Stakes high for old jail site plan

Coleman is pushing hard for Opus. Let's test the record, Coleman pushes hard for Brighton to redevelop at 7th / Otto - result; miserable failure, Brighton appears to be upside down and 6 brand new townhomes sit vacant for two years.

Penfield, how many more times are we going to hear about the coming of the Penfield - Its not going to happen

Brewery - The Cohens want another extension for their purchase of the brewery, and the Fort Road Association is playing the part of a developer.

Come re-election time, your Mayor will have a Trader Joes and a heavily subsidized Mississippi Market to sow how effective he is(not).

When will this free ride come to a close and Coleman become accountable for his inaction?

Amen. You forgot to mention the "Flats" project on the westside that the mayor used as an example of what he would prefer for the bridges plan. Oh wait that project never even broke ground. I am sure Coleman will try to blame Pawlenty. Not that i think Pawlenty is skilled as a governor, but Coleman will try to pull the sheets over st. paul residents eyes by blaming him again, this time for his own inneptness as a deal maker.

I'm not sure it's all Colemans fault....if developers wanted to build in St. Paul, they would. I just don't think there's a market in St. Paul like there is in downtown Minnepaolis (where I wouldn't say the politics are much different). Look at the projects that have been complated in Minnepalis ovre the past few years....The Carlyle, Grant park, Skyscape, The Ivey tower, the entire area arond the Guthrie, The Cahmbers hotel, etc., etc., etc.

If you go to the Pioneer Press City Hall blog, it looks like Mayor Coleman used threats to get Opus selected as the developer (he had already decided on Opus before any of the developers presented their proposals). Nice job Chris!

Read the Pioneer Press city hall scoop:

http://blogs.twincities.com/city_hall_scoop/

Coleman admits to selecting Opus prior to viewing any of the proposals. There is also some indication that Coleman may have made used threats to get his way.

From the scoop:

"“I’ve heard rumor,” Bennett began,“that we had a threat from the city that … they would not negotiate with us on some property that we’re trying to buy by the Depot if we didn’t take Opus,"

Hopefully this will get by the censors.

HOMELESS CONDOS!

I'm not familiar with the politics of St. Paul, but I will say that SOMETHING needs to be done with the site. Maybe they can squeeze a mini-Vikings stadium on the site since the Minneapolis site is so expensive and doesn't have parking there either for tailgating fans. Maybe they can build some more Krispy Kremes...oh wait, nevermind. Maybe if there was something to DO in St. Paul after 5pm on non-Wild game nights this site would be more attractive to developers. St. Paul will continue to be a "dead" downtown for the next 5-10 years with the exception of the great MN Wild!

Let's use the site and taxpayer dollars to build a Light Rail Transit museum.

Has a better chance than any development on that site in the next 20 years. St Paul is a sad, pathetic city.

OPUS should start with a mixed used bldg first ,similar to BLOCK E with hotel & offices for county workers ,movie theatre,Theme restaurant,night club.They can try later for a corporation to ancher the other bldgs