Published on: Thu, 05/29/2008 - 08:24
Minnesota Public Radio recently visited several intersections along the Central Corridor light rail transit line to document University Avenue’s colorful past and evolving future. Visit University Avenue: A Work in Progress to hear stories and view slide shows about the history of University Avenue and efforts to preserve the street’s cultural heritage.
In the report, Historic Saint Paul Board Member Brian Horrigan expressed his concern about neighborhood preservation around the Dale Street station.“Is quite tempting to see these [buildings] as development opportunities and tear things down and build upscale condominium housing.” Horrigan asserts that the city and state should start now to protect the neighborhoods along University Avenue. He fears that that there is potential for these places to lose important ties to their past.
Carol Swenson, another Historic Saint Paul Board Member and Community Liaison with the District Councils Collaborative, views the construction of the light rail line as an opportunity to engage the community concerning their cultural heritage. Swenson states that the culture of these neighborhoods is worth preserving and not worth sacrificing for infrastructure projects. “If [the community] is involved in the process, and has some ownership along the way, it will have a much stronger opportunity for success.”
Historic Saint Paul is working to integrate historic preservation into planning efforts along University Avenue. Click here to view some examples of neighborhood landmarks along the Central Corridor light rail transit route. Click here to read about the history of several lesser-known University Avenue buildings in the Spring 2008 edition of the Preservation Journal.
