Leaning into Architecture and History
Andy Sturdevant wrote a regular column, The Stroll, for MinnPost until 2017. I still miss it. For those who feel the same, I can offer a brief taste of Andy’s writing on a Stroll-like architectural … ‣ more…
Category Archives: Urban Design
St. Paul’s Ghost Parks
I stumbled upon the existence of the ghost parks in a singular way. I was returning home from the post office on West 7th, driving north up Lexington Pkwy., when a startling notation on the … ‣ more…
No Bridge
Past the river end of St. Paul’s Summit Avenue, Riverside Boulevard takes a 3,000-ft. looping detour around Shadow Falls Park. Why isn’t the gorge bridged? A 600-foot span would add captivating views and picturesque charm, … ‣ more…
22.5
Here’s a story of the origins of the urban preservation and revitalization movement. In yesterday’s below-freezing temperatures and brisk wind we walked the two blocks, 1400 feet, of the urban park that is Milwaukee Avenue … ‣ more…
Stroll
Monday evening we went to hear Andy Sturdevant talk about strolling throughout the Twin Cities and beyond. If you don’t know Andy’s work, you should. Andy writes The Stroll weekly for MinnPost, which also falls … ‣ more…
Preservation
How widespread is the Californication phenomenon in the Mac-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul? Here’s a quick survey. I use the term Californication for the practice of tearing down an older, smaller house and erecting a … ‣ more…
Revisiting
I took a walk yesterday around Mac-Groveland and Merriam Park, about 4 miles, and it prompted updates to several topics I have touched on before. Peanuts statues. O’Gara’s at Snelling and Selby looks to be … ‣ more…
Graceful
Here are a few photos captured on a walk around Mac-Groveland this noon: three sidewalk poems, several stop-sign posts that are more beautiful than they need to be, and a reminder of where stormwater ends … ‣ more…
Venerable
Lots of businesses in St. Paul are capital “O” old. They may not be old by the standards of the East Coast’s settlement, 400 years ago; but they are venerable for businesses. Examples: In this … ‣ more…
Woonerf
I learned this wonderful new word today, borrowed from the Dutch. A woonerf is a passageway or space designed to give equal emphasis to multiple modalities of transport: pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters, groups standing around talking, … ‣ more…