Ramsey County is rolling out a roughly $320 million economic development package that aims to breathe new life into downtown St. Paul and a key suburban redevelopment site. The "Building Stronger Together" plan steers public money toward a long-planned riverfront park, new housing in the central business district and major infrastructure work, with county leaders selling it as a one-time jolt to attract private investment and bolster the tax base without raising property taxes.
What’s in the package
The total tab comes to about $320 million and is divided among several big priorities, according to MPR News. County leaders are pitching a sizable Park at RiversEdge, a downtown housing fund, central-city infrastructure work and investments tied to the Rice Creek Commons project in Arden Hills, with county documents and local reporting outlining the scale of each commitment.
RiversEdge comeback and hurdles
The Park at RiversEdge is the marquee attraction in the package. County materials describe a multi-acre park and river promenade designed to reconnect downtown St. Paul to the Mississippi River and create a public "spine" that makes nearby private development more attractive. Earlier schematic design work and a previous $26 million public commitment are highlighted in county project pages and prior board briefings as the groundwork for the larger investment now on the table, per Ramsey County.
How the county would pay
County officials say they plan to tap existing county accounts and established financing tools to cover the public share, framing the strategy as a way to reduce risk for private developers while sparing homeowners from a new property-tax levy. Local reporting notes that early breakdowns vary somewhat, but documents and officials cited in coverage indicate that most public dollars would come from county transportation and other dedicated funds, with a portion financed through bonds, according to FOX 9.
Suburban spine at Rice Creek Commons
The plan sets aside roughly $70 million for land sales, redevelopment work and construction of a spine road at Rice Creek Commons in Arden Hills, the long-discussed reuse of the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant. The site covers about 427 acres, according to the City of Arden Hills, and county leaders say a new Rice Creek Boulevard will be crucial for opening up residential and commercial parcels across the massive redevelopment area.
Private partners and a downtown fund
County leaders say this surge of public spending is meant to "de-risk" complex projects and coax private money off the sidelines, and some of that private capital is already lining up. The Saint Paul Downtown Development Corporation has created a $30 million investment fund, led by Securian Financial and the Bush Foundation, to buy and stabilize distressed downtown properties, according to Twin Cities Business.
What comes next
The County Board signed off on the "Building Stronger Together" framework on Tuesday. Next up: selecting a new master developer for RiversEdge and chasing help from the state. Ramsey County documents spell out a $20 million state bonding request for the park, and state lawmakers who turned up for the launch, including Sen. Sandra Pappas and Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega, signaled they plan to push for that bonding support, according to county materials and local coverage.
