On top of shuttering businesses and condemned buildings, Downtown Saint Paul has to grapple with the fact it is now a food desert. Today, Lunds & Byerlys, the only full-service grocery store in the capital city’s downtown district, closed its doors.
In five days, utilities at the Alliance Bank Center will be shut off, displacing dozens of businesses, including Rico, owner of Rico’s on Wabasha.
"I grew up on the West Side in the Torre Projects, right across the river. This meant something to me, to have my own business downtown," said Rico. "Now, we’re seeing not just this building shut down, but the Lowry across the street too. It's a recurring issue. "
Seventy residents were displaced from the Lowry in December after the city condemned it, citing a broken heating system, unsanitary conditions and fire safety concerns.
City of Saint Paul requesting State Help
Testifying before the House Capital Investment Committee last Thursday, Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter requested $394.6 million in state bonds to pay for renovations of the Xcel Energy Center, Roy Wilkins Auditorium and St. Paul RiverCentre.
“The most urgent priority for our city right now is revitalization of downtown,” said Mayor Carter. “One of our most pressing needs/biggest opportunities we have is the revitalization of Xcel Energy Center.”
With the escalating crisis with small businesses and residents in Downtown, some don’t agree with investing hudreds of millions of dollars into event venues.
“If this proposal is to move forward, and they secure funding for the $394 million, how are we going to go back to our communities and talk about how we were not able to fund some of these critical projects?” offered Rep. Fue Lee (59A) before gaveling out the hearing. “ Do we put forth general fund dollars to pay for the debt service for this one project? Or, do we look at the entire state of Minnesota and all the great needs that we have?”
The Xcel Energy Center sits within Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega's district (65B). She was also raised there. “I don’t want to raise taxes for my people,” she said. “I remember when the Excel was built, and the promises that it was going to help all of Minnesota, in particular our communities of Saint Paul. I have not seen that help. I have not seen the accessible efforts for the redevelopment of housing in the aftermath of the delinquency of Madison Equities.”
Madison Equities owned nearly a dozen properties in Downtown Saint Paul and fell into disarray after the owner passed away.
Spread the Word
You can support the impacted businesses by showing up at Rico's on Wabasha this Friday from 2 to 5 p.m. Rico is hosting a benefit concert to raise funds and awareness around the property crisis. "We’ll have artists performing. There will be Cash App tags up everywhere and people can donate if they want."
