Downtown St. Paul Voice February 2023

Winter Carnival events continue through Feb. 5

Downtown St. Paul

Pony up for prosperity

Condo owners asked to financially support proposed Lowertown Residential Improvement District

From small town to Lowertown

Brewing company expands to downtown St. Paul

Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

TheSt. Paul Winter Carnival is in full swing. Get out and enjoy these events. For more information, visit www.wintercarnival.com.

Minnesota State FairgroundsVulcan Snow Park, through February 5. Visitors will find a snow maze, snow mountain playing area and the artistic creations of master snow carvers participating in the Minnesota State Snow Sculpting competition. Admission and parking are free.

Landmark Center - Toasty fun can be found inside the Landmark Center, 75 W. Fifth St. The Winter Carnival’s Day of Good is Friday, Feb. 3. The day will have many opportunities to donate food, blankets or blood, and spread cheer into the community. The St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation has partnered with the Winter Carnival ambassadors and their Cold Hands, Warm Hearts drive. The Northwind Titan Trooper will be parked at the Landmark Center to collect the donations for the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center.

Kids’ & Family Day is 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 4. Kids will be

Carnival / Page 2

Longtime downtown developer John Mannillo is spearheading an effort to help improve the quality of life in Lowertown. He and the Rev. Bill Englund of First Baptist Church say the City of St. Paul is not adequately funding services that enhance community life in the neighborhood, so they are pitching an idea to condo owners that would have them pony up some cash to pick up the slack.

The duo is taking a page from the business sector playbook and applying it to residential life. They want to create a Residential Improvement District (RID) in Lowertown similar to the Downtown Improvement District (DID) that was formed

in 2020 for the central and western areas of downtown. All major cities have improvement districts that assess commercial property owners for specific needs the property owners agree upon, such as street cleaning, security, landscaping and marketing.

St. Paul’s DID officially began in 2021 under the umbrella of the St. Paul Downtown Alliance. It operates as a separate organization with its own 13-member board of property owners who pay in to the district. The Alliance oversees several programs in the district, including the street ambassador team, litter and graffiti removal, and a Safety Communications Center that coordinates security efforts between the St. Paul Police Department and the owners of commercial buildings

Theformer owner of a micro brewery in a small town in Western Wisconsin is now swimming in the waters of a much bigger pond. He recently opened Gambit Brewing Company in Lowertown and is using his culinary background to create drinks with a seasonal flair. He also tapped his head brewer as a business partner in the new venture.

Head brewer Josh Secaur worked for Mike Christianson for three years when Christianson owned Bobtown Brewhouse and Grill in Roberts, Wis., (population approximately 2,000). During that time they often dreamed about operating in a bigger market.

“We were looking at spots for about a year and nothing was really right and then this opportunity came up and it was too good to say no,” said Secaur. “The cool thing with Mike is that his culinary background is super strong so we’re going to do house made syrups with seasonal ingredients. The seltzers will always be rotating based on what’s available and then we’re going to flavor seltzers by the glass with our house made syrups and stuff… Down the road I think we might dabble with some nitro lines.”

The space in the Pioneer Endicott building provided a turnkey

History Theatre under new artistic leadership

Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

Sprinkling his artistic flair on the next era of performances at the History Theatre is new artistic director Richard Thompson. He has been the producing and directing associate at the theater for a little over a year and assumed the new role on January 10. He succeeds Ron Peluso, who held the position for 27 years and

retired on January 1. Following Peluso’s retirement announcement, the History Theatre worked with Orion Search Group to find his successor. They received applicants from across the country and ultimately recommended Thompson, and the theater’s board of directors supported the decision.

“When I came on as an associate, I had no idea Ron was planning to retire,” said Thompson. “Several months

after holding that [associate] position he announced such and it was, to say the least, a great surprise… I was hesitant to apply. It wasn’t something I had considered. With a little nudging from family, friends and other associates, I decided to apply. I’m very excited about it.”

An artistic director creates and oversees the artistic vision of a theater. This means that Thompson has the final say on which plays are

brought to stage. He hires writers, actors and musicians, and works closely with longtime managing director Karen Mueller to make sure everything falls into place. While the two upcoming plays at the History Theatre are presented by freelance directors, Thompson will have the honor of directing the closing show of the 20222023 season: “The Defeat of Jesse James,” presented April 29-May 28. The two

upcoming shows are “The Root Beer Lady,” January 28-February 19, and “Diesel Heart,” March 11-April 2.

