chapter 7b new development in capitol heights should be ...€¦ · 93 the healing gardens are...

Ch7B_v2.3 Planning Draft PLANNING DRAFT Printed: 3/13/2020 11:57:00 AM

Chapter 7b

New development in Capitol Heights

should be sensitive to the existing scale

and character.

Capitol Heights has an intimate neighborhood scale that is attractive to residents and visitors. Its historic role as a strong residential

neighborhood should be protected as new investment occurs.

Ch7B_v2.3 Planning Draft Pg 1 of 6 Printed: 3/13/2020 11:57:00 AM

Introduction 1

Community Assets and Context of Capitol Heights 2

Capitol Heights is a well-established neighborhood with an intimate 3

neighborhood scale that is attractive to residents and visitors. Capitol 4

Heights lies directly north of the Capitol Campus and is entirely 5

within the boundaries of the Capitol Area. With M Health Fairview 6

Bethesda Hospital and Healing Gardens at its center, the area is 7

bounded Sherburne Avenue to the south, Pennsylvania Avenue to the 8

north, Jackson Street to the east, and the residential area just east of 9

Rice Street to the west. While the area is officially the eastern 10

portion of the Frogtown Neighborhood (District 7: Thomas Dale), it 11

functions like an independent neighborhood due to the strength of 12

the Capitol Heights block club. 13

Capitol Heights has a history prior to the building of the State 14

Capitol. By 1889 the hilltop along Sherburne Avenue had become 15

home to many of Saint Paul's most prominent citizens. The opulent 16

mansions shared an expansive view of Saint Paul as it grew along 17

the Mississippi River. The neighborhood also contained modest, 18

working class housing which made up the bulk of the housing stock 19

then, as it does today. All of the mansions are gone now, as are some 20

of the other homes; State office and Bethesda Hospital expansion, as 21

well as street projects, took out parts of the neighborhood. 22

Capitol Heights today is a mixed-use neighborhood. Much of the 23

residential make-up is single-family homes dating from the early 24

1900s. Dotted among the single-family homes are a mix of small 25

multi-family buildings which also date to the early-to-mid 1900s. 26

In the early 2000s, a block of townhomes and live-work units were 27

added to the neighborhood, replacing a surface parking lot across 28

from the Bethesda Healing Gardens. In 2020, a 92-unit apartment 29

building, predominantly microunits, was constructed on Park 30

Avenue. 31

The proximity of the neighborhood to the Minnesota State Capitol 32

Campus, as well as several large hospitals makes it a desirable 33

neighborhood that could provide housing alternatives for many area 34

employees. South of the residential neighborhood is a mix of 35

commercial, office and institutional land uses. 36

37

Figure 1: Housing in Capitol Heights, Park Street

Figure 3: Townhomes and Livework built in 2002

Figure 2: M Health Fairview Bethesda Hospital

Figure 4: Office buildings in Capitol Heights

All images from Google and may be updated in a later development phase.


38

Key Locations A. 555 Park, Office Building B. Association of Minnesota Counties C. 525 Park, Affinity Bank Building and Offices D. Bethesda Hospital and parking ramp E. Bethesda Hospital Healing Garden F. Education Minnesota G. Frogtown Community Center and Park H. Valley Park and Mt Airy Boys & Girls Club I. Cass Gilbert Park

Capitol Rice LRT Station

Residential Makeup (reflected below) 1. Predominantly single‐family, duplex. tri‐plex 2. Predominantly townhomes (completed 2002) 3. Multi‐unit housing & public/private parking ramp (completed 2020)

39


Intersection of Jackson and Winter Streets

Figure 5: Rush Line BRT

Major Influences on the Future of Capitol Heights 40

To the West: Future Development in the Capitol Rice District 41

The most significant potential for development in the Capitol Area in the next 10 years is within the Capitol 42

Rice District. (See Chapter 7a and the Capitol Rice Development Framework.) Four significant opportunity sites 43

have the potential to bring new businesses and residences to the area, potentially impacting surrounding traffic 44

patterns and land uses. 45

To the East: Future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Service: The Rush Line 46

