Opponents Want Less Development at S. Paul's Mega-Redevelopment Plan for the Ford Site

A master plan for the redevelopment of Ford's former Twin Cities Assembly Plant, set on 122 acres along the Mississippi River in St. Paul, is challenged by controversy.

1 minute read

September 10, 2017, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"The St. Paul City Council decided Wednesday to limit the maximum height of some buildings that could be erected on the Ford site, but the move failed to satisfy residents worried by the prospect of 7,000 people being added to a compact neighborhood," reports James Walsh.

"The changes, proposed by Council Member Chris Tolbert, scale down the heights of the tallest buildings that can go on the site from 110 feet to 75 feet — from 10 stories to six — unless the developer agrees to set aside even more green space in exchange," adds Walsh.

Opponents to the project, however, say Tolbert's plan doesn't achieve their goals of reducing the project's density.

Ford is expected to sell the property by the end of the year or early next year. Meanwhile the current master plan process moves forward, with a public hearing for the Ford Site Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan [pdf] scheduled for September 20.

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