Downtown St. Paul Oktoberfest returns
‘Legends of Identity’
Page 4
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Volume 27 | Number 9
Historic Hill Center to become arts venue Jake Spitzack Staff Writer
After a century of being a quiet oasis brimmed with books, the James J. Hill Center, 80 W. 4th St., will soon be a lively arts venue that hosts performances, parties, weddings, corporate events and more. Minneapolis-based developer First & First bought the building in June and expects to begin renovating the 43,700-square-foot space late this year. An architect has been selected to review the building and create a design for improvements, which will be focused primarily on safety issues. “I don’t think anybody wants to see it shuttered or changed,” said Peter Remes, CEO of First & First. “It’s an amazing, one-of-a-kind building and it sets up well for events. It’s wellknown, centrally located, and on a park.” He added that their goal is to keep the space vibrant in a way that “adds to the conversation of the city.” The building was originally established in 1921 as a free, general purpose reference library. All materials were gifted by the estate of railroad tycoon James J. Hill. In the 1970s the library refined its focus to business reference. The center had been owned by the Mary Hill/J.J. Hill Library Foundation, which struggled financially over the past three years to support the library. First & First has a history of restoring historically significant buildings in the Twin Cities. Past projects include The Broadway, Van Buren, Icehouse Plaza and Vandalia Tower.
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September 2021
Work to begin on new interpretive center at Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary
Sketch courtesy of Lower Phalen Creek Project
Jake Spitzack Staff Writer
T
he Lower Phalen Creek Project (LPCP) is expected to break ground this fall on an interpretive visitor center at the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, 4th St. E. Part of St. Paul’s Great River Passage initiative, the center will educate people about the ecology of the area, how the Dakota people once used the 27acre site, and pay homage to the nearby Wakan Tipi cave. Wakan Tipi translates to “dwelling place of the sacred” in the Dakota language. St. Paulites often refer to the cave as Carver’s cave, named after Jonathan Carver, a 1700s explorer. The cave, which has petroglyphs and was a sacred site for the Dakota, was partially destroyed with the arrival of the railroad industry. In the late 1970s, the entrance was blocked with a sheet of steel at the request of the Ameri-
can Indian Movement and other local American Indian groups. The 9,000 square-foot center will be located at the entrance of the sanctuary, about one mile west of the Wakan Tipi cave. It will feature a reception area, classrooms, exhibit space, community gathering area and gallery space. The LPCP is working with a 12-member Dakota community steering committee to ensure that the center accurately presents information from the Dakota perspective. The group will garner public feedback on proposed exhibits before making them permanent. The LPCP anticipates the center will attract guests from surrounding states and Canada. The first program is expected to be a play created in partnership with New Native Theater. “Having this community gathering space in the nature sanctuary, especially
Interpretive center / Page 2
City finalizing design of Kellogg/3rd St. Bridge Jake Spitzack Staff Writer
Thanks to a recent $52 million appropriation from the State of Minnesota, the City of St. Paul is now finalizing design work on the Kellogg/3rd Street Bridge. Designs are expected to be completed by the end of the year and construction is scheduled to begin next summer. The new bridge will have upgraded intersections, dedicated turn lanes and accommodate the Gold Line bus rapid transit route, a new 10-mile line that will connect St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale and Woodbury starting in 2024. The bridge will also be pedestrian friendly, with 12-footwide trails/sidewalks on both sides of the bridge. They will be separated from the street by concrete barriers. The current bridge was built in 1983 and is showing its age. A routine safety inspection in 2014 revealed deficiencies in piers supporting outside edges, prompting the City to plan for its replacement. A preliminary design was completed last year and SRF consulting was awarded the construction contract. Construction is expected to take two to three years, and the bridge will be closed during that time. The overall project also includes reconstruction of a portion of Kellogg Boulevard from Broadway to the bridge. The City is seeking a $7 million federal grant to support the project. For more information, visit www.stpaul.gov/kellogg-3.
Changing of the guard at Landmark Center Tara Flaherty Guy Contributor
S
t. Paul’s Landmark Center has an energetic new community programs director overseeing its popular public programming, such as the Landmark Live series, Sundays at Landmark and Urban Expeditions. Alicia Wiesneth was named to the director position this summer, succeeding Judy
Brooks, the 30-year veteran who retired at the end of June.
