Saint Paul Downtown Development Corporation

The Saint Paul Downtown Development Corporation was formed with a mission and mandate to invest in, develop, and redevelop, catalyst properties in downtown Saint Paul. This effort will be executed in partnership with local public and private stakeholders, and investors broadly, who prioritize and focus on urban development and revitalization with a commitment to accelerating the next chapter and long-term success of Minnesota's capitol city.

Why downtown, and why now?

It’s no secret that the last several years have been hard on the Central Business District in downtown Saint Paul. But transforming into a modern, lively city center is key to cultivating and securing economic and residential stability for the future across the city and region.

In spring 2024, the Alliance released its Downtown Investment Strategy calling for critical changes in approach and underscoring key priorities. As an initial step in executing the strategy, in fall 2024, the Alliance released the findings of an office-to-residential conversion study of 20 downtown Saint Paul commercial buildings, which found that half of the properties studied meet preliminary key criteria for a successful conversion and warrant further exploration.

In preparing the Downtown Investment Strategy and through broader market discussions, it became clear downtown required a centralized organization to drive its turnaround in order to be successful. The Saint Paul Downtown Development Corporation will be that driver.

Goals

Embracing proven tools that have successfully revitalized downtowns across the nation, as well as others sourced and tailored locally, the Saint Paul Downtown Development Corporation will pave the way for a more vibrant downtown Saint Paul by investing in, developing and redeveloping catalyst properties.

Organizational Goals