Plans for Massive St. Paul Mixed-Income Development Revealed

Having survived a bout of disagreements with density opponents, a mixed-use, mixed-income development on the site of St. Paul's Twin Cities Assembly Plant is set to go forward. Renderings and a general concept plan were released this week, Frederick Melo reports. 

In addition to 3,800 units of housing and 150,00 square feet of retail, "residents can also expect senior and affordable housing, a street grid that puts bicycles, pedestrians and drivers on a level playing field, more than 50 acres of public open space and 1,000 trees."

Mike Ryan, a principal at Ryan Companies, the development firm, said "folks all around the country will look at this area as one of the best examples of mixed-income development." The company says it's committed to working with affordable housing partners and advocates "to ensure that 20 percent of the units on site qualify as affordable housing — an ambitious goal for new housing construction in a relatively affluent area."

Plenty of details still need to be sorted out, including the placement of green space and sustainable infrastructure. Meanwhile, the project still has its opponents. "The project has already survived a petition effort brought by Highland Park residents opposed to the medium-to-heavy density of the master plan and a difficult city council vote last fall over rezoning," Melo writes.