“I know without a doubt, that Alicia is the right person to effect a virtually seamless transition and move the program menu forward,” said Brooks. “She will bring a fresh spirit, enthusiasm and energy to public programming, while keeping her sense of humor.” Amy Mino, executive director of the Landmark concurs with Brooks. “I’m extremely pleased to
have Alicia on board,” she said. “She is an incredibly talented and creative person and will bring a fresh perspective and new energy to our community programming mission.” Wiesneth is grateful that Brooks will aid in the smooth transition by remaining involved in certain events and activities at the Landmark Center, including the annual Old Fashioned
Holiday Bazaar. “It helps a lot that I worked here from 2014 through 2016 as a programming and marketing manager under Judy,” she said. “It’s great that Judy is still accessible in case I want to ask her how she did something, or get her advice on how to resume a certain program.” Wiesneth’s first involvement in event planning was in children’s theater in her
native Racine, Wis. After learning the fundamentals of theater and stage management there, she enrolled in the Individualized Studies program at the University of Minnesota, where she designed her own curriculum centered on the mixed disciplines of theater, communications and business, with Landmark Center / Page 2
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Landmark Center from page 1
the goal of pursuing a career in arts administration. After college she landed a job at Murray Middle School in St. Paul, where she honed her theater chops assisting with directing and stage management. “Kids are at such a fun, interesting age in middle school,” said Wiesneth. “I started introductions with, ‘Who’s here because they have a crush on somebody else in the show, and who’s here because they actually want to be?’ “After directing ‘Footloose’
the Landmark as a programming and marketing manager under Brooks, planning events that featured perforwith 120 middle-schoolers, I mance elements. Between knew I could do anything,” 2016 and her recent return she added with a laugh. in June, Wiesneth directed Wiesneth discovered early fundraising events for the on that performance arts and w/$20 Make-A-Wish Foundation. min. order, after 4 pm event programming complement each We've other well. Fallwith programming teamed up GRUBHUB “Though I started out in There are remarkably few Customers who the arts and theater making, staff members ordermanaging food from the it’s all sort of the same skill vast amount of programGRUBHUB can set, which naturally rolls ming hosted Landnowbygetthe beer, over into the event planning mark Center, winewhich & spirits speaks business,” she said. to the energy from and us. efficiency After working in theater at of the staff. Wiesneth’s th 262 E. 4 St., St. Paul • 651-222-3661divithe Penumbra, Park Square, sion is responsible for operatthe Guthrie and the Chil- ing the public programs and www.Lowertownwine.com dren’s Theater Company, she events presented there. While embarked on her first stint at the plan is to resume a full
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schedule as soon as possible, the “new normal” remains somewhat fluid amid shifting public health policies. Some programming, such as Urban Expeditions, won’t return until next year, and other offerings will remain at least partly virtual, which makes planning a bit tricky. “There is a great deal we don’t know yet on the heels of the pandemic,” said Wiesneth. “For example, our volunteers are down in numbers, but does that mean we have permanently lost them? Will community members participate at the same levels as they did before the pandemic? We just don’t know yet.” Despite the uncertainty, Wiesneth’s natural optimism bubbles through when speaking of the first major in-person celebration Landmark will host this year. “It’s our annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, falling this year on September 12,” she said. “It’s such a fun, beautiful event.” A Southeast Asian tradition celebrating
the harvest moon, the gathering will feature traditional music, dance and crafts, and culminate with a high-energy Lion Dance and lantern parade both inside Landmark Center and outdoors in Rice Park. “We’re planning for a full slate of programming to be back this fall with the Great Pumpkin Halloween Festival, then Santa’s Workshop, along with the Gangster Ghost tour, the Holiday Bazaar…and the Gala, where we’ll be continuing our celebration of the decades, which will feature the ’80s this year,” she added. Wiesneth noted that the variety is one of the things she enjoys most about her new position. “It keeps me on my tippytoes, and there’s never a dull moment,” she said, recalling one particularly stressful St. Martin’s Day celebration. Traditionally, “St. Martin,” is mounted on a horse and leads off the parade during the annual event. “That year, the horse got
Interpretive Center from page 1
TH RO ON UG VI H EW SE N PT OW EM BE R3
History on display— a photographic exhibit. Join us at Union Depot for this unique traveling photography exhibit, After Promontory: 150 Years of Transcontinental Railroading. The free exhibit features over 60 historic photos showcasing the impact and significance of the transcontinental railroad expansion throughout the American West— along with a bonus section featuring the history of Union Depot and railroading in Minnesota.