The future Rush Line BRT (a high-speed, limited stop bus route) will connect White Bear 47

Lake to downtown Saint Paul, running along the eastern border of Capitol Heights on 48

Jackson Street, with a station at Winter Street. (The intersection of Jackson and Winter 49

Streets is designated as a Neighborhood Node in the SAINT PAUL FOR ALL 2040 50

Comprehensive Plan.) 51

According to the Rush Line BRT Project website, the bus will run seven days a 52

week from early in the morning to late at night, every 10 minutes during rush hours 53

and every 15 minutes at other times. The bus stations will have amenities like 54

shelter, light, heat, fare payment machines and real-time departure signs. Based 55

on the project's current timeline, it is anticipated that construction of the Rush 56

Line BRT will begin in 2025 and the Rush Line BRT will open in 2027. 57

While new development adjacent to the station at Winter and Jackson is not 58

planned, it is reasonable to expect increased pedestrian traffic around this 59

intersection and potential for future development interest. The parcels on the 60

west side of Jackson Street have low development. The vacant lot on the 61

southwest corner, currently a surface parking pad, may become a property of 62

interest for those wishing to invest in the area. 63

To the North: Future Extension of Pierce Butler Route 64

Empire Drive, just north of Pennsylvania Avenue, has been deemed 65

the desirable route for the expansion of Pierce Butler Route to 66

connect with Phalen Boulevard. This extension may provide an 67

opportunity to re-envision the eastern half of Pennsylvania Avenue 68

as a slower, pedestrian and bike, green boulevard. This enhancement 69

to Pennsylvania Avenue would be a welcome change for the 70

neighborhood, especially for residences bordering the busy street. 71

NOTE confirmed with City: As of 2016, City of Saint Paul plans for expansion of the Pierce Butler route to the east 72

are on hold. This change may be phased over the next 20-30 years depending on land acquisition and funding. 73

Housing Trends 74

Capitol Heights enjoys a diversity of aging housing types, from free-standing homes and attached rowhouses to 75

small apartment buildings. As shown in the maps and diagrams, the array of living choices enjoy the context of 76

the Capitol views and good access to downtown, mass transit and freeways. The neighborhood is nestled on 77

high ground ‘up behind’ the Capitol campus bordering corridors to the east, north and west, and the state 78

campus beginning at Sherburne. The broader trends for housing in Saint Paul and the Capitol Area outlined in 79

Chapter 6 will play out over time (incrementally) in Capitol Heights – with some demand for new and smaller 80

units, and some limited, incremental redevelopment of parcels to serve those leading trends toward both an 81

aging market and the demand for lower maintenance housing near downtown Saint Paul and Capitol Area 82


workplaces. The diversity of types has allowed some affordable housing to naturally occur; in addition there is 83

gradual pressure on traditional owner-occupied homes to transition to rental. There are currently no larger site 84

redevelopment opportunities on the horizon within the neighborhood; therefore, overall, the rate and type of 85

change in housing in Capitol Heights will likely be focused to reinvestments on a property by property basis, 86

which will only continue to support and strengthen the current mix of choices. 87

Hospital Complex 88

M Health Fairview Bethesda Hospital is an important part of the Capitol Heights neighborhood. Situated 89

roughly at the center of the neighborhood, the beautiful building and art-filled healing gardens provide a 90

beautiful addition to the surrounding homes. The parking garage to the south of the hospital building is also 91

owned by M Health Fairview Bethesda; some parking stalls are leased to surrounding offices/institutions. While 92

the healing gardens are private and meant for patients, Bethesda has welcomed neighborhood residents, even 93

hosting a block party on the site. The stability and presence of the hospital, especially the healing gardens, will 94

continue to be an important factor influencing the neighborhood. 95

The Basis for the Capitol Heights Planning 96

A Plan for Capitol Heights, written in 1999 and adopted by the City Council on January 26, 2000, laid out a 97

