Green stairs beside Saint Pauls Wabasha Street are gone
The iconic green staircase that for 92 years graced the bluffs alongside Saint Pauls Wabasha Street is no more.
In May, a limestone boulder was dislodged, rolled down the bluffside and struck the side of the tower. The impact damaged a beam and connected gusset plate. Minnesotans, of course, have learned not to take damaged gusset plates lightly. Workers were not able to stabilize the structure and the stairs had to be demolished in late May.
The staircase was one of the few connections linking the blufftop residential areas of Saint Pauls West Side to the riverfront and Harriet Island Park a couple blocks away.
The stairs were known to be weakening. City inspectors took a monthly look at the stairs to ensure their stability. Their replacement was already being discussed.
But it wont come easily. The City projects a nearly $2 million price tag to replace the stairs. And after years of budget cuts, Saint Paul barely has enough money to operate, meaning the City will look to partners to help in funding the replacement.