150 Years of Transcontinental Railroading
0
one that is developed and designed by American Indian people, is so incredibly meaningful and appropriate,” said Maggie Lorenz, LPCP executive director and director of the Wakan Tipi Center. “Indigenous themes, art, plantings and ceremony space will re-introduce and welcome back the original spirit of this site.” Adding an interpretive center to the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary has been discussed since the sanctuary first opened in 2005. In 2018, a $3 million state
bond helped fund the center’s design. The project needed about $8 million to break ground and $9.3 million overall. Last year the LPCP received $1 million in state bonding and $4 million from other sources. Construction is estimated to be completed in the fall of 2022. “We have a lot of irons in the fire to come up with the additional funding needed to see that the project is completed as it has been envisioned by community,” said Lorenz.
waylaid somewhere, and I was calling all over town trying to track it down,” said Wiesneth. “When it finally got here, I was standing close to it, so relieved — until it let go a giant sneeze all over me!” On a more serious note, Wiesneth most appreciates the cultural diversity in the various programs that bring community members together to learn about each other. “When events like that come together, it just feels like magic,” she said. Wiesneth wants to remind people that much of Landmark’s programming is free or low cost. “I think people forget they can just come on in,” she said. “They think of Landmark as the beautiful castle building facing Rice Park that does all the weddings. I’m here to help them remember that our community is always welcome here. It’s their place, too.” For more information on Landmark programs, visit www.landmarkcenter.org.
The sanctuary, a short walk from downtown, was once a polluted industrial site. It’s located between the Lowertown and Dayton’s Bluff neighborhoods. Volunteers work annually to help restore it by removing invasive species, planting native grasses, and assisting with other projects. The next restoration events will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m., Sept. 16, and 9-11 a.m. Sept. 25. A walking tour of the sanctuary and nearby Swede Hollow Park will be held 5:30-7 p.m., Sept. 1. For more information, visit www.lowerphalencreek.org or call 651266-6400.
The Downtown St. Paul Voice is published monthly and delivered to every apartment, condominium and skyway drop in St. Paul’s historic urban village, as well as other locations throughout downtown St. Paul. Publisher & Editor: Tim Spitzack Copy Editor: Leslie Martin Staff Writers: Jake Spitzack John E. Ahlstrom
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N ews Briefs
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{ THE FULLER FILES } Stella Belle, a Mediterranean style restaurant, has opened at 325 W. 7th St. in the space formerly occupied by an antique store. The menu includes sandwiches, bowls, wraps, salads, smoothies and juices. It is open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Victoria Theatre Arts Center, which purchased a century old building at 825 University Ave. from the Land Bank Twin Cities, has received $2.4 million from the State of Minnesota and $1.6 million in public and private fundraising for the project. It needs an additional $1.4 million to convert the former theater into an arts center. NEOO Partners Inc., an urban planning and real estate development firm, is helping with fundraising and design of the 120-seat performance space. Seritage Growth Properties is seeking public feedback on its proposal to build as many as 800 housing units on the vacant Sears
site on University Avenue, between Rice and Marion. The project calls for seven to nine buildings that are five to seven stories high, with retail and commercial space on the Rice Street side. The company is working on designs for the site. Construction is at least a year away. The St. Paul Saints promotion on September 9 will feature bobble heads of the mascots of the Saints and the Minnesota Twins shaking hands. Doggie Day will be held September 12. The Saints regular season ends September 26. There are no playoffs this year. The team in the 20-team Class AAA East with the best record will be declared league champion. St. Paul Farmers Market will end its satellite market at the Securian building at Robert and Sixth street on September 8. That market is held over the noon hour on Wednesdays. The main market at Fifth and Wall streets will remain open on Saturday
by Roger Fuller
and Sunday mornings. While the markets have been affected by the drought, the selection of products are gradually returning to normal. Merritt Clapp-Smith is the new executive secretary of the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board. She succeeds Paul Mandell, who served in that role for more than three decades. ClappSmith previously was a planner for the City of St. Paul for 11 years. Later this year the Board will review suggestions from task force groups that were established last year to help create guidelines governing the installation or removal of monuments and statues on the State Capitol grounds. K.J’s Hideaway night club is scheduled to open September 17 in the basement of the Historic Hamm building. It will occupy space that housed the Artists Quarter from 2001 to 2013 and Vieux Carre from 2015 to 2017. The club will be open Thursdays through
Saturday evenings, featuring blues, jazz, Americana folk and country music. A second Amtrak passenger train is expected to begin operating between St. Paul and Chicago in 2024. It will likely depart St. Paul around noon, and the train from Chicago would arrive in St. Paul around 6 p.m. The Minnesota Legislature recently contributed $10 million to the $53.3 million project. Red Rock Road, which serves the highly industrial Red Rock Terminal near Pig’s Eye Lake, will be repaved this year and property owners have agreed to foot the bill. The St. Paul Port Authority is managing the contract and the city will assess property owners for the entire $1.2 million projected cost. Businesses in the area include Gerdau Ameristeel, AMG Resourcesm Barton Enterprises, Gavilon, Continental Cement, Hawkins and Simcote. The road was last improved in 1971.
