
Finally, I want to close with a note of gratitude for all of the generosity I see in our community. Kahin and his team at Afro Deli have stepped up to provide free meals for kids. Justin Sutherland and his colleagues distributed a ton of produce to our downtown community. Ecolab and other corporate donors are contributing to the Mayor’s Bridge Fund and relief for restaurant workers and others. There are still severe needs out there, especially at Catholic Charities whose needs have increased while their resources have decreased. Let's all please continue to take care of one another, and work to support our entire downtown community. I’m honored to be a part of this community and we will get through this, together.
Sincerely,
Joe Spencer
President
Saint Paul Downtown Alliance
Downtown destinations go digital
Downtown Saint Paul is home to some of the most innovative cultural destinations in the world, so it's really no surprise that during this crisis they've burned the midnight oil in order to find ways to bring their collections and collective knowledge into our homes. Take a look below at some ways you can enjoy at-home experiences. And please, if you're able, considering making a financial contribution to our museums as they work to create content like this.
Landmark Center - The Landmark Center will be posting special content, sharing stories and answering questions from Saint Paul residents on their social media channels.
Supporting local businesses during shelter in place
Earlier this week you may have seen local and national posts about #TakeOutTuesday. It's a great way to support our local restaurant scene and also take a night off from cooking. We've heard from many downtown restaurants that they plan to remain open for curbside pick-up during the Stay at Home order. We have a list of what downtown businesses are doing as well as ways you can support them on our website. We'll keep updating that list with information as we receive it. Here are a few examples of businesses currently offering takeout downtown :
Afro Deli orders can be placed online for takeout at the Wabasha Street location. Additionally, any school-age children can receive a free meal between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Alary's Bar is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily for curbside takeout orders (which are 10% off!) or delivery. 651-224-7717
Zamboni's Pizza is open with delivery to downtown, the West Side, Cathedral Hill and West 7th neighborhoods between 11 a.m. and 2 p. m. and 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Curbside takeout is available as well.