I don't understand why they don't rezone the area for condo typedownsized housing for pre-retired or retired folks, with the option of some assisted living apartments, and put the existing White Castle and some additional shops on the garden or street level. Convenience type businesses for the folks in the development and neighborhood. Maybe a coffee house, a small grocery market, a dry cleaner, a barber shop or Cost Cutters, a moderately priced restaurant, a Walgreens or small Pharmacy. A small florist/card and gift shop. A small bookstore, those things that would appeal to the residents and also provide additional services for the surrounding community. A little antique/upscale used goods store. Rather than jamming more retail space in there, it seems to me that it would be a good project like the one at the intersection of Fairview and University. Maybe additional floors, but appealing with a little more green space and underground secured parking. Right on the busline. Walking distance to the Central Medical Building. Perhaps ALDI could be the market withing the complex.
Sounds like a great fit for the neighborhood. Pam Ellison Como Park Saint Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dennis Tester" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 1:17 PM Subject: Re: [StPaul] Lexington & University - Directing the Marketplace > "... visualize yourself driving south on Lexington through Como Park, along > the parkway passed another half mile of nice well kept houses and wide lawns > and as you approach University Avenue and you see a three story building > with a coffee shop in the first floor. - Fits right? Or, imagine at that > point you run into a massive Home Depot store. Doesn't fit at all does it? > > Or, take that same drive in your mind heading north from Summit Avenue with > tree lined streets and large Victorian Homes and then you run into an Aldi > Discount Foods. Doesn't fit at all does it?" > > I understand Chuck's and everyone's concern and point of view, but I think > most people are obsessing with an intersection that has historically, always > been evolving (or devolving) depending upon the tastes and desires of the > generation in power even as the rest of Lexington parkway's remained > relatively constant. > > My father's generation took the streetcar to St. Paul Saints games at > Lexington ballpark at that intersection. As a kid in the late fifties and > early sixties, I'd walk over there on Sunday afternoons to go rollerskating > at the Lexington avenue roller rink. My teen-age siblings spent Friday > nights at the bowling alley across the street. > > My point is, years ago that intersection was a place for family fun and > recreation. When those places closed and were replaced with the kinds of > bland, generic businesses that are there now, people like myself > (demographics like mine), no longer saw it as a destination. It became just > another intersection in St. Paul like the hundreds of others I drive through > without a second thought. So, light rail or no light rail, if the > development that eventually takes place there is not planned to be a > "destination" (and just having the train go by doesn't count anymore than > the streetcars were an "attraction"), then it may be new and shiny, but to > most people it'll still be just another intersection, albeit, planned by > "experts." > > > Dennis Tester > Mac-Groveland > > > > > > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.7.0 - Release Date: 1/17/2005 > > _____________________________________________ > To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ____________________________________________ > NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [email protected] > > To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > > Archive Address: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ > _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [email protected] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