Rent increase - St. Paul residents will vote on a proposed St. Paul city ordinance this fall that would cap increases on rental property to
3% a year, beginning in May 2022. Nearly 5,600 people signed a petition to place the question on the ballot in November.
Center’s k Landmark r a Fall Concert Series __________________ m
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Oct. 15 Mary Bue Nov. 19 Danny Schmidt Dec. 17 Dan Newton and Friends For more information and tickets, visit www.landmarkcenter.org/landmark-live or call 651.292.3063 Presented by Minnesota Landmarks with support from:
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S ample St. Paul
Fitzgerald Theatre
10 E. Exchange St. St. Paul 612-338-8388 www.first-avenue.com
The “Talking Volumes” author series will feature Lauren Groff at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 14, and Kate DiCamillo at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 30. Tickets start at $22.50.
Palace Theatre
17 W. 7th Pl. St. Paul www.first-avenue.com
Gogol Bordello with NuFolk Rebel Alliance” will perform at 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 10. Tickets start at $30. Phoebe Bridgers with Muna will perform at 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 11. Tickets start at $39.50.
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Park Square Theatre 20 W. 7th Pl. St. Paul
www.parksquaretheatre.org
Saint Paul Summer Sunlight, c o n t i n u e s through September 23. This month’s lineup includes: Annie and the Bang Bang, 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 9; Ben Cook-Feltz, noon, Friday, Sept. 10; TBA, noon, Wednesday, Sept. 15; and The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society, 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 23. Free.
Ordway Center 345 Washington St. St. Paul www.ordway.org 651-224-4222
A series of five onenight concerts kicks off September 19 and runs
through December. “Maz Jobrani” will perform at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 19 in the concert hall. Tickets start at $27.
History Center 345 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-259-3000 www.mnhs.org
“Sinclair Lewis: 100 Years of Main Street” - Discover the legacy of Sinclair Lewis, an author from Minnesota whose literary works and social critiques of American life ring true today. “Extraordinary Women” - Walk among extraordinary Minnesotan women who changed their communities. “Our Home: Native Minnesota” - Learn how Minnesota’s Native communities have retained
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Page 4 - Downtown St. Paul Voice - September 2021
St. Paul Oktoberfest returns. Prost!
St. Paul Oktoberfest will take place September 10-11 at the German American Institute, 301 Summit Ave. It will feature German music, beer imported from Paulaner in Munich, Germany, and a wide variety of international food, from bratwurst to tacos. Bands include Alpensterne, Bavarian Musikmeisters, The Chmielewski Funtime Band and Dr. Kielbasa Band. Traditional dances will be performed by the Edelweiss Dancers and Rivers Ballet, and Jimi the Polka Pirate will provide dance lessons. Hours are 4-10 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call 651-222-7027 or visit www.gaimn.org.
S ample St. Paul cultural practices, teachings and values, and an essential connection to home. Other exhibits include “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation,” “Then Now Wow” and “Weather Permitting.” The Center is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m., ThursdaySunday. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and college students and $8 for children ages five to 17.
MN Children’s Museum 10 7th St. W. St. Paul 651-225-6000 www.mcm.org
“Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice” - Learn about dinosaurs and the habitats they once roamed. Other exhibits and activities include The Scramble, The Studio, Creativity Jam, Sprouts, Backyard, Our World, Forces at Play, Super Awesome Adventures, Imaginopolis and the Tip Top Terrace. Tickets are $14.95.
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display through October 2. The exhibit examines ways artists across the state are engaging with water. It is only on view from outside the Pioneer Endicott building, installed in the windows on Robert and 4th streets, and in the Ecolab entrance in the skyway.
