Frogtown | Midway Como Frogtown Monitor

Wendell O Ward, a first time gardener, was “wowed” by his harvest. (Photo submitted)

Wendell O Ward (a longtime Frogtowner known to his fans as “WOW”) is generally a happy guy. But this year a little patch of dirt, just about 40 feet square, has made him even happier. … more

By Patricia Ohmans, Frogtown Green | 9/15/23

Save Money and the Planet. Read On!

This month’s Frogtown Green column has a guest writer – Aaron Backs, a sustainability project coordinator with CERTs, a state-wide clean energy partnership. Aaron walks through a … more

By Aaron Backs | 8/11/23

In Brief

NEW SKATE PARK The City of Saint Paul has a new seasonal skate park at Dayton’s Bluff Recreation Center. This project was started when recreation center staff noticed the tennis courts … more

8/11/23

Summer in the city

Summer is upon us. Delight in the chance to leave home without mittens. Most of the activities listed below are free. ST. PAUL PRIDE FESTIVAL The new St. Paul Pride Festival in Rice Park … more

By Jane St. Anthony | 6/7/23

Susan Willis sets up her equipment for chimney swifts. Frogtown Green’s swift tower at Lafond at Dale Street was built by Daniel Westhoven, with support from the St Paul Audubon Society. For more information about chimney swifts and how to help them, contact Susan Willis, sfwillis143@gmail.com.

Calling all swifts

It’s a beautiful Friday night in Frogtown. On a vacant lot at the corner of Dale Street and Lafond, members of the local motorcycle club laugh and holler greetings, as fellow bikers roar up. … more

By Patricia Ohmans Frogtown Green | 6/7/23

Keystone moves ahead on new center

Keystone community services’ planned community food center got a $2.6 million boost from the 2023 Minnesota legislature. The funds were tucked into the bonding bill legislators passed before … more

By Jane McClure | 6/7/23

Firefighters from Frogtown’s Station 18 lend a hand during the annual Frogtown Park & Farm trash pickup on Earth Day 2023. (Photo submitted)

Signs of spring

Frogtown Green Spring has definitely sprung! This year, Frogtowners are busier than ever, working to enhance our neighborhood’s natural environment. Check out this spring roundup of … more

By Patricia Ohmans, Frogtown Green | 5/10/23

Volunteers clean up Frogtown Park & Farm during a previous year event. This year’s event will be on Saturday, April 22 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. (Photo submitted)

Mark your calendar to make a green difference

Sick of snow? Me, too. It’s frustrating to be stuck inside yet again in what feels like an endless series of “final” winter storms. But these last slushy days give us time to get … more

By Patricia Ohmans Frogtown Green | 4/14/23

The Midway neighborhood, highlighted in blue, scores high in priority for advancing environmental justice through tree planting and canopy preservation compared to other neighborhoods in St. Paul, points out local environmentalist Molly Codding.

Trees can help poor air quality

“We all have angels guiding us… They look after us. They heal us, touch us, comfort us with invisible warm hands… What will bring their help? Asking. Giving thanks.” ~ Sophy … more

By Melvin Giles, peacebubbles@q.com | 3/9/23

Volunteers clean and package native seeds for distribution at a MN SEED workshop in January. Cleaning and packaging the seeds is just one step in the process. (Photo submitted)

Seeds of change and beauty at Little Free Libraries

Over the past few summers, you may have noticed an increase in blooming wildflower gardens in our neighborhoods. Have you wondered where people get some of the seeds they need to make those gardens … more

By Mae Macfarlane Frogtown Green | 2/8/23

Then and now photos at Jan. 21 benefit

The community is invited to a “then and now” slide show about Frogtown and the Midway area at Half Time Rec (1013 Front St.) on Saturday, Jan. 21 from noon to 3 p.m. There will be … more

1/16/23

Eugene Johnson and his children (Angelic, age eight, and Angelica, age nine) appreciate the experience they’ve had through Shop with Cops. Johnson told Midway Area Chamber of Commerce members about it during a fundraiser on Nov. 30, 2022. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Happy tidings from Shop With Cops

Last year, Christmas was looking pretty bleak for the Eugene Johnson family.Johnson fell off a second story building onto a fence, and was hospitalized for weeks. Then he spent time in a wheelchair. … more

By Tesha M. Christensen | 12/13/22

Gita Ghei, a longtime volunteer in both Hamline-Midway and Frogtown, holds up a tree that has just been extracted from a gravel-filled nursery bed. Gravel bed-grown trees form dense clumps of roots that aid in transplantation. (Photo courtesy of Frogtown Green)

Free trees for Frogtown, Hamline-Midway residents

Frogtown GreenSince 2011, volunteers in the Frogtown neighborhood have been planting free trees in residents’ homes. Inspired by those efforts, and alarmed by recent declines in urban tree … more

By Mae Macfarlane | 12/12/22

The Victoria Theater was built as a silent movie house in 1915.

Victoria Theater Arts Center to finally open in January 2024

Frogtown’s historic Victoria Theater could be in the spotlight in 2024, as the long-awaited community arts center opens its doors. The theater leadership earlier this fall accepted $1 million … more

By Jane McClure | 12/12/22

Urban29 owner Joyce Sanders stands in her new store at 633 University Ave. W., in the new Frogtown Crossing building. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Streetwear at University and Dale

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN Urban29 lost its space at 804 E. Lake in Minneapolis when the building burned after the murder of George Floyd. Owner Joyce Sanders of Longfellow opened a pop-up location … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 11/9/22

Shaunie Grisby hopes to create a place like The Den from the television series “Moesha”– a place that is a community hangout. Flava Coffee and Cafe at 623 University Ave. West serves beverages, breakfast and lunch. “I wanted to create a space like that where people loved being,” said Grisby. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

One latte at a time

Frogtown has a coffee shop again.Over three years of planning culminated with the official opening of Flava Coffee and Cafe on Aug. 27, 2022 in the newly built Neighborhood Development Center at the … more

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN | 11/9/22 | 1 comment

Sherburne Collective aims for deeply affordable housing

Developers of a changing and complex Frogtown affordable housing proposal have been given more time to put things together. The St. Paul City Council, acting as the Housing and Redevelopment … more

By JANE McCLURE | 11/9/22

Development update November 2022

ALATUS PROJECT MOVES FORWARDLexington Station is chugging along, with excavation this fall and much more work to come for the next several months. The Union Park District Council (UPDC) land use … more

By JANE McCLURE | 11/9/22

Business award winners named in St. Paul

St. Paul’s 6th annual Business Awards winners have been announced. The awards recognize local businesses that provide critical services, contribute to the city’s community, invest in … more

11/9/22

PLAN IT November 2022

HOLIDAY CONCERT NOV. 18Four local composers will present their latest works at a concert of new vocal music. The concert will be on Friday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 1697 Lafond Ave., … more

11/9/22