Downtown Saint Paul park development unveiled
Downtown Saint Paul is lucky enough to be located in a beautiful area right on the Mississippi River. Like many areas of the metro, the river has been a draw for many people living downtown. The city is hoping that a new commercial real estate development project will help to bring even more people into the area.
Specifically, the city is hoping to capitalize on a potential river boat cruise stop in downtown. One Swiss-based company — Vikings Cruises — is in the planning phases of starting a river boat cruise from Saint Paul to New Orleans. The hope is for the cruises to start running by 2017. The company is in the process of building ships and obtaining correct governmental approvals.
To piggyback off of this project, the city of Saint Paul has unveiled a plan to build an elevated walkway park along the Mississippi River. The project would stretch for a mile along the river from Sibley Street up to Kellogg.
In the renderings for the project a slight incline would slowly take visitors from the river’s edge into the heart of downtown. Lining the walkway, city officials hope, will be coffee shops, beer gardens and locals. The walkway would pass some of downtown’s tourist attractions including the Science Museum of Minnesota.
At this point, the project is nothing more than speculation and plans. The funding is not in place and there is no start date for the walkway park. The city is optimistic that these plans can be finalized soon and it claims that sponsors are already interested in making the park happen.
Like any major commercial development, this project will take extensive planning. Not only will a construction plan need to be in place, but financial and legal plans as well. A redevelopment project comes with many legal obstacles. Potential developers and property owners alike should be aware of potential legal challenges.
Source: Pioneer Press, “What’s a ‘River Balcony’? Mayor, designers unveil vision,” Frederick Melo, Sept. 25, 2015
Image Source: TwinCities.com