Historic Saint Paul

Members of the Dayton’s Bluff community gathered on November 1st to celebrate a new mural and recognize the outstanding artists. Students from City Academy High School volunteered their time and talent to paint the vibrant mural on the side of the Size Matters Fashion Shop (located at 851 East 7th Street). The mural represents the interconnectivity of the many cultures found on Saint Paul’s East Side—Native American, Hispanic, Scandinavian, Hmong, Italian and African American. Each culture is represented in a series of circles that surround a central pyramid. A hand reaches out from each circle towards the pyramid symbolizing the potential for collaboration.

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Under an agreement announced today, the Schmidt Brewery bottling house will be converted into 100 live-work artist spaces. Dominium Development and Acquisition (developers of the Carleton Lofts in Saint Paul) will purchase the bottling house from Jeffery and Craig Cohen, the current owners and master developers of the Schmidt complex. Construction may begin next fall.

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The owner of the Size Matters Fashion Shop keeps her prices affordable for East Side residents. She is intent on helping her customers dress nicely. Similarly, she wants to make East 7th Street a better-looking place to do business. Regrettably, her simple 1910 storefront had lost much of its original character. Garish signage and painted advertisements detracted from the streetscape.

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by Andrew Hine

Note: this article first appeared in the Community Reporter

During the first week of October, over 2,000 historic preservationists from across the country converged on the RiverCentre for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual conference. They attended educational sessions and went on tours, including a grand one of our beloved West End.

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Laura Yuen of the Pioneer Press reports that recently release plans would “redevelop three city-owned buildings of the old Hamm’s Brewery into a 50,000-square-foot regional hub for Asian-American culture. The $16 million project would include a theater, classrooms, a library and a banquet center.”

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The American Planning Association (APA) has selected ten Great Neighborhoods and ten Great Streets through the Great Places in American Program.

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Over 2,000 historic preservationists invaded Saint Paul last week for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Preservation Conference.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America’s communities. The annual National Preservation Conference allows historic preservation professionals and enthusiasts to exchange information, ideas, inspiration and contacts.

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This weekend, local reporters penned articles ahead of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Preservation Conference. In an opinion piece in the Star Tribune, Linda Mack ponders what the Twin Cities would have looked like without the efforts of historic preservationists:

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Over 120 guests joined hosts Richard and Nancy Nicholson on September 14^th for a fund-raiser to support the work of Historic Saint Paul. Although the event was billed as An Evening on the Veranda, cool weather forced the party-goers inside Dove Hill. No one complained, however, as the remarkably restored home on Summit Avenue proved a fitting backdrop for a celebration of Saint Paul’s historic buildings.

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Historic Saint Paul’s Preservation Talks panel discussion on vacant housing (Saint Paul’s Vacant Properties: Refuse or Reuse?) attracted a crowd of over 100 city officials, planners, neighborhood activists, community developers, realtors, architects and community members. The talk centered on the threat that vacant houses pose to Saint Paul’s unique sense of place and community character.

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