Ramsey County to commit $26M to RiversEdge development in downtown St. Paul

Ramsey County leaders may spend $26 million on a park at the proposed RiversEdge development in hopes that their investment will spur long-sought state funds for the mixed-use project in downtown St. Paul.

County commissioners will vote Tuesday on whether to allocate funds for the Park at RiversEdge, a proposed 9-acre public park to be built along the Mississippi River as part of the larger RiversEdge project. The county contribution would be the first public investment in the park, according to a county news release.

"The Park at RiversEdge is a one-of-a-kind destination that will improve our connection to the Mississippi River — one of our community's greatest assets," County Board Chair Trista MatasCastillo said in a written statement. "The county's investment sets the stage for our partnership with the state of Minnesota to realize this transformative project and encourage additional private investment at RiversEdge."

The park will be one component of the $800 million RiversEdge development, which is slated to include four towers of offices, condos and apartments as well as street-level retail, entertainment and hospitality.

Ramsey County is seeking a matching investment of $26 million in state bonding for the "acquisition, design, furnishing and construction" of the park. The county previously sought $40 million in state bonding but was unable to persuade lawmakers to chip in.

The park would be constructed on the site of the former county jail and West Publishing Co. headquarters, across the street from the historic St. Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse. County leaders have previously described a terraced concrete lid to be built over Shepard Road and the railway, using taxpayer dollars. The lid would nearly double the 5-acre site and create public outdoor space connecting downtown to the river.

Sara Swenson, a spokesperson for the county, said in an email that the design is still in process.

"This is a catalytic investment in the future of downtown St. Paul and creating a wholly new experience for people to enjoy our beautiful downtown and riverfront," said Joe Spencer, president of the Downtown Alliance, in a statement. "Our partnership with the county, the city, the state and the private sector will transform downtown as we know it today."

In addition to the funding commitment, the Ramsey County Board is poised to approve a preliminary development agreement with AECOM, which was selected to develop the project in 2018. A previous preliminary agreement expired, Swenson said. Details on the new agreement were not immediately available.

"At a time when many downtowns are recovering from the pandemic, we are pleased to see the Park at RiversEdge moving forward and proud to work with Ramsey County and the city of St. Paul on this once-in-a-generation opportunity," said Matt Crane, chief executive of AECOM's U.S. West region, in a statement.

The development plan presented at public meetings in 2018 and 2019 called for a 168-room hotel, 56 condos, 350 apartments, 30,000 square feet of retail, 1,600 parking spaces, nearly 1 million square feet of high-end office space and an urban park overlooking the river.

County leaders remained bullish on the development even as the COVID-19 pandemic changed life in downtowns across the country. They have acknowledged that what gets built — and when — could change with the evolving demand for office space, hotel rooms and shopping. The first phase of the project will likely be an apartment tower to meet the strong demand for housing, county leaders have said.

RiversEdge is one of several parcels Ramsey County owns and is seeking to develop. Others include the former Boys Totem Town juvenile campus on the east side of St. Paul, the shuttered Ponds golf course in Maplewood and Rice Creek Commons, the former site of the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant in Arden Hills.