City of Saint Paul Condemns Capital City Plaza Parking Ramp, Closes Direct Skyway Connections

SAINT PAUL – The City of Saint Paul has condemned the Capital City Plaza Parking Ramp, located at 50 4th Street near the Alliance Bank Center, and is preparing to close direct skyway access from the ramp.  

On April 2, the city inspected the Capital City Parking Ramp owned by Madison Equities and posted a notice of the condemnation, effective immediately. The notice orders all drivers and vehicles to vacate the premises, citing public health and safety concerns for all guests and neighboring properties. 

“Another week, another abandoned Madison Equities property,” said Mayor Melvin Carter. “Their chronic neglect has caused serious harm that will impact our city for years.” 

The closure of skyway connections from the Capital City will begin at 4th Street and end at Press House at 5th Street. The intersecting skyway to the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office on Cedar Street will also be closed. There are no businesses or direct street access routes within these two connections and residents of nearby towers will not be impacted. 

Closure of these skyway connections will secure the parking ramp, ensuring no access until the ramp has been brought up to code. The following map indicates the additional skyway connections from the Capital City ramp that are now closed to the public: 

“The city is committed to the health and safety of our residents, businesses, and visitors,” said Director Angie Wiese of the Department of Safety and Inspections. “In addition to taking immediate action to condemn and vacate the Capital City Plaza parking ramp, our teams are working with all impacted community groups to ensure our community remains safe and welcoming.” 

The latest condemnation comes after city inspectors found several areas of concern, including blocked exits, exposed electrical circuits, inoperable equipment, and water leaks in the parking ramp. The city also discovered that Madison Equities had failed to routinely test its fire suppression systems, the structural integrity of the ramp, and the water backflow prevention system, which separates contaminated water from clean water. This lack of testing poses a risk to the shared potable water supply for all nearby properties. 

Notice of the condemnation and closure of the skyway connections were communicated with downtown stakeholders, business leaders, public safety partners, neighboring properties, residents, and guests. Madison Equities and its lender has also been ordered to get the parking ramp up to code. 

To learn more about the downtown skyway system, visit the Skyway System webpage. Residents may also call (651) 266-8989 or email dsi-informationandcomplaints@stpaul.gov. 

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