After closing out the season, Thompson will immediately start ironing out details for the next lineup of performances. He has a lot on his plate, as many of the theater’s plays are created from scratch and require extra planning and practice before being deemed stage ready. In addition, the the-

ater occasionally works with up-and-coming musicians and playwrights and it sometimes takes time for these artists to hit their stride.

“It’s not just presenting history to the audience but also developing artists on every level,” said Thompson. “That’s most unusual for any theater company. One can go to the Guthrie and it’s

Winter

Gambit Brewery / Page 4

LRID / Page 2

Sample St. Paul

Tim Spitzack Editor

Mears Park would likely benefit from the new funding source.

Winter Carnival

from page 1

able to exercise, watch performances, participate in art and craft activities, and more. Vendors will also be on site. Free.

Rice Park - The warming house is open 4-10 p.m. through February 4 on Market Street, featuring music by local musicians and DJs, trivia, bingo and other games, and beverages for sale. Free, with a suggested donation of a non-perishable food item for the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center.

The Vulcan Victory Torchlight Parade will weave its way through the city beginning at 5 p.m., February 4. It starts at West 7th at Smith Avenue and ends at Rice Park. After the parade, follow Vulcanus Rex and his Krewe to the steps of the George Latimer Central Library for the ever-dramatic overthrow of Boreas. Stick around afterward for fireworks and live music.

The Vulcan Victory Dance is 7:30-11:30 p.m.,

February 4, at InterContinental St. Paul Riverfront, 11 E. Kellogg Blvd. The R Factor will perform beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.

Berners in the Park, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., February 4. Meet, pet and play with friendly dogs of the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of the Greater Twin Cities. Free.

Other events - The St. Paul Bouncing Team will hold tryouts 6-9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 3 at the Landmark Center. Stop by to view the stunning displays of aerial acrobatics. Free.

Three scavenger hunts

are available through the Goosechase app through 5 p.m., February 4. All team members who finish a scavenger hunt will receive a small prize. Teams can register for multiple hunts. There is a $500 prize for the winner of each of the four hunts.

A digital ice fishing tournament runs through February 5. To participate, download the FishDonkey mobile app and join the Winter Carnival group. Prizes will be awarded to the winning angler in 10 different categories. Cost is $20.

Warm up at the Central Library, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.,

February 4. Enjoy a historical Winter Carnival slide show produced by St. Paul Public Library. Hot cocoa served while supplies last. The Roe Family Singers will perform 11:30 a.m.-noon.

Children’s face painting is offered 10-11 a.m. and noon-1 p.m.

Three St. Paul walking tours are offered in February: Gangsterland (through

LRID

Feb. 5), Secrets of Union Depot (Feb. 2-3) and Haunted Rice Park (Feb. 4-5). Each is $20. For tickets, visit cyncitytours.com.

Doggie Depot returns to Union Depot, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., February 4. Stop by for the crowning of the Canine King & Queen, giveaways, interviews with pet experts and more. Free.

in the district.

Lowertown could benefit from these same programs, Mannillo pointed out, but the development district excludes Lowertown, home to Mears Park, Union Depot, the St. Paul Farmers Market, CHS Field and several thousand condo owners. An RID would give Lowertown the attention it deserves, he said. Establishing a Lowertown Residential Improvement District would require a majority vote among condo owners. If approved, all condo owners would be required to participate. The funds would be used only on projects that improve community life in Lowertown. “There are well over 4,000 condo owners in Lowertown. They would be assessed based on valuation,” said Mannillo. “I’d like to see one million a year [generated] for five years.” To reach that mark, the average condo owner would contribute about $20 a month. The money would be managed by a board comprised of condo owners. The amount could be more or less depending on the projects the group wants done.

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“I see it as an investment,” added Mannillo. “The property owners who pay into it will make the decision on what to do with it. The money will be spent in Lowertown alone. It’s not a tax. It’s a self-assessment. You know where it goes and who benefits.”

