Ford site offers unique opportunity for river

Friends of the Mississippi River and allies have laid out a creative set of ideas for development on the Ford Motor Company site in Saint Paul that will enhance the river.

When the Ford Motor Plant in Saint Paul closes its doors next year, 136 acres of prime riverfront land will go on the market. The site overlooks the Mississippi River Gorge — one of the most scenic stretches of river in the Twin Cities — and it presents a unique opportunity to enhance the river corridor if the re-development is done right.

The City of Saint Paul has embarked on a planning process to help guide what will ultimately be built on the site. A citizen task force has been working with a group of planners and landscape architects on creating a set of development scenarios. Now the task force is wrapping up the initial phase of the work — selecting five alternatives that will undergo environmental review and financial feasibility analyses this summer. In the fall, the task force will re-convene to review the results of these studies and then recommend a preferred alternative to the Planning Commission, Mayor and City Council.

The draft alternatives presented so far offer a mix of uses, including housing at various densities, parks, retail, office and/or light industrial. FMR is not on the task force, but we have been closely tracking their work and seeking ways to ensure that adequate consideration is given to the potential impacts to and opportunities for the river.

Last month FMR, the National Park Service - MNRRA and the Sierra Club sent a joint memo to the task force laying out a number of suggestions to achieve a development that will enhance the river. The memo is available below, but here are some of the highlights:

• Increase public open space along the river by acquiring Fords property, which currently lies to the west of Mississippi River Boulevard.
• Expand blufftop parkland by realigning Mississippi River Boulevard to the east.
• Limit building heights to ensure scenic views are protected.
• Implement best practices for stormwater management to reduce or eliminate polluted runoff from the re-developed site.
• Retain rail corridor right of way to ensure future light rail can cross the Ford Bridge (as opposed to a new crossing).
• Provide an adequate building setback from Mississippi River Boulevard.
• Provide neighborhood connections to the River.

The City of Saint Paul has a web site for the planning process, which includes links to the development scenarios, a list of task force members, upcoming agendas and other information.