Rondo Community Land Trust Purchases Former Sears Site in St. Paul
Story by Ian Russell
KARE-TV Minneapolis St. Paul
The former site of Sears in St. Paul has a new owner. The Rondo Community Land Trust, a nonprofit that focuses on permanently affordable homes and land stewardship, purchased the property for $10 million.
"What it meant for me as I drove past it as a Rondo baby, it meant history. It meant legacy," Rondo Community Land Trust President & CEO Mikeya Griffin said. "It meant an opportunity for us to do something that honors the history and the legacy of Rondo, but also really bringing back economic vitality to the capital area."
Griffin says they came to an agreement with the former owners of the property, ultimately deciding that the 17-acre property would be best handled by the organization.
"After having conversations with Asian Media Access, we both agreed that it would be best if it was stewarded and led by the community that it sits in."
Griffin says the plan is to turn the space into a mixed-use development, including housing, commercial space, and even an entertainment district. No plans have been finalized just yet, Griffin says.
"We do know for sure it's going to be a very vibrant mixed use housing and commercial and entertainment district, that we really hope continues to bring and shine a light on not only the Rondo community and bringing back its legacy, but also, again, the capital area revitalization, connection to downtown St. Paul tax base, to the to the community tax base, to the city of St. Paul tax base, to the state of Minnesota."
The change comes as revitalization continues to be a focus in St. Paul. Aldi will move into the space left behind by Lunds & Byerlys downtown this summer.
The move by the Rondo Community Land Trust is one that local officials say will be a large part of that revitalization.
"The recent acquisition of the former Sears site by the Rondo Community Land Trust is an important step forward for Saint Paul. While the site itself sits just outside of downtown, its future is deeply connected to the health and trajectory of our urban core. We see real potential for housing to be part of that future. Adding residents in this area would not only activate the site itself but strengthen downtown businesses, cultural assets and public spaces," St. Paul Downtown Alliance President Joe Spencer said in part in a statement.