Mannillo and Englund have been working on the project since 2019. It stems from a quandary over what to do with money left over from the now dissolved Lowertown Redevelopment Corp. (LRC), of which Mannillo was a trustee. When LRC dissolved in 2006 it transferred $1 million to a donor-advised fund within the St. Paul Foundation to help finance future improvement projects in Lowertown. The fund has been used for a variety of purposes, including holiday lighting in Mears Park. Today, the fund has about $150,000 and the St. Paul Foundation no longer wants to manage it due to its operational costs, said Mannillo. To solve the problem, he helped create a nonprofit – Lowertown Future Fund, Inc. – to distribute the money. The nonprofit completed a feasibility study for the RID in 2021 and will use a portion of the remaining LRC dollars for additional planning efforts and legal fees associated with creating the RID.

The next step is garnering the support of the condo owners. Mannillo’s group held two listening sessions last year to solicit feedback and plans to host more. It is also seeking support of the CapitolRiver Council and will share its vision with Lowertown businesses and other stakeholders.

Mannillo has been a building owner, manager and commercial real estate broker in Lowertown for more than 40 years. He has served on the CapitolRiver Council for 38 years, been president of the St. Paul Building Owners and Managers Association and chair of the Heritage Preservation Commission and Friends of Mears Park. Englund has been pastor of First Baptist Church for more than 30 years and has served a variety of roles with CapitolRiver Council and the Lowertown Redevelopment Corp. Tony Parrish is also involved. He was hired as an advisor to the Lowertown Future Fund, Inc. and serves as project director to help form the Lowertown Residential Improvement District. For more information, visit lowertownrid.org.

History Theatre

from page 1

usually a play that’s already been written. They’re not developing it from scratch. That’s something the History Theatre has been doing since the beginning, so for me to step in is a challenge but it’s also an honor…. My purpose and desire in the History Theatre is to create quality work that’s entertaining to an audience but also challenges perspective and celebrates our human experience and condition. I’m very interested in stories in history about cooperation, resilience, triumph and joy.”

While Thompson has only been the associate director at the History Theatre for a year, it’s not a new venue to him. From 1996 to 2021 he was a freelance director, working primarily with the Minnesota Opera and the Virginia Opera. During that

time, he directed four plays at Children’s Theater Company, one at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and five plays at the History Theatre – the most recent one in the 2020-2021 season. Prior to freelancing, he was administrator at Children’s Theatre for five years and managing director at Penumbra Theatre for five years.

“As a young African American, I wanted to understand how I could control who I was as an artist and the art that I create,” said Thompson. “Back then, the opportunities in performance were limited. If I wanted to be a butler, criminal or servant, there were many roles available, but I knew from my own life that my experience was much broader and grander than that. I wanted

to find out about the business of the arts so I could expand and control what I did… My last year at Penumbra I directed a show that was fairly successful and that let me realize it was time for me to do my own art.”

Thompson is a native of Minneapolis. His first artistic endeavor was as a dancer who performed across the state. He now has more than 30 years of experience in the performing arts and is the theater’s fourth artistic director since its founding 45 years ago.

“I’d like to expand the educational offerings of the organization as well as find ways to create productions that are perhaps more family oriented,” said Thompson. “I’d like to see families involved. I’d like to see young people sitting with their parents enjoying a good piece of theatre, hopefully provoking conversations between the young and old.”

History Theatre photo

Thompson has more than 30 years of experience in the performing arts. He is the theater’s fourth artistic director since its founding.

LENTEN AND EASTER WORSHIP SCHEDULE

Church of Saint Matthew • 510 Hall Avenue, St. Paul www.st-matts.org • (651) 224-9793

Here the love of Christ shall end divisions. All are welcome.

Ash Wednesday Wednesday, February 22 - 8:00 am & 7:00 pm

Weekend Mass Times Saturdays - 4:15 pm

Sundays - 10:15 am

Stations of the Cross

Mondays during Lent - 7:00 pm

Communal Reconciliation Service

Sunday, March 26 - 2:00 pm

Palm Sunday

Saturday, April 1 - 4:15 pm

Sunday, April 2 - 10:15 am

Holy Thursday April 6 - 7:00 pm

Good Friday April 7

Stations of the Cross - Noon Good Friday Service - 3:00 pm

Easter Vigil Saturday, April 8 - 7:00 pm

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You may participate online: Facebook (www.facebook.com/churchofstmatthew) or YouTube (www.youtube.com/churchofstmatthew)

The Church of St. Matthew is a Catholic community that is a visible expression of God’s love.

