News from the Downtown Alliance
March 4, 2021
A note from the president

Friends,
 
The recent announcements that Stacked Deck Brewing is reopening their tap room tomorrow and that Barrio will be returning soon, coupled with the forecast for temps near the 60s on the way surely has most of us feeling like we've turned the corner on winter. I know I'll be checking out which downtown restaurants and breweries have their patios open this weekend. By the way - no need to remind me of this when it inevitably snows in April.

I know many of you have already, but if you have not signed up for tomorrow's Speaker Series event yet, there is still time and I cannot recommend it highly enough. David and Christopher have collected data from around the world on what the return to office and future of office space may hold. It's a question on all of our minds and one that I have discussed directly with many of you. I hope tomorrow's event will offer valuable insight for our conversations as we continue to work together to plan for the months to come.

Keep reading for an update from John Bandemer, the Director of Safety Strategies, regarding the upcoming Chauvin trial in downtown Minneapolis and how to best stay informed.

Take care, 

Joe Spencer
President
Saint Paul Downtown Alliance
Last chance to register: Downtown Alliance Speaker Series tomorrow

March 5, 2021
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

The pandemic-induced work-from-home experiment has altered perspectives on work, flexibility and the office.

When COVID-19 is no longer a lingering health concern, workers may not be expected to come into the office for tasks that can be done from anywhere. What purpose does the office serve in the future and how will that purpose impact the way occupiers think about their portfolio footprints, location strategy and office layouts?

Join us with speakers Christopher Leinberger (Co-Founding Partner & Managing Director, Places Platform, LLC) and David Smith (Vice President, Global Head of Occupier Insights, Cushman & Wakefield) to explore potential outcomes of the future of the office and what it means for urban districts regarding office occupancy and the street life urban place management organizations oversee.
Preparing for the Chauvin trial: An update from John Bandemer
With the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin set to begin in the coming days at the Hennepin County Courthouse, we can expect people from across the country to come to the Twin Cities for protests, marches and demonstrations. I wanted to provide a recap of the developments around planning and preparations here in Saint Paul.

Your Saint Paul Police Department has led extensive planning and preparations with its law enforcement partners in the east metro area with primary goals to:

  • Protect people, property and free speech during the trial
  • Prevent the type of destruction that was seen last year

This planning has included the Department of Public Safety, State Patrol and the National Guard. It is parallel to and in conjunction with the planning being conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and its partners with Operation Safety Net.

I have been in almost daily conversations with Sr. Commander Ellison, Commander Mollner and Sr. Commander Greene (Special Operations) to assist them in their conversations and briefings for downtown businesses and residents. SPDID members will receive regular updates from me as the trial progresses and as developments occur, the Downtown Alliance will also continue to share news relevant to downtown. To stay informed for yourself I encourage you to monitor the following social media feeds for updates:


Thank you,
John Bandemer
Director of Safety Strategies
On display now in The M window galleries
Having their interior galleries closed to the public has not stopped The Minnesota Museum of American Art (The M) from sharing new exhibits. The M has made the most of their street-facing windows at Robert and 4th Street over the past year with a number of shows being featured in these window galleries.

The newest show on display is Outer Experiences: Black Life in Rural and Suburban Minnesota. The M partnered with The African American Interpretive Center of Minnesota (AAICM) on this exhibition. Curated by AAICM Executive Director JoJo Bell, it explores the experience of being Black outside of the Twin Cities. Drawing from AAICM’s archives and oral history project, it features photographs by Chris McDuffie alongside excerpts from interviews with Black Minnesotans who had formative experiences in rural or suburban parts of the state.

Exhibition: Outer Experiences: Black Life in Rural and Suburban Minnesota
Dates: Now through June 20, 2021
Location: Exterior windows of the M, 4th and Robert streets
Downtown restaurant and retail options
Stumped for where to order dinner from these days? Or who has a patio to visit?

Have questions?

Banner photo cred : Visit Saint Paul