Rethinking Snelling/University

Chad Kulas

On March 16, the Midway Chamber joined other community partners including the Ward 4 City Council office to celebrate the demolition of the former CVS building. While the most excitement we saw was the placement of “sidewalk closed” signs and the real tear-down didn’t really get going for two days, the moment served as a time to think about the future and what could happen at that site.
To say the CVS had a contentious existence at the corner is an understatement. It was controversial when it was approved and built around 20 years ago, and has recently sat vacant since 2022. While empty, stories popped up about large groups of people hanging out in the parking lot and sidewalk – sometimes reported higher than 30 or even 40. Eventually, the negative buzz became too much and the City of Saint Paul took action, ensuring a fence was placed around the property. While that solved one problem, it also just meant people were moved around and now we in the neighborhood had a fence to look at instead.

A bigger fence is there now, although this time without a building and with a promise the site will get redeveloped. To what? Nobody knows yet, but one thing that isn’t controversial is saying future uses can and should be better than an empty building or a fenced off lot.

The timing for this redevelopment comes as the Snelling University Alliance work is ramping up. With a mission to “unite stakeholders to advocate for the vibrant communities surrounding the intersection of Snelling and University” the group has been thinking of nearby parcels and future uses based on community input. Two recent walking tours and small group discussions with key stakeholders has helped better understand what’s feasible and could get neighborhood support.
It can be a surprise realizing how much this intersection has changed since I started working in the Spruce Tree Centre in 2015. It doesn’t seem that long ago but each corner has changed in its own way. The most obvious two are the empty lot where CVS once stood and the beginnings of United Village next to Allianz Field, where 11 years ago sat many commercial tenants like Rainbow Foods, Big Top Liquors, Perkins, Midway Bowl and more. At the time, the Green Line was about one year old and the A-Line Bus Rapid Transit wasn’t yet operating.

Another change at the intersection has been an increase in housing. While most of the new housing has technically occurred a little southwest of the corner with The Pitch and The Pivot apartments, there is interest in more housing. Will we see it at the northwest corner?

We don’t know what the full report will include from the Snelling University Alliance, but I do believe there will be a call for density, housing and commercial space that will attract visitors while catering to Midway residents. A priority for myself is to see this intersection gain foot traffic and feel like one of the most vibrant and safest places in Saint Paul.

The celebrations around the demolition of the CVS are not there to dance on the grave of what once was there; it is to mark the beginning of the next chapter and to rethink best uses. I can’t wait to see what the intersection looks like in another 11 years.