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opportunity because it already had the brewing equipment and lounge they needed – 12welve Eyes Brewing Company operated there until the business closed in late 2019. Sunken below street level, the brewery seats 94 and has a laidback, speakeasy atmosphere. Since only minor cosmetic renovations were needed, Secaur has been able to pour most of his energy into concocting a fresh line of tasty beers. Gambit has five vats that can hold a total of 160 gallons of beer, a dramatic contrast to the one-vat nanobrewery that is Bobtown. This allows Gambit to offer a

Tax Help Needed

wide variety of beers and experiment with other brews. They opened in mid-January with 11 beers and one plain, unflavored hard seltzer.

Gambit doesn’t have a kitchen because of restrictions related to remodeling a historic building. The Pioneer Endicott building, 141 4th St. E., was built in 1871 and is a registered historic site. However, the duo keeps their customers’ appetites satiated with a build-your-own charcuterie board menu, using meats and cheeses from local vendors.

Secaur honed his craft over about 20 years by brewing beer in his basement, a com-

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mon path among brewers. He has a bachelor’s in graphic design from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and will use those skills when designing logos and labels for the brewing company. Christianson has a culinary restaurant hospitality degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Before opening Bobtown in 2016, he was a training general

manager with Buffalo Wild Wings.

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When asked about competing in a market rife with breweries, Secaur said, “I always subscribe to the saying that a rising tide floats all the boats, so the more of us there are down here, and the more successful we are, I feel like that kind of builds everybody up around the neighborhood.”

Our newspaper group reaches over 37,500 homes and businesses in the St. Paul area, as well as the Hispanic market of the Twin Cities. To advertise, call

The Urban Explorer

E xploring our regional amenities

Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

Afterjamming a few quarters into the parking pay station, my wife and I leaned into the frigid winter wind and made our way through the corridor of tall, downtown St. Paul buildings. A few minutes later we reached the St. Paul Farmers Market and my breathing steadied almost at once. The pleasing aroma of warm drinks and kettle corn wafted from a row of vendors’ tents at the far end of the market and jolly music filled the air. It made me smile, something I could now do since feeling had returned to my frozen cheeks.

Strolling along with curi-

ous eyes, we joined a flock of people moseying past several tables filled with packaged meats of all types, cuts and sizes. I gently knocked on a few steaks and pork roasts and found them to be hard as a rock. Yes, they were frozen, but I learned that they were cut fresh just days earlier. Continuing past a small cloud of steam rising from a coffee shack, we rounded a bend and found a surprisingly large crowd shuffling along amidst the colorful stands. For a moment I was transported back to the leisurely days of summertime. Here we found meats, fruits and vegetables, coffee,

breads, honey and more, along with vendors issuing friendly greetings. The welcoming smells and sight of the fresh products lured us in. After two laps around the market, we made our decision on what to buy. Before pulling the trigger though, we spent some time at the cozy fireplace on the side of the market near CHS Field. Here, free brats were given to anyone who cared to roast one over the fire. The sizzle and smell of the brats, coupled with the laughter and chatter of those around us, warmed me even further and confused my senses. Was it summer? Winter? At that point it didn’t matter. I was having a good time.

After making our purchases, we walked back along the cobbled path we had strolled in on, feeling happy and content. Aside from experiencing something new, we were invigorated by the sense of community

we found at the market and were pleased to have supported a few local farmers dedicated to providing fresh, nutritious food. As we crossed the street and headed back to our car, the air didn’t feel quite as cold as before and we found ourselves planning our next trip back to the market and the discussing the stands we wanted to support. We, like many others, were now year-round customers.

The St. Paul Farmers Market was named the second best Farmers Market in the nation last year by a USA Today Top 10 reader poll. In the summer it features vast assortments of food and other products. The winter market also has a wide variety, but about a quarter of the vendors. It is open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, December through April, and has infrared heaters. For more information, visit stpaulfarmersmarket.com.

H istory Center

3 45 W. Kellogg Blvd. S t. Paul

6 51-259-3000 m nhs.org

Sherlock Holmes: The Exhibition is featured through April 2. Visitors can learn about areas of forensic science and engage in interactive crime-solving exercises. Original manuscripts, period artifacts, and investigative tools influenced and used by Sherlock Holmes are on view.

