A collaboration between Desnoyer Park south of I-94 and St. Anthony Park to the North, this project has identified an area north of the freeway but south of University Avenue as the “Missing Link.” This section of St. Anthony Park has a complex mix of residential, retail and industrial use, and holds great challenges but also great potential for building community, creating new public green space, serving as a crucial connection in Saint Paul’s Grand Round bikeway, and improving access to both the Mississippi River and the Green Line LRT.
The DPIA and SAPCC collaborated with Friendly Streets for a “soft opening” of the project on June 14th. We gathered at the Desnoyer Park playground early in the morning for breakfast treats and took a community walk to the Green Line launch ceremony at Raymond Station, led by the Chicks on Sticks. We managed to conclude our walk to University Avenue before the rain and wind really got going, and while the rest of our Friendly Streets plans for the day got a bit trampled by the weather, the Pelham Promenade was a great success for the lively and smiley crew who participated.
We partnered with Avalon Charter School to host a Missing Link Block Party in their parking lot at Myrtle & Glendale Tuesday, September 23rd. Thanks to everyone who came out, enjoyed delicious homemade pizza, made a Better Bridges postcard print with the Streetcorner Letterpress project, played games and chased bubbles with the SPARKit trailer, listened to Eddie Estrin’s Pioneers of Aerial Photography performance, and chatted with us and with each other about the potential for public space in this area! Enjoy the photos below and stay tuned for an online survey available soon.
A new report is now available summarizing the feedback we received in 2014. View the FSI DPIA SAPCC Raymond Station Missing Link Report.
Saint Paul Grand Round Planning
The City of Saint Paul is now began engagement and planning earlier this year for several sections of the Grand Round, including Friendly Streets project areas along Pelham Boulevard and the Raymond Station Area. As part of the 8-80 Initiative, this project will increase activity and vitality on our streets and public spaces by continuing the vision set forth for the Saint Paul Grand Round over 125 years ago by completing a bicycle and pedestrian loop that encircles the city. Two Friendly Streets project working group members were appointed to the Community Advisory Committee and the FSI Pelham Reports and additional information we collected last year are being incorporated into the design process. Consulting firms involved in the design process will present a draft of a master plan for the Grand Round in late fall of 2015. Visit saintpaulgrandround.org for more information.
