Thanks to Bisanz Brothers and Minnesota Locks for their support.
West St. Paul City Council received updates on the ongoing 150 Thompson project and a Robert Street safety study, as well as discussed a public art commission and approved a new assessment policy.
150 Thompson Update
The project at the former YMCA/Hy-Vee property known as 150 Thompson is finally moving forward. The developer, Greco, gave an update during the Open Council Work Session (OCWS).
- What: The proposed project includes two phases of market rate apartments, 21 townhomes, a sit-down restaurant, and park space. There will be 272 apartments in the first phase an 185 in the second.
- Timing: The environmental assessment will come forward for approval in June, with a Planning Commission review in July and City Council approval of the bulk of the plans in August.
- Park space: There’s not much detail on the park space as that’s currently being planned, but the city envisions some kind of event space that has year-round use. There’s a new online survey for the park space, an open house tonight, and another open house planned for this summer.
- Subsidy: The project will include tax increment financing (TIF), something the city had to seek special permission from the legislature to pursue. City Manager Nate Burkett noted that this is an ideal use of TIF, leveraging a project to get the public gathering space and restaurant the city wanted.
Robert Street Study
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) presented the findings of their Robert Street study. They found safety improvements since the Robert Street reconstruction project in 2016, but there’s still work to be done—more than they initially thought.
- Alignment: The goal is to implement safety improvements with construction work for the coming bus rapid transit line in 2028.
- Timing: Some changes, like the timing of lights and lead time for pedestrian crossing have already been implemented. MnDOT is hoping to study further changes and incorporate them into the 2028 work, but is expecting to need additional work after that.
- Changes: Some of the recommended changes include discouraging illegal left turns from cross streets with pavement markers or curbing and realigning offset left turn lanes where the opposite left turn lane blocks sight lines.
Public Art Commission
During the OCWS, Council discussed the formation of a public art commission. This new body would develop art policy and help select art projects. Part of the idea is to reduce liability and risk with First Amendment issues by moving the decision-making to a quasi-independent body. That inherently involves ceding some power, which a few members of the Council seemed to have reservations about, but they weren’t opposed to moving it forward.
The proposal envisions a six-member commission with equal ward representation and three-year terms with a two-term limit. The City Council would appoint members and designate a chair. The even number of members is intentional to ensure anything approved has a super majority of members.
Other Items on the Agenda:
- Junior: Mayor Dave Napier swore in a new junior council member, Two Rivers junior Elise Moga, who replaced the graduating McKinley Cherrier.
- Appointment: City Council appointed a new member to the Environmental Committee. With the resignation of Robyn Anderson, the Council appointed Stephanie Moline, one of 20 applicants interviewed earlier this year.
- Assessment policy: Council approved a change to the special assessment policy when property owners are charged for major street projects. The current policy under-charges multi-family units and the proposal seeks a better balance based on usage.
- Emerson Avenue project: Council approved a feasibility report for reconstructing Emerson Avenue and the Mina Street alley in 2026. The Emerson project will reconstruct the road from Delaware to Charlton, and do a mill and overlay from Charlton to Oakdale. They’ll add a six-foot sidewalk from Delaware to Oakdale, on the south side from Delaware to Robert and the north side from Robert to Oakdale.
- Building Safety Month: The Council declared May to be Building Safety Month.
Engage
- Watch: City Council and OCWS meetings are archived online. You can also watch a video recap with Council Members Robyn Gulley and John Justen.
- Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
We believe in government transparency and provide these West St. Paul City Council recaps with the support of our members.