Our Home: Native Minnesota includes historic and contemporary photographs, maps and artifacts. Visitors learn how Minnesota’s native communities have retained cultural practices, teachings and values.

Other exhibits include Minnesota’s Greatest Generation, Then Now Wow, Grainland and Weather Per-

mitting. The Center is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Thurs.-Sun. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and college students, and $8 for children ages five to 17.

H istory Theatre

3 0 E. 10th St. S t. Paul

6 51-292-4323

H istorytheatre.com

“The Root Beer Lady” is presented through Feb. 19. Set in 1986, the story reflects on the life of Dorothy Molter, the last legal nonindigenous resident of the Boundary Waters, who is famous for giving root beer to canoeists. The play pushes back against the premise that her time in the North Woods made her the “loneliest woman in America,” as the Saturday Evening Post claimed in 1952. Tickets start at $43, with discounts

for seniors, adults under age 30 and students.

L andmark Center

7 5 5th St. W. S t. Paul 6 51-292-3225

l andmarkcenter.org

Urban Expedition events are held 1-3 p.m. They feature crafts, dance, music, exhibits and food. Upcoming events include Philippines, February 12, and Norway, February 26. Free.

Ballet Tuesday, noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14. Dancers from Ballet Co.Laboratory perform excerpts from the company repertoire.

Sunday at Landmark: Black Sea Odyssey , 1-3 p.m., Feb. 19. Experience the music, dance, foods, costumes, and arts and craft traditions of several countries from the Black Sea region of Eastern Europe. $4-6.

“A Soldier’s Play” is presented February 8-12 at the Ordway.

M N Children’s Museum

1 0 7th St. W. S t. Paul

6 51-225-6000 m cm.org

Framed: Step into Art is featured through May 7. Step into the 3D world of four well-known paintings, view famous prints and parodies of the Mona Lisa, and replace Mona Lisa’s face with your own.

Other exhibits and activities include The Scramble, The Studio, Creativity Jam, Sprouts, Our World, Forces at Play, Sprouts, Shipwreck Adventures and Imaginopolis.

The museum is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturdays, and 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays. Tickets are $14.95.

M N Museum of American Art

3 50 Robert St. N. S t. Paul 6 51-797-2571 m maa.org

Colonial Traumas, is an installation in Skyway 28 over Wabasha Street at 4th Street in downtown St. Paul. Created by Luis Fitch, the mural features colorful, vinyl cut-out skulls that represent the complexity of identity, place and belonging for

S ample St. Paul

people of mixed-race descent.

Off the Deep End, a digital mural printed on vinyl, is on display in the Jackson Street skyway bridge between 4th and 5th Streets through March 15. The artwork was created by 19 students from the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists and explores the theme of metaphorical rising sea level.

Im/perfect Slumbers is on display February 11-August 20, in the M’s window galleries and skyway entrance. This multidisciplinary series of art installations captures the historical and contemporary state of sleeping and being in bed.

O rdway Center

3 45 Washington St. S t. Paul 6 51-224-4222

o rdway.org

“A Soldier’s Play,” February 8-12. In 1944, two shots ring out on a Louisiana Army base. A Black sergeant is murdered and a series of interrogations triggers a gripping barrage of questions about sacrifice, service

and identity in America. Tickets start at $43.

Minnesota Opera presents “The Daughter of the Regiment,” 7:30 p.m., February 4, 9 and 11, and 2 p.m., February 12. Tickets start at $20 for youth and $38 for adults.

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra performances: Jonathan Biss plays Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto, 8 p.m., February 1011. Northside Celebration 2023, 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb.

19. Tickets for each event start at $12.

Classic Albums Live perform Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25. Tickets start at $33.

Cantus presents “I Hear America Singing,” 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 26. Tickets start at $25.

P alace Theatre

1 7 7th Place W.

S t. Paul 6 12-338-8388 f irst-avenue.com

Gregory Alan Isakov performs at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb.

3. Tickets start at $35.

R iverCentre

1 75 W. Kellogg Blvd.

S t. Paul

6 51- 265-4800

r ivercentre.org

Twin Cities Bridal Show, noon-4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 26. $15 for general admission, or $20 for general admission and fashion show.

