Focus Area: Phalen Corridor

Over the last half-century, the Phalen Corridor area could have been just another example of the ravages of de-industrialization. But strong partnerships have shaped a markedly different story.

Through much of the 20th Century, the area was headquarters of two nationally-known brands - Hamm's Brewing, and the 3M company – and a smattering of smaller companies. Hamm's Brewery went dark in 1997. In 2009, 3M completed its decades-long migration to a larger campus Maplewood. But that was just the first chapter in a longer story.

Starting in the 1990s, city leaders planned a new roadway - Phalen Boulevard - and associated improvements to tie a string of underutilized industrial sites together to freeway access. With the Saint Paul Port Authority repositioning the industrial land, new anchors filled in. Health Partners Neuroscience and Specialty Centers anchors the western corridor. The former brewery now includes successful businesses, including Flat Earth Brewery. In the process, the city capitalized on natural amenities, creating a trail that connected downtown, Swede Hollow, Phalen Creek and Lake Phalen. At the southern edge of the Lake, they transformed an aging, flooded strip mall into a small new Lake and park, and a Cub Foods and soon an Aldi will anchor this heart of the East Side. .


 

With the construction of Phalen Boulevard, this area enjoys direct access to I-35E, and nearby I-94, considerable transit connections, and ready freight rail access.   At the eastern end of the Opportunity Zone grouping, between Ames Lake and Lake Phalen, Phalen Village acts as the "downtown" to much of the east side. It includes a Cub Foods, Walgreens and soon an Aldi, the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension office headquarters, Hmong Village Shopping Center, and a range of other commercial and housing development.   Health Partners Neuroscience and Specialty Centers anchors the western Phalen Boulevard corridor. A renewed Hamm's Brewing campus includes brewer Flat Earth Brewing.   At the center of the Opportunity Zone grouping is the East 7th & Arcade business district, and the Saint Paul Port Authority's 40-acre Beacon Bluff Business Center. The core of Beacon Bluff is the former 3M campus, much of which has been leased, though some opportunities remain.   The flagship campus of Metropolitan State University is centered along the southern edge of the Opportunity Zone grouping, anchoring this stretch of East Seventh Street.

Click here to view the Phalen Corridor Opportunity Map!
 

Opportunity Zone Home Saint Paul: Minnesota's Livable and Dynamic Capital City Saint Paul's Approach to Opportunity Zones Contact us about Opportunity Zones!

Focus Area: City Center and Riverfront, including District del Sol Focus Area: Creative Enterprise Zone Focus Area: Midway Soccer Stadium, including Little Africa  Focus Area: Green Line East, including Little Mekong and Rondo Focus Area: North End Nexus Focus Area: Phalen Corridor Focus Area: Gold Line East