SPPA Redevelopment: Current Projects

•	Success Stories

•	Economic Impact

•	Environmental Cleanup

•	Current Projects

Current Projects

Globe

The Port Authority's purchase of the six-acre site along East Seventh Street in Saint Paul rallied a group of concerned public and private individuals to clean up one of the dirtiest sites in this organization's 75 year history. A cadre of environmental, construction and neighborhood redevelopment experts set to work razing the former roofing shingle factory and cleaning up the site as the first step to reconstructing the area's economic base. Our goal is an attractive business site that eventually will create jobs, increase property tax revenues, encourage reinvestment in neighborhoods and re-energize nearby retail and service businesses.

The site is zoned industrial and can accommodate one or two buildings totaling about 90,000 square feet. The land is available for $1 in return for workforce, wage and benefit and design commitments.

Griffin

The nine-acre former Griffin Wheelworks site, like the Globe site have easy access to the new Phalen boulevard and Interstate 35E. The site is zoned industrial and could accommodate about 130,000 square feet of building space. The wheelworks factory operated from 1896 until the late 1950s, when the it closed. Like the Globe site, the land is available for $1 in return for workforce, wage and benefits and design commitments.

River Bend

The Port Authority partnered with Wellington Management, Inc., of Saint Paul, in 2003 to build up to 120,000 square feet of new office and showroom space on 10 acres of this 22-acre site along the Mississippi River in Saint Paul. Currently 80,000 square feet of space is occupied by Internet Broadcasting Systems, a web-page and news support organization for television stations. Two-thirds of another 44,000-square-foot building on site is owned by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Together the two businesses employ 350 people.

There is room for more development on site. The Port redeveloped this business center by drilling over five miles of piling to support new building construction at Shepard Road and Randolph Avenue. We also added 10 feet of fill to raise the site out of the flood plain.

At A Glance:

New utilities and an access road will be established on the site.
The center, like all Port Authority manufacturing property, carries a “certificate of completion” from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
The Port expects the center, when fully developed, will sustain more than 300 jobs.
Learn more about River Bend

Westminster Junction

Regions Hospital moved its outpatient clinic into a large portion of a $20 million, 134,000-square-foot building, developed by Frauenshuh Companies on the first parcel in Westminster Junction. Other businesses expanding into the center are Hiway Federal Credit Union Now Micro, Trinity Technology, Langer Development and a health care center jointly occupied by Regions and Gillette Children's Hospitals. The new center was built by the Port's non-profit subsidiary and Frauenshuh Companies under a joint equity agreement.

At A Glance:

The Port is using state and local grant funds to redevelop the 25-acre Westminster Junction Business Center and acquire right-of- way for the new Phalen Boulevard, which is expected to be a revitalization magnet for Saint Paul’s East Side.
Currently, more than 850 people are employed by businesses in the center that generate more than $1.2 million a year in property taxes.

Great Northern –- North

Will Carlson, owner of Customer Drywall Inc.

Everyone at the Port Authority has been very helpful and congenial and responded with a positive attitude. I think we got a better building as a result. - Will Carlson, owner of Custom Drywall Inc., the first new business in the Port's Great Northern Business Center
The North End and Frogtown neighborhoods worked diligently on a vision with the City and the Port Authority that recommends industrial redevelopment for the entire site in order to create jobs for neighborhood residents.

At A Glance:

21-acre North End business center at Dale and Topping Streets and Como Avenue in Saint Paul, with easy access to major highways and interstates. Nineteen acres are available for development.
Port made its first land sale of 4.1 acres in the fall of 2001 to Custom Drywall. And it sold four other parcels in 2004 to complete the center. Also in the center are Crystal D, Benco Messenger Service, Twin City Glass and Warner's Stellian.
This section of the Great Northern Business Center generates 540 jobs, with about half going to neighborhood residents, and $691,000 annually in property taxes.
Learn more about Great Northern

Great Northern -- South

The Port Authority purchased 13 acres of land directly below Great Northern -- Phase 1 from the Burlington Northern Railroad and Santa Fe Railway Co. in January 2004. After cleaning up the site, the Port marketed it for sale. Four businesses -- Restoration Professionals, Circuitech, Summit Fire Protection, and Dakota Supply Group -- operate in the center. The business center generate 300 jobs with half going to neighborhood residents, and about $158,000 a year in property taxes. Learn more about Great Northern

Curt Milburn, Executive Director, Phalen Corridor Initiative

Customer Testimonial: People now are driving long distances for manufacturing jobs that we should have right here with such a talented workforce. The Port Authority brings manufacturers interested in creating good jobs to our community.