S chubert Club

3 02 Landmark Center

7 5 W. 5th St.

S t. Paul

6 51-292-3268

s chubert.org

International Artist Series presents Bach Collegium Japan: Masaaki Suzuki (harpsichord) and Roderick Williams (baritone), 7:30 p.m., February 7, and 2:30 p.m., February 8, at the Ordway Concert Hall. Tickets start at $36.

Courtroom Concerts are held on Thursdays at noon, at the Landmark Center. Free. Upcoming concerts include vocalist Bob Peskin and pianists Barbara Brooks and Orion Kim, February 9; Chione Quintet and cellist Kirsten Whitson, February 16; and vocalists Clara Osowski and Steve Staruch,

February 23.

Accordo with Silent Film, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14, at the Ordway Concert Hall. Tickets start at $31.

“Spotlight On: J.D. Steele” is a concert that will be uploaded to the Schubert Club website at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23. Tickets are $10.

Harpist Bridget Kibbey and the Calidore String Quartet perform at 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 26, at St. Anthony Park United Church of Christ. Tickets start at $23.

KidsJam: New Sounds for an Ancient Instrument - The Harp, 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the Landmark Center. Harpist Bridget Kibbey teaches about the harp. Kids get the chance to create their own stringed instrument. $5.

S cience Museum of Minnesota

1 20 W. Kellogg Blvd. S t. Paul 6 51-221-9444 s mm.org

Latinx Americans in STEM , 11 a.m.-4 p.m.,

Saturday, Feb. 11. Learn about the careers and scientific contributions of Latinx American STEM professionals.

Asian Americans in STEM is presented 11 a.m.4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25.

The Bias Inside Us exhibit is on display through February 26. This traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution invites visitors to recognize and reckon with their own biases.

New Science is a temporary exhibit on display through March 25. Designed by the California Academy of Sciences, this exhibit highlights LGBTQ+ workers in the STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math and medicine) industry.

Omnitheater films - “Sea Lions: Life by a Whisker,” through April 9. Connect with some of nature’s most unusual, curious and playful animals in this epic quest to save one of the world’s endangered species.

Stellar Tours Live Digital Telescope Show, 2 p.m.,

Saturdays and Sundays. Choose your own space adventure and experience the Omnitheater’s new Digistar 7 projection system. Omnitheater tickets are $9.95. Free for children age 3 and under.

Sensory Friendly Sunday is hosted the first Sunday of the month. Visitors can experience a lights-up, sounddown Omnitheater show at 10 a.m. The program was created in consultation with the Autism Society of Minnesota. Admission is free for personal care attendants when visiting with a client.  Museum tickets range from $9.95-$34.90, with discounts available for those with limited incomes.

Xcel Center

199 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-726-8240

xcelenergycenter.com

Cinch World’s Toughest Rodeo, 7:30 p.m., February 3-4. Tickets start at $16. Blake Shelton, 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18. Tickets start at $45.

THE FULLER FILES }

JB Vang Partners, Inc. has been named developer for the original Hamm’s Brewery Complex at 680 and 694 Minnehaha Ave. The developer proposes 259 affordable housing units and 56,000 square feet of commercial space. Housing includes one- and two-bedroom rentals and live/work

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studios in the renovated brewery complex and family-sized rowhomes and rental apartments. The commercial space includes a 2-story marketplace in the former brewhouse, indoor community space, an outdoor public plaza and greenspace adjacent to Swede Hollow Park and Bruce Vento Trail. Hamm’s was founded in 1865 and by the 1950s had become the fifth largest brewery in the country. The brewery has since changed ownership several times. The St. Paul brewery closed in 1997 and the city purchased the southern part of the property in 2004.

The St. Paul City Council recently established the St. Paul Recovery Act Community Reparations Commission to make budget, program and policy recommendations to the mayor and city council regarding economic opportunities for American descendants of chattel slavery.

The Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board will review an application requesting that the statue of

by Roger Fuller

Christopher Columbus not be returned to its original location on the State Capitol grounds. The statue was toppled in June 2020 by activists with the American Indian Movement. The 10foot bronze statue was created by Italian American Carlo Brioschi and installed in 1931.