Science Museum 120 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-221-9444 www.smm.org
Artist At Pine Needles Gallery, through September 6. Artists tell stories of Minnesota’s changing landscapes, share their views with scientists to inspire new ways of thinking, and connect with local communities who share the same environment. Cardboard City, through September 6. Participants may build projects using cardboard and simple tools. NASA Earth Observatory Gallery, through September 6. View photographs of Earth’s environments and atmo-
MN Museum of American Art 350 Robert St. N. St. Paul 651-797-2571 www.mmaa.org
sphere and find out how our planet continues to change and shift. Omnitheater films include “Oceans: Our Blue Planet,” and “Volcanoes: Fires of Creation.” Theater tickets are $9.95, with discounts for children and seniors. Museum tickets are $19.95, with discounts for children and seniors.
Xcel Center
199 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-726-8240 www.xcelenergycenter.com
“Guns N’ Roses” will perform at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 21. Tickets start at $55.50.
Outdoor events The Summer Beer Dabbler will take place 5:30-9 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 28 at CHS Field, 360 N. Broadway St. Sample the brews of more than 130 craft breweries while listening to live music. Food and other activities will be featured throughout the day. For more
information, visit www. thebeerdabbler.com. The Twin Cities Jazz Festival returns to Mears Park September 17-18. Performances on Friday include Emmet Cohen and special guest Patrick Bartley, 5:30 p.m.; the Kenny Barron Trio, 7:30 p.m.; Maryann Sullivan & the Money Makers, 4-5 p.m.; and the Selby Avenue Brass Band, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Performances on Saturday include Walker West Music Academy & MacPhail Center for Music youth performances, 12:30 p.m.; Twin Cities Seven, 3 p.m.; Moore By Four, 5 p.m.; Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet, 7:30 p.m.; Jack Brass Band, 2-3 p.m.; Katia Cardenas, 4-5 p.m.; and Salsa del Soul, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Union Depot is hosting drive-in movies in Lot D, located near Kellogg boulevard. Shows are “Moana,” 8:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 27, and “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” Friday, Sept. 24, time TBD. Each event features a chance to win
Delfeayo Marsalis will perform at the Jazz Fest. a thematic prize basket. Concessions will be available. Tickets are $15 per vehicle. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.uniondepot.org/depotdrivein. Solidarity Street Gallery, a three-day art and
cultural festival, will be held September 23-25 along Payne Avenue. The event aims to bring together artists, performers, poets, entrepreneurs, civic leaders and the community for conversations about justice and equity.
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Welcome Back to Mass! Beginning Sunday, September 12
The Church of Saint Matthew will resume Sunday 10:15 a.m. Mass We invite you to come back if you have been away, or join us for the first time. We also offer Mass at 4:15 p.m. on Saturdays and are streaming Mass on Facebook and YouTube at 10:15 am on Sundays. Faith Formation classes begin Wednesday, September 22 for children in grades 1 through 10. Register your child(ren) online through our website, or visit the parish office to register in person.
Church of St. Matthew 510 Hall Avenue, St. Paul
st-matts.org or www.facebook. com/churchofstmatthew 651.224.9793
Page 6 - Downtown St. Paul Voice - September 2021
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Postscript
Lost in the move
I’m not sure when a house becomes a home, but I don’t think we’re quite there yet. My husband Peter and I have moved into the new place. All our stuff is here, but that doesn’t mean we know where anything is. “Have you seen the strainer?” “Which strainer?” “You know, the fine one.” “No.” We have about two dozen conversations like this every day. We got rid of a lot of stuff and now it’s hard to remember what we kept. I unpacked by myself, so Peter had to go on a scavenger hunt when he got here. Finally, we had the “last-minute essentials” we brought with us, and we’re still unpacking those. It’s a jumble. Peter was convinced (unreasonably, I assured him) that every T-shirt he owned had mysteriously been lost in the move. “I found them!” I heard him yell from the bedroom.
