Free idea: St. Paul should use some of its relief money for city broadband
There are a lot of options for how to leverage the funding, and it could do wonders for digital equity in St. Paul’s poorest communities.
Cityscape
Cityscape focuses on urban life in our metro area. Topics range from urban design and architecture to transportation, highways, traffic, transit, walking and biking. Cityscape also examines important urban issues — such as real estate development, education, crime, poverty and family life — as well as the arts, sports and entertainment in our community.
Three takeaways from St. Paul’s most recent — and very long — housing spat
Let’s look at the big picture of what the Lexington Parkway development mess tells us about St. Paul’s housing problem.
Diverging visions: What’s next for St. Paul’s Grand Avenue?
A developer wants to transform the former Pier 1 Imports store into a chain restaurant and national bank branch. Nearby, the long-time owner of Dixie’s Restaurant wants to build a mixed-use project with 79 apartments atop commercial space on an acre lot.
Mickey’s and Al’s: What’s happening with the Twin Cities’ two most iconic diners?
While you’re perched on a stool, the intimate atmosphere at Mickey’s Diner and Al’s Breakfast adds flavor to your meal that transcends any spice rack. But you can be sure that tiny diners will be the last businesses to open back up after a pandemic.
Groundbreaking low-carbon geothermal project might emerge in Prospect Park
Dubbed the Towerside district, the triangle of land along the BNSF rail yard between the Surly Brewery, the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis’ Prospect Park neighborhood might soon be one of the most energy efficient communities in the state.
How might COVID-19 affect regional ‘park and ride’ policy?
As jobs become flexible, many longstanding assumptions about how to plan for urban transportation could be in trouble.
Ford vs. Hillcrest: Two big St. Paul projects illustrate east-west inequality
Two large parcels of land opened up for redevelopment around the same time, on opposite corners of the city. Their different fates tell us a lot about the economic imbalance across St. Paul.
Minneapolis should keep Public Works in the spotlight
A look at the Robin Hutcheson era as she moves on to a job in the Biden administration.
Per-acre analysis: a unique way of looking at urban economics
“Value per acre” maps show that, in most cities, downtowns and older neighborhoods are very economically productive.
From landscape to lifeline: Lake Como skating gets kids out of the house
A small rink, kept up by neighborhood dads, is keeping St. Paulites connected.
Will MnDOT be responsive to communities’ I-94 non-expansion demands?
The agency is rapidly approaching a key decision point as a committee meets this week.
Nicollet Ave. project: a zombie streetcar and pot of Minneapolis money that nobody wants to talk about
If you talk to people off the record, nobody likes the Nicollet streetcar proposal, at least not as it’s currently drafted.
No, Minneapolis should not preserve the car-centric 21 North Washington building
One difficulty with modernist preservation is that so much of the architecture is deeply anti-urban.
Savoring the rare, fleeting instances of small talk and informal public life in a pandemic
For most people who work at home, COVID-19 has all but obliterated social serendipity, probably the thing I love most about living in the city.
As temps go down, St. Paul and Ramsey County are increasing options for the homeless
The county has spent $7.2 million of CARES money on emergency shelter, on top of existing county dollars. In addition, the state earmarked almost $3 million for shelter.
Police pursuits: Are they justifiable — and if so, when?
Over the years, many studies have found that pursuits were rarely a good idea, given the long list of possibly disastrous consequences.
After major upgrades to St. Paul’s routes, cyclists are in for a treat
Bike planning takes a long time, but St. Paul is starting to see some major dividends from processes started decades ago.
Minneapolis 2040 passed last year to much fanfare. Now comes figuring out what it actually means in practice
City planners are engaged in an intense and drawn out debate over how to remake Minneapolis’ zoning code to match the goals set out in the 2040 plan.
What a well-funded passenger rail system could look like in the Midwest under ‘Amtrak Joe’
A recent Amtrak map shared with the Rail Passengers Association showed one possible vision, including a line from Minneapolis to Duluth alongside better service to points east.
Losses in local news pile up, with just a few glimmers of hope trying to fill the void
The end of City Pages and the impending closure of Southwest Journal cap a concerning trend. A few enterprising online efforts, including in Eden Prairie and West St. Paul, step up online.
