Ramsey County Board Workshop: Building Stronger Together Dynamic Downtown Strategy Update

On October 13, 2026, the Ramsey County Board held a workshop to receive an update on the "Building Stronger Together" (BST) initiative, a $320 million economic development plan aimed at broadening the tax base and reducing property tax burdens. Commissioner Mike Tonjon chaired the session, filling in for Commissioner Moran. The session focused specifically on the "Dynamic Downtown Strategy" component. No votes were taken during this informational session, which was led by Community & Economic Development (CED) staff.

Project Overview and Scope

• The BST initiative consists of two main strategies: 1) Dynamic Downtown (targeted investments), and 2) Sale of county-owned lands for redevelopment.
• A previous fiscal health analysis by Urban Three, mentioned in the workshop, found that only 28% of land in downtown St. Paul is taxable, underscoring the need for strategic investment in taxable parcels.

Planning and Community Engagement

• Staff (Brad Moore, Max Holdeson) conducted a planning and engagement phase over the summer of 2026, interviewing a broad list of downtown partners (e.g., City of St. Paul PED, Port Authority, Downtown Alliance) and reviewing plans dating back to 1997.
• Key findings from this phase included an acknowledgement of strong downtown assets (parks, riverfront, Fortune 500 companies), persistent commercial vacancies, and a limited current pipeline for office-to-housing conversions. The City of St. Paul's Downtown Vitality Fund did not fund any housing applications due to project readiness issues.

Recommendations: Establishing a Dynamic Downtown Fund

• Staff recommended expanding the originally proposed $50 million office-to-housing conversion bond into a broader "Dynamic Downtown Fund" utilizing the HRA and potentially the new EDA authority.
• Eligible uses would be expanded to include commercial, retail, hospitality, and housing redevelopment, as well as privately-owned public spaces.
• The fund would be deployed through competitive solicitations. The first solicitation is planned for January 2027, with project selections in Spring 2027 and bond sale proceeds arriving around June 2027. Projects would have 180 days to close on loans.
• Additional recommendations included investing in public infrastructure along priority corridors (5th, 6th, Kellogg), streetscaping, lighting, and wayfinding, though this sparked debate about the county's role in city streets.

Commissioner Discussion and Feedback

• Commissioner Ortega strongly advocated for the county to "step on the gas" and move from planning to implementation, expressing concern that "all these plans are still on the shelf."
• Commissioner Miller raised concerns about resource equity, questioning whether using HRA levy dollars for downtown projects could exclude other parts of St. Paul or suburban communities. She also questioned the county's role in funding streetscaping on city streets and requested clear, measurable goals tied to a five-year plan, including intergenerational wealth building.
• Commissioner McGuire expressed significant frustration with the City of St. Paul's perceived lack of leadership and partnership, stating, "really city of St. Paul should be coming to the table a lot more."
• Commissioner Zhang emphasized the need for clear metrics for success and measurable outcomes, expressing concern about expanding bond uses without a clear guiding plan. He requested a detailed primer on the bond mechanics and its impact on suburban versus downtown investments.
• Commissioner McMurtry questioned the level of engagement with Met Transit and highlighted the underutilization of existing assets like the riverfront.

Staff Responses and Next Steps

• Staff responded that the eligibility area for the fund is intentionally the downtown core to maximize impact on the tax base, noting that suburban Ramsey County's HRA allocation is not impacted by this shift in the St. Paul levy.
• Staff committed to developing a policy presentation on eligible uses, scoring criteria, and measurable goals to address board feedback.
• Staff noted that the county's AAA bond rating allows for below-market rate loans for developers, creating a strong incentive for private investment.
• Other BST projects are advancing: River's Edge (evaluating accelerated delivery methods and phasing), Rice Creek Commons (construction starting late 2026), and county-owned lands (Payne & Maryland, Frost & English), with a full update on land sales expected in December 2026.
• A BST newsletter and one-pagers are being finalized for public engagement.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes or decisions were made; the workshop was held for board discussion and direction.
• Board members requested follow-up information, including a clear educational primer on the bond financing mechanics, a framework for coordination with the City of St. Paul, and a detailed breakdown of eligible uses and scoring criteria for the Dynamic Downtown Fund solicitation.
• The next BST-related board update is scheduled for a workshop in December 2026, focusing on the sale of county-owned lands and broader strategy metrics.