Andrea Ledger has been named interim director of the St. Paul Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity. She succeeds Kristien Butler, who was appointed in December 2021 and resigned a year later. Since 2018, there have been six directors and interim directors in the department. Ledger is a former executive director of NARAL Pro Choice America and served as procurement manager for the city.

The St. Paul Farmers Market at Fifth and Wall streets will have an open firepit 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays. Customers are invited to roast hot dogs, bratwurst and marshmallows over the fire and enjoy

free cider.

Recycling fees for residents of multifamily buildings will double this year, increasing from $60 to $129 per unit in buildings with one to four units. Buildings with five or more units will be charged $65.69 per unit. Eureka Recycling is the only company to submit a proposal to provide the service.

Seritage Growth Properties has put the former Sears stores in St. Paul, Maplewood and Burnsville on the market. Seritage purchased the properties with the intent of redevelopment. The stores closed between 2016 and 2019 when Sears went into bankruptcy. There were once 3,500 Sears and Kmart stores. Today there are just 22 stores. The most recent plans for the St. Paul site included eight or nine buildings with a total of 600-800 housing units, along with retail, commercial and office space.

Subtext Books, 6 W. 5th St., will present Janet Horvath, author of “The Cello Still Sings: A Generational Story of the Holocaust and of the Transformative Power of Music” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 28. A child of Ho-

locaust survivors, Horvath was the Minnesota Orchestra’s associate principal cellist from 1980 to 2012.

Girl Scout cookies will be on sale February 18 to March 13. For more information on locations, call 651-227-8835.

Minnesota Sinfonia will present a classical concert at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17, at Roseville Lutheran Church, 1215 Roselawn Ave., with guest pianist Inna Faliks. The program includes the Mozart Piano Concerto in D Minor, “Novelletten” by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Ralph Vaugh Williams’ “Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis,” and a new piece by artistic director Jay Fishman.

Laugh Camp Comedy Club, 409 N. Robert St., will present Zainab Johnson, February 3-4; Caitlin Peluffo, February 10-11; Mike Brody, February 14; Ron Feingold, February 1718; and Kate Willet, February 24-25.

Ramsey County Historical Society will present a History Revealed program at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23, via Zoom. Author Yohuru Williams will discuss

“Call Him Jack: The Story of Jackie Robinson, Black Freedom Fighter.” For details, visit rchs.com.

The skyway walking group meets at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays at U.S. Bank, 101 5th St. E. The group travels a mile and a half through the skyways at a casual pace.

Zeitgeist new music chamber ensemble and Cleveland-based No Exit New Music Ensemble continue their long-standing cross-country collaboration with local concerts February 17-18 at Studio Z, 275 E. 4th St.

Dog park - St. Paul Parks and Recreation recently opened a new dog park at Lower Landing Park, 200 Warner Rd. The park may be temporarily closed this winter if temperatures are above freezing in order to protect the new turf. Expect the park to temporarily close for a period this spring to allow the turf to fully establish.

The Great Northern Festival continues through February 5. Much of the festival’s programming focuses on climate change. For more information, visit thegreatnorthernfestival.com/2023.

Ramsey County commits $26M to new downtown park

Tim Spitzack

Editor

Ramsey County has pledged a sizeable commitment toward the creation of a new riverfront park in Downtown St. Paul. On December 20, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners voted to contribute $26 million to the Park at RiversEdge, a 9-acre park that would be constructed on a land bridge over Shepard Road and the adjacent railway. The County will seek an equal amount from the State of Minnesota this legislative session to support property acquisition, design and construction costs. The park is a signature component of the planned River

Friends of the Library names new trustees

The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library has elected eight new trustees to its board of directors. Each will serve a 3-year term, renewable for up to three terms.

The new members are Joel Pierre (JP) Bond, Laura Harris, Greg Johnson, Christine Kain, Beth McCray, Mario Paez, Chris Rider and Andrea Zimmerman. Established in 1945, The Friends is a nonprofit that supports

Balcony project, a 1.5-mile promenade along the river bluff connecting public spaces with businesses and entertainment venues, and providing new connections to the Mississippi River.