Carrie Classon CarrieClasson.com
“Mystery solved!” I am realizing how much I do on autopilot. I reach for a soap dispenser that isn’t there. Do I even have a soap dispenser? I wonder. I look in a likely box and notice something I’d forgotten about, and I put that away. And when I do, I notice something else in a drawer where it shouldn’t be and I move it. Suddenly, I find I am standing in the middle of the kitchen with no idea what I’m doing there. “The soap dispenser!” I remind myself. I end up us-
ing the bar of soap from the bathtub. Then there are all the things we need contractors to do. Nobody is excited about renovating an old condominium when there is so much new construction going on, so my day is spent wheedling contractors to come over. We need electrical fixtures installed. We need the flooring repaired where a bump has developed, and we’d like to replace the old yellow bathtub. Since I am better at wheedling than Peter, I make these calls. I have particular success if the contractor is married and I can wheedle his wife. I did that this morning and got the electrician, George, to come out in less than an hour. It was a busy morning. In addition to George, a self-described “handyman” named Steve visited. Steve the handyman turned out to be quite handy and will be helping us out. George the electrician, however, turned out not to be an actual electrician, which was disappointing — especially after I had such a friendly chat with his wife. Not to mention his card said “electrical contrac-
tor” across the top. “Nope,” George said. “I can’t do that.” Oh well. Meanwhile our little balcony (which is the best part of the whole place) is closed off for painting and maintenance. “How much maintenance can a balcony take?” I asked Peter. Apparently quite a lot, as they have scaffolding running up the building and yellow ribbon running across the balcony like the scene of a crime. “Don’t worry,” Peter says. “It will all get done.” And, of course, he is right. We will get rid of the bump in the floor (which seems to be growing) and we will get to enjoy our balcony and we will have our electrical fixtures installed by someone who is actually an electrician. But for now, I am looking forlornly out at the forbidden balcony and wondering when this will feel like home. We showed George the bathtub, and he said he could replace it. I think my next call will be to a plumber to see if he’d like to install some lighting fixtures. Till next time.
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Waiting lists change and may be open. Please call the property to inquire. Albright Townhomes Minneapolis Chancellor Manor Burnsville Cornerstone Creek Apartments Golden Valley For developmentally disabled individuals. Dale Street Place St. Paul Diamond Hill Townhomes Minneapolis Elliot Park Apartments Minneapolis Franklin Lane Apartments Anoka Hamline St. Paul Hanover Townhomes St. Paul Haralson Apple Valley Hopkins Village Apartments Hopkins Lincoln Place Apartments Mahtomedi Oakland Square Minneapolis Olson Townhomes Minneapolis Park Plaza Apartments Minneapolis Prairie Meadows Eden Prairie Ramsey Hill St. Paul Raspberry Ridge Apartments Hopkins Slater Square Apartments Minneapolis Talmage Green Minneapolis Trinity Apartments Minneapolis Trinity on Lake Minneapolis Unity Place Brooklyn Center Vadnais Highland Townhomes Vadnais Heights Veterans and Community Minneapolis Housing - Sober Housing Brustad Place, aka Veterans East Minneapolis
612-824-6665 952-435-7111 763-231-6250
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612-208-1712
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Downtown St. Paul Voice - September 2021 - Page 7
A rts & Culture
Your community news and information source
Legends of Identity New mural at El Burrito created with help of local elementary school students
Leonor Villasuso Rustad Contributor
B
efore the COVID-19 pandemic took everyone by surprise, visual artist Dani Bianchini and Pablo Kalaka, an internationally renowned muralist, applied for a scholarship at the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs at the University of Minnesota to fund a large mural — 16 by 19 feet — on an exterior wall of El Burrito Mercado on the West Side. The project was inspired by feedback from third grade students at Riverview West Side School of Excellence, who were given a series of questions about identity. They, in turn, interviewed relatives to learn more about their history and culture. Bianchini and Kalaka transformed the student’s comments into “mural language” to create the design for the “Legends of Iden-
tity” mural, one of the West Side’s latest public art projects. “The kids are super excited to see what their art is going to look like,” said Bianchini. “They asked their parents and grandparents questions about where they are from. We could see how the generations have changed. It’s wonderful to see what the kids learned about their families.” “Legends of Identity” is full of movement and imagery: a beautiful Hispanic grandmother is seen making tortillas while two children look at her from the other end of the table; an indigenous woman is proudly looking at the horizon; an agricultural worker is holding a freshly cut plant. The mural’s purpose is evident from the title itself. “We wanted the mural to represent them [West Siders] and make them proud,” said Bianchini.
Bianchini is a self-taught artist who was born in Argentina and has lived in Minnesota for two decades. She has worked on several other public art projects around the metro area. Most recently she created six murals at the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy in Roseville. She is also helping beautify downtown St. Paul and other areas of the city by creating vibrant, colorful mosaic designs on 30 public trash receptacles. They feature elements of the seasons and everyday scenes that help brighten the urban landscape. To date, she has completed 20. Five are on the West Side, and their designs were inspired by the Riverview students. After finishing “Legends of Identity,” she will create another large mural in Hastings. It will represent the history of the town and how it has become more diverse over time.
Bianchini is a self-taught artist who was born in Argentina and has lived in Minnesota for two decades. She has worked on several public art projects around the metro area. She recently created six murals at the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy.
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FREE Local Shuttle and Same Day Service on Most Repairs! Page 8 - Downtown St. Paul Voice - September 2021