Around (down)town: Farmer's Market season kickoff, Saint Paul Art Crawl and more

Friends,

So many signs of spring downtown are arriving this weekend — namely, the Saint Paul Art Crawl and the kickoff to farmer's market season in Lowertown (happy 170th, Saint Paul Farmer's Market!). We're so lucky to have both of these staple activities downtown, despite this weekend's dreary-looking weather.

Make sure that you check out the road closure map and construction updates (linked below) before you head downtown, and don't forget to make a stop at one of our wonderful coffee shops or restaurants for a coffee, a bite to eat or a drink as you peruse fresh veggies and local art. Our friends at Saint Dinette are even updating their hours starting May 1 to make sure you can take full advantage of an early farmer's market visit!

One last tidbit to go — it feels like just yesterday that a small raccoon climbed up the UBS tower and into our hearts, but six years later another raccoon has caused a raucous downtown. After ravaging an electric substation, a raccoon caused a short-lived power outage downtown last weekend. A big thanks to the hardworking folks at Xcel Energy who made sure the lights came back on swiftly!

Read on to learn more about events happening downtown this weekend, some news related to downtowns, and City Council's vote to bring more bike lanes to Saint Paul.

Have a great weekend,

Joe

The real key to downtown's comeback may not be office space after all - The Business Journals

Office space vacancies are trending upward, but downtown recoveries are still gaining momentum. That's because the real key to post-pandemic city center success transcends the office.

Read more from the New York Times

Saint Paul City Council approves sweeping update to 2015 bike plan

With little fanfare, the Saint Paul City Council adopted a sweeping update to the city’s 2015 bicycle plan on Wednesday, setting the stage for a growing focus on installing off-street bike lanes protected by curbs or parking.

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The goal is to cut transportation-related carbon emissions by adding up to 163 miles of new bike lanes and related amenities — a 75% increase in St. Paul bikeways by 2040. Most of it would be rolled into what’s dubbed in the plan as a “low-stress network” of off-street bike corridors appropriate for riders of all ages.

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Portions of the Capital City Bikeway, a curb-protected bicycle loop through downtown, are under construction this season, including Kellogg Boulevard between St. Peter and Wabasha Street, as well as Minnesota Street from Seventh Street to 11th Street. Kellogg Boulevard between St. Peter and West Seventh is scheduled to get underway in 2025.

2023 Annual Report now available

As the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2023, we are reflecting proudly on the remarkable resilience and growth our downtown has achieved in the face of collective challenges and change.

We're excited to present this year's annual report, including a timeline highlighting key milestones and achievements that shaped our journey.

Download the full report here.

Here's a glance at what's happening downtown this week.

A full look at what's coming up can be found on our event calendar. Check it out!

Apr. 26-28	Spring Art Crawl	Various locations
Apr. 29	Free Yoga at Union Depot - SculptFree Yoga at Union Depot - Sculpt	Union Depot
Apr. 30	Trivia Mafia	Wrestaurant
May 1	Level Up at the Library!	George Latimer Central Library
May 2	Baby and Toddler Storytime	George Latimer Central Library
May 3-5	Choo Choo Bob's Grand Opening Weekend	Union Depot

Saint Paul Art Collective - 2024 Spring Art Crawl

Spring Art Crawl events are happening all over downtown and Lowertown this weekend!

Construction season is underway and each week we'll provide updates on projects and road closures happening around downtown to ensure a smooth trip whether you’re coming for dinner, the farmer’s market, a show or work.

To view a larger version, click on the table. Click the map to visit the City of Saint Paul road closure map.

Follow these links for additional details on Kellogg Blvd., Minnesota St. and the Robert St. reconstruction and utility work.

Are you following the Alliance on Facebook? What about Instagram?

Make sure you're following the Downtown Alliance on social media to stay up to date on all the latest downtown events and news. Plus, we do love giveaways, so you never know when you could end up with tickets, swag or other great downtown prizes.

@StPLdowntown

stpdowntownalliance.org

Have questions?

Drop us a line!

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