vision and key strategies for the revitalization of the mixed-use neighborhood. The plan was updated in 2014 98

and recommended by the City of Saint Paul Planning Commission. 99

100

The plan laid out 8 key recommendations: 101

the stabilization of bluffs and slopes throughout the area 102

the development of new housing on vacant and underutilized sites 103

the rehabilitation of existing rental and owner-occupied housing 104

the revitalization of Rice Street as a neighborhood "Mainstreet" 105

the expansion of Pierce Butler Route down Empire Drive 106

the transformation of Pennsylvania Avenue to green space and new route for the Gateway trail 107

the connection of the neighborhood with surrounding natural and cultural amenities 108

calming of traffic through the neighborhood 109

Area Plan for Capitol Heights (2014) Vision: “Capitol Heights will be a mixed-use, mixed-income, medium density residential community with a balance between rental and owner occupied housing, served by a neighborhood-scale commercial center on Rice Street. Located on the edge of the Capitol grounds and adjacent to four major medical facilities and the Empire Builder Industrial Park, the neighborhood will provide housing for employees, office space for related businesses and restaurants, and convenience retail serving its residents as well as the thousands of people who come to the area each day. It will draw strength from attractive foot path connections to amenities such as the Capitol grounds, Cass Gilbert Park, downtown Saint Paul, the Mississippi River and the Minnesota Transportation Museum as well as bike trails linking the neighborhood to parks and scenic areas throughout the region and state.”


While Capitol Heights falls under the zoning jurisdiction of 110

the CAAPB, it falls fully within the Frogtown 111

neighborhood (see map at right). The western portion of 112

Capitol Heights also overlaps with the Capitol Rice District 113

(see Chapter 7a). From about 2015-2018 community 114

engagement and planning was being done in the Frogtown 115

Neighborhood and the Capitol Rice District. 116

The Frogtown Small Area Plan (SmAPl) was written and 117

illustrated in 2017-2018 after community engagement and 118

adopted by the City of Saint Paul Council in December 119

2019 as an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. The plan 120

includes policy for land use; housing; transportation; arts and education; health and wellness; economic vitality; 121

and resource allocation. The plan calls for retention and development of new missing middle housing types that 122

are compatible with the scale of existing development, and strong support for efforts to minimize the potential 123

displacement of existing residents and businesses, especially near transit lines where new development is likely 124

to occur. The plan also calls for traffic-calming, increase in biking, and art and recreation opportunities that 125

reflect the cultures of the residents. 126

The Capitol Rice Development Framework was written in 2018 and approved by the CAAPB Board in 127

January 2019. It directly addresses several of Capitol Heights key strategies from the 2014 plan: the 128

revitalization of Rice Street, the importance of connection of the neighborhood with surrounding natural and 129

cultural amenities, and traffic concerns in Capitol Heights. 130

The SAINT PAUL FOR ALL 2040 Comprehensive Plan, approved by the City Council in June 2019, 131

designates a neighborhood node on the eastern border of Capitol Heights at Jackson and Winter Streets. This 132

intersection is to be a stop on a new bus rapid transit line, the Rush Line, which will connect White Bear Lake to 133

downtown Saint Paul. While the Neighborhood Node designation does not specify future development 134

requirements, it is an indicator of areas that could see changes to help serve a neighborhood’s daily needs, 135

creating a more pedestrian-oriented community. 136

A Capitol Heights Development Framework 137

This Comprehensive Plan suggests planning and development of the Capitol Heights Development Framework 138

at some point in the future. A community engagement process, including residents, businesses and institutions 139

within and bordering the neighborhood, will precede writing of the Framework. The Framework development 140

effort will be led by the CAAPB staff with close cooperation with the area stakeholders and others including but 141

not limited to, the Capitol Heights Block Club, the City of Saint Paul, the Frogtown Neighborhood Association, 142

and the State of Minnesota. 143

Summary of Existing Policy 144

The policy on the following page is summarized from the following sources: 145

1. 1998 Comprehensive Plan for the Minnesota State Capitol Area and 2009 Amendment (CAAPB) 146

