Historic Saint Paul Corporation

HISTORIC SAINT PAUL IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WORKING TO PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE CULTURAL HERITAGE, CHARACTER, AND VITALITY OF SAINT PAUL NEIGHBORHOODS.

NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION:HISTORIC SAINT PAUL PRESERVES AND PROMOTES THE REDEVELOPMENT OF HERITAGE RESOURCES IN SAINT PAUL NEIGHBORHOODS. WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES TO IDENTIFY AT RISK PROPERTIES AND REDEVELOP THEM FOR CONTEMPORARY USES. 47 DOUGLAS STREET:IN 2021 HSP COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS AND COMPETITIVE BIDDING TO REDEVELOP 47 DOUGLAS, A VACANT CITY OF SAINT PAUL HRA PROPERTY IN THE LITTLE BOHEMIA NEIGHBORHOOD. THE PROPERTY WILL BE REHABILITATED AND SOLD AS A LOW-MODERATE INCOME OWNER-OCCUPIED PROPERTY. PRESERVE FROGTOWN:IN 2021 HSP WORKED WITH PROJECT PARTNERS FROGTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, MODEL CITIES OF SAINT PAUL, HOPE COMMUNITIES AND HOUSING JUSTICE CENTER ON PRE-DEVELOPMENT, FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF POTENTIAL COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP MODELS FOR THE SHERBURNE COLLECTIVE. THE COLLECTIVE RECEIVED FUNDING FOR PRE-DEVELOPMENT WORK THROUGH MET COUNCIL AND A SECURED A COMMITMENT FROM RAMSEY COUNTY FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) FUNDING. THE PROJECT WILL REHABILITATE A NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBLE PROPERTY AT 652 SHERBURNE INTO SIX UNITS OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH THE GOAL OF TRANSITIONING THEM TO COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP.

ADVOCACYHISTORIC SAINT PAUL ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC POLICIES THAT PROTECT AND ENHANCE SAINT PAUL'S HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES AND ENGAGES COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY HISTORIC ASSETS AND MOBILIZE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES FOR PRESERVATION PROJECTS. HAMM'S BREWERY:HSP CO-HOSTED A COMMUNITY TOUR AND ONLINE FORUM TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND RESIDENTS IN THE HAMM'S BREWERY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) PROCESS BY PROVIDING INPUT INTO THE TYPES OF PUBLIC BENEFITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS PART OF THE REDEVELOPMENT I.E., LOCAL JOBS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, CREATIVE SPACES WITH THE INTENT THAT WOULD HELP SHAPE THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.OUTREACH EFFORTS:THE RACIAL RECKONING THE NATION EXPERIENCED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD BROUGHT NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE WAY HISTORIC SAINT PAUL VIEWS AND APPROACHES OUR WORK. WE DETERMINED TO REFLECT ON PERCEPTIONS ABOUT PRESERVATION AS AN ACTIVITY THAT PERPETUATES WHITE PRIVILEGE AND DISPROPORTIONATELY BENEFITS WEALTHIER COMMUNITIES, OFTEN LEADING TO DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION. WE FIRST ACKNOWLEDGED THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HAS OFTEN BEEN THE CASE IN PRESERVATION INITIATIVES. WE THEN SET OUT TO ENGAGE A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY LEADERS IN DISCUSSIONS SPECIFICALLY AROUND EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN PRESERVATION, AND WAYS IN WHICH PRESERVATION ACTIVITY IN SAINT PAUL EITHER DOES OR COULD/SHOULD SERVE PEOPLE OF DIVERSE CULTURAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, A PROCESS OF ONGOING COMMUNICATION, REFLECTION, AND RESPONSE. AS AN ORGANIZATION WE COMMITTED TO DO BETTER IN THESE AREAS AND WILL INTENTIONALLY CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO HONOR THAT COMMITMENT. HISTORIC SAINT PAUL WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA: HSP RAISES AWARENESS OF PRESERVATION ISSUES, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA. IN 2020 OVER 52,000 PEOPLE ACCESSED RESOURCES AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. WE ENGAGED OVER 5,500 FOLLOWERS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA ON A VARIETY OF PRESERVATION UPDATES AND TOPICS. WE ALSO PRODUCED AND CIRCULATED A SERIES OF 4 BRIEF VIDEOS THAT EXPLORE POSITIVE IMPACTS OF PRESERVATION WORK IN SAINT PAUL'S OLDER WORKING-CLASS COMMUNITIES. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/CHANNEL/UC-R6DOKYUMVG9OMX1WQMCPG.

CULTURAL HERITAGE:HISTORIC SAINT PAUL PROMOTES AREAS OF CULTURAL INTEREST CITYWIDE AND WORKS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO LEVERAGE THEIR VALUE IN LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING INITIATIVES. SAINT PAUL HISTORICAL: HSP DEVELOPED AND MAINTAINS AN INTERACTIVE WEB SITE AND MOBILE APP, SAINT PAUL HISTORICAL, WHICH PROVIDES ONLINE ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY OF SAINT PAUL'S OLDEST NEIGHBORHOODS. THE RESOURCE, WITH DESKTOP AND SMART-PHONE ACCESS, CONTAINS WALKING TOURS, AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDINGS, AND OTHER INFORMATION DOCUMENTING AND CELEBRATING THE CITY'S CULTURAL HERITAGE. WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AND EXPAND OFFERINGS ON THE SITE WHICH WAS UTILIZED BY OVER 56,000 PEOPLE IN 2020.SAINT PAUL HISTORY TRIVIA:WITH THE PANDEMIC LIMITING OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN PERSON, HSP HOSTED ONLINE SAINT PAUL TRIVIA EVENTS THAT REGULARLY ATTRACTED BETWEEN 30-60 PARTICIPANTS. WE UTILIZED SAINT PAUL TRIVIA TO BUILD AWARENESS OF SAINT PAUL HISTORY, REPRESENTING A RANGE OF GEOGRAPHIC AREAS, SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, AND CULTURAL COMMUNITIES IN THE TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED. WE DREW HEAVILY FROM THE SAINT PAUL HISTORICAL WEBSITE, THE SAINT PAUL AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CONTEXT STUDY, AND THE EXPERTISE OF SEVERAL GUEST HISTORIANS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRIVIA OFFERINGS.