I would like to see some strategic vision and forward thinking here. This stadium can fit into city goals for the river. The goal has been to use the river as a recreation and park area. There are several industrial areas and large parking lots north upriver that are close enough to be of use to De LaSalle. If we were to put in a high school stadium as a linking element in that industrial area, we could link the Grainbelt Brewery site back to the river. From the Brewery site, we could make a few more improvements going north and we could have a greenway path stretching from the Lowry Avenue Bridge to Fort Snelling, crossing at the Stone Arch Bridge, and with fingers reaching out to the U of M, Downtown, the New Guthrie/History Center and other areas. That path could be connected to the Mid-town Greenway, linking most of the city together. With a De LaSalle stadium, that linkage is within our grasp because it could be used as a financing tool to buy out some of the blocking industrial sites. The resulting riverwalk or greenway would improve our quality of life, and be a major civic asset.
Such a move could also make the re-development of the Marshall area possible, and support development all the way up the east side of the Mississippi in Minneapolis. A new cohesive park and riverfront nearby, with great views, will draw in investment. With a bit of zoning slight of hand, Marshall could become a "Riverwalk" type area, rather than a partially abandoned industrial strip. It could be an area that could support high density, high tax base residential, commercial, shops, retail and offices. If that happens, the land between the Mississippi River and University Avenue south of Lowry becomes prime real estate, the nieghborhoods nearby will also get a boost, a trend that will have an impact all the way through NE and into near North. Economic benefits would be big enough, in time, to finance a clean up of asbestos and brown fields in the area. We are running out of prime places to build new high density housing such as condos or apartments, this largely vacant area could be an outlet for that development pressure. This would improve our economic outlook and real estate values, and bring long term real estate stability to the area. This would improve our tax base, and attract private investment and high paying jobs. At every step of the process, the city can use its leverage to get financing from private sources, that are willing to participate in the development of the area (rather than giving everything away). That funding could put the park board on its feet again.
I wish the Park Board and the City could begin to think in more visionary terms when they plan. We don't have lakes in NE. The Mississippi River is our lake. We need to start using it. This is a MAJOR starting point opportunity, and can leverage all kinds of other development. I don't think the Park Board or the City sees that yet.
Peter Vevang Audubon
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