2. Area Plan for Capitol Heights, 2014 (Capitol Heights Block Club) 147

3. Frogtown Small Area Plan (SmAPl), 2019 (City of Saint Paul and Frogtown Neighborhood Association) 148

4. Capitol Rice Development Framework, 2019 (CAAPB) 149

5. SAINT PAUL FOR ALL 2040 Comprehensive Plan, 2019 (City of Saint Paul) 150

Figure 6: Frogtown Boundary (source: Frogtown Small Area Plan)


151

Summary of Existing Policy applicable to Capitol Heights Status/Comments for Future Planning

Residential

Work with community partners to help building owners improve the existing housing stock through loans and grants. 1,2

Develop New Uses for Vacant and Underutilized Land: Recommendation is to add single‐family owner‐occupied housing to balance the high percentage of rental units already in the area. 2

Work to increase the number of owner‐occupied single‐family houses and multifamily family structures. 3

Support the retention of existing (and sensitive introduction of new) missing middle housing types, such as duplexes, townhomes, and medium density residential apartments that are compatible with the scale of existing development. 1,3,4,5

Support other housing types, such as livework units, accessory dwelling units and micro units. 1,3,4,5

Encourage new multifamily housing developments to incorporate publicly accessible open space to encourage community. 1,3,4

The Area Plan for Capitol Heights emphasized only single‐family homes, while later plans emphasize diversifying the housing stock while respecting the scale of the surrounding area. Improvement of the existing housing stock and addition of new missing middle types has been affirmed in Chapter 6. Chapter 6 baselines the housing mix in the Capitol Area, including rental.

Development of Underutilized Land

Redevelopment of the Ford site and Lot C on the corner of University and Rice by the State. 1,2,3,4

Redevelopment of properties along University from Rice to Marion St. 2,4

Redevelopment of the area south of Sears to Highway 94. 1,2,3,4

Redevelopment of underutilized land has been affirmed in Chapters 3 and 6.

State Campus Growth

State will not acquire existing residential areas for expansion. 1 This policy is affirmed.

Building Heights

Policy is for no change in height limits.

This is affirmed in Chapter 2.

Vision for a New Neighborhood Node

The intersection of Jackson Street and Mt. Airy (Winter Street) is a future neighborhood node. 5

The type of development appropriate at this site will be evaluated during a future planning process.

Vision for Rice Street

Revitalize Rice Street as Neighborhood "Mainstreet" 2,4

This vision for the revitalization of Rice Street has been affirmed in Chapter 3.

Connections and Walkability

Link the Neighborhood with its amenities, identifying the most important connections and treating them with landscaping, lighting, traffic controls and building design in ways that entice the pedestrian or cyclist to make the trip.2

Prioritize pedestrian elements to increase safety and walkability, as well as opportunities for community members to meet with one another. 1,2,3,4,5

Integrate complete streets techniques into the design and use of streets. 1,2,3,4,5

Request for expansion of Pierce Butler Route down Empire Drive. 2

Request for transformation of Pennsylvania Avenue to greenway with connection to the Gateway Trail. 2

Increasing walkability and linking residents and workers to nearby amenities has been affirmed in Chapters 3, 4 and 6. Specific traffic signage and parking requirements should be studied in a future planning process. As of 2016, City of Saint Paul plans for expansion of the Pierce Butler route to the east are on hold.

Traffic and Parking

Implement traffic‐calming measures. 1,2,3,4

Consider establishing a residential parking zone in Capitol Heights. 1,2,4 For new large developments a traffic impact study is required and must include impacts to surrounding neighborhoods, including Capitol Heights. 4

Traffic‐calming measures are affirmed in Chapters 3 and 4. Further changes to parking restrictions or to streets will be studied in future planning and in response to new developments.

Bluff Stabilization

Work with the City and others to stabilize critical hillsides along Jackson Street and north of Como Avenue that have threatened current and future housing stock. 1,3

chapter 7b new development in capitol heights should be ...€¦ · 93 the healing gardens are...

Documents