The County’s financial commitment to the Park at RiversEdge is the first step in advancing a large-scale commercial development on the site of the former Ramsey County Government Center West building and adult detention center, near Kellogg and Wabasha. At the same meeting, the County Board approved a preliminary development agreement with Los Angeles-based AECOM to build a projected $800 million development there. Included in the project are four towers

the St. Paul Public Library through fundraising, advocacy and programming. The group is moving in February after an 8-year tenancy at the CommonBond Communities administrative offices

featuring housing, office space, street-level retail, entertainment and hospitality.

at 1080 Montreal Ave. The Friends is relocating to the First National Bank Building in downtown St. Paul. Longtime partner Mairs & Power is donating the space under a 2-year agreement.

The first phase includes construction of nearly 132,000 square feet of public space

and trail connections; and two towers with a 168-room hotel, 56 condo units, 350 apartments, 11,500 square feet of retail and 500 park-

SPAC board election

The St. Paul Art Collective has new leadership. Newly elected board members are Diane McNew, president; Mariusz Kujawski, vice pres-

ident; Thomas Burke, secre tary; Kris Johnson, treasurer; and Zachary Cohen, Melissa Critchely, Emma Fitzsim mons, Caleb VanDeman, at-large.

Volunteer In Your Community

Lutheran Social Service of MN is seeking volunteers age 55+ in your area to provide companionship to older adults or mentor school-age children. Volunteers commit to regular weekly hours for a tax-free stipend and mileage reimbursement. Please contact Brinn Krabbenhoft at 651.310.9455, or Brinn.Krabbenhoft@ lssmn.org for more infor-

Artist rendering courtesy of AECOM

The park is a signature component of the proposed RiversEdge development, a project by developer AECOM that features four towers of housing, office and commercial space.

P ostscript

Dogs in Winter

“Aren’t you the cutest dog?” I asked the chubby brindle pit bull mix walking down the sidewalk.

Objectively, she was not the cutest dog, I suppose. But there is no such thing as an ugly dog, as we all know. She was wearing a brand-new jacket with colorful pockets and a hood and, to top it off, matching booties. She looked a little self-conscious – as we all are when we get dressed up for the first time in a while –and I thought she could use a little reassurance.

“I wasn’t sure she would

very cold day. But this barrel-shaped pup was dancing on the cold pavement, happy to meet me, booties all but forgotten.

“She loves meeting new people,” her owner explained, unnecessarily.

I love seeing dogs in the winter.

Carrie Classon CarrieClasson.com

wear the booties,” her owner confessed.

The dog looked at me seriously, as if she understood. The booties might be a bridge too far even on a

Of course, this is the time of year that longhaired dogs finally get comfortable. They stroll at a leisurely pace. They roll in the snow. They walk with their noses under the snow, sniffing the mysterious world beneath the surface. They scoop up big mouthfuls of snow as they go, cruising along with their tongues firmly inside their mouths for the first time in months. They are utterly at home in the snow, as if the warm

months of the past were an aberration and we are now back to normal.

But the short-haired dogs suffer. They shiver and hop from one foot to the other and look as if the whole notion of taking a walk in these temperatures was neither their idea nor something they approved of. Their owners decide that what they need is a jacket and, usually, the jacket is a mixed success. The little dogs still seem cold even in their jackets. I saw a greyhound with a jacket over a sweater. He didn’t look cold, rather, deeply embarrassed. I’ve seen dogs in Santa costumes and fancy hand-knitted Guatemalan sweaters and expensive gear that looked like it was designed for trekking up

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Mount Everest. None of the jackets look as if they fit very well. They’re all held on with straps and clips and usually are drifting to one side or the other, or threatening to come off entirely. The booties almost never stay on long.

Just down the block, I met a short-haired terrier walking with a man I chat with regularly. The terrier was not in a jacket and, when he saw me coming, I could see the pleading in his eyes. “Please do not make my owner stop and talk!” I tried not to talk too long as the terrier hopped from one cold paw to the other and shivered disapprovingly.

“He needs a jacket!” I said to the terrier’s owner, but I

could tell neither owner nor terrier was crazy about the idea.

Which is why the brindle pit bull’s ensemble was so impressive.

She looked as if she planned to model it in a dog catalog. Her slightly pudgy frame filled out the jacket and kept it in place. Her little booties kept her off the cold snow, sharp sand and biting salt. She was perfectly decked out and, I suspect, had an idea of exactly how adorable she was.

“You are the cutest dog in town!” I announced. The stubby dog was pleased. Her owner was proud. And – at that moment – I think it might almost have been true. Till next time.