Monitor in a minute - Sep 2026

Board denies Domino’s variance
A plan to convert a longtime Midway dry cleaners into a Domino’s Pizza takeout restaurant was tossed Aug. 3 by the St. Paul Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). The BZA decision wasn’t appealed as of Monitor deadline.
Hamline Cleaners at 649 N. Snelling Ave. closed earlier this year after almost 60 years’ operation. Much of its tenure was in a converted service station at Snelling and Blair avenues.

The site has three curb cuts, one onto Snelling and two on Blair. The architecture firm of Thielen and Green asked that both of the Blair curb cuts be retained as part of a plan to manage delivery driver and carry-out customer traffic. Their plans called for landscaping and improving the existing appearance of the building as well as extensive interior renovations. Employee parking would have been in the rear.

BZA staff recommended approval of the variance and the ability to retain both Blair curb cuts. Under the city’s zoning code, curb cuts must be located at least 60 feet from the intersection of any two streets and from any abutting residentially zoned property. Without a variance from this requirement the curb cuts will have to be removed.

BZA staff recommended approval of the variance. Two neighbors spoke against it, citing the potential for spillover traffic in the neighborhood west of Snelling. Several others sent emails in opposition.

The board voted unanimously to deny the variance, saying that it doesn’t meet all of the needed legal findings to grant such a request. Board members said while they didn’t want to stand in the way about redevelopment and that they have concerns about a building sitting vacant, they have concerns about sending more vehicles onto Blair. One argument against the variance is that it doesn’t align with the general intent of the zoning code and the city’s comprehensive plan.

Old Midway Hospital complex for sale
The longtime home of Midway Hospital is for sale. Current owner Fairview Health Services announced the sale in mid-August.

Midway Hospital operated for 70 years, closing in January 1997. After that it became home to HealthEast offices as well as specialized outpatient services. Fairview has owned and operated the property for several years, most recently using it for administrative offices and corporate needs.

About 250 people work at the Midway site. They will move to other Fairview offices by year’s end.

The medical complex grew after the Midway Hospital opened in August 1926, with several additions and changes over the years. Longtime residents might remember that the hospital housed a nurses’ training program, which at one point was combined with the Mounds Park Hospital’s program.

The nine-acre site is zoned for traditional neighborhoods three and residential use. It has about 300 parking spots.

The property real estate listings indicate that it is being marketed for redevelopment. It is described as a “transformative urban infill site.” It is promoted as an opportunity for developers, investors, institutions, and those wanting a mixed-use site.

Ramsey County property records indicate that the two properties’ combined value is at $17.1 million.