McGuire concerned about negative perceptions of Midway

Development at United Village is moving ahead despite a variety of obstacles that have hampered efforts. Negative public perceptions also need to change. Those were pointed messages Dr. Bill McGuire delivered Feb. 20, 2025, during an annual update on United Village development. More than 80 people attended the update, held in the stadium’s brewpub.
Ward One Council Member Anika Bowie, other elected officials and leaders from city department, and the St. Paul Port Authority were among those who heard McGuire’s frustration with processes and perceptions that he believes impede development. The event was hosted by Bowie, the Hamline Midway Coalition, Union Park District Council and the Midway Chamber of Commerce.
McGuire was frank in saying that public processes to get developments approved and negative perceptions of the Midway community are deterrents to development, and a turnoff for potential investors who could be supporting new additions to United Village and elsewhere in the University-Snelling area. He pointed out that United Village is about a year behind where the development should be.
“One of our problems is that everything takes too long,” McGuire said.
He cited the private investment of $240 million in Allianz Field, as well as public and private investments of almost $250 million. All but about $22 million is private funding, which McGuire called “literally unheard of.”
“A lot is perception,” McGuire said, taking aim at area news media. He noted that “vagrancy comes up in every discussion.” Investors become interested and then are scared off when “they wake up to yet another crap story about how bad the neighborhood is.”
Area cleanliness is another factor. He called on community members to help keep the area clean.
He also urged community members to support nearby Cub Foods, which is struggling with crime and negative perceptions. He said community members need to support community businesses.
“The last thing the community needs is to have that store close,” he said. “It will be a black eye on the community (if it closes.)”
Efforts are underway to fill vacant spaces at the Midway Marketplace shopping center east of United Village, he said, but more needs to be done to improve community image and bring in development.
Other issues include what he called “aggressive taxation” and policies including rent control. Those have put off developers.
Another issue is parking. While the city and community leaders want developments built without off-street parking, McGuire notes that investors and prospective United Village occupants want and need spaces for vehicles.
And while people can suggest ramp or underground parking, those costs can hit $35,000 to $37,000 per stall in a ramp and up to $70,000 underground.
Yet another issue he pushed back on is the city’s policy penchant for mixed-use development, with retail or commercial uses on the first floor and parking above. “Do you really need first-floor retail on everything?” he said. That space could have other uses, including parking.
Discussions of the former CVS at Snelling and University and transit is another red flag raised, especially the issues on Green Line light rail. While safety on Green Line light rail was raised, one issue hovering over the meeting was the rampart drug use, theft and loitering that occurs around the troubled Kimball Court housing development. McGuire said the site needs to be redeveloped for a for-profit entity, not a social services center.
One idea raised at recent community meetings would be to have a building like the Rondo Outreach Library at University and Dale, with public services on the first floor and apartments above. It’s idea McGuire opposes. He pointed out that CVS is paying about $550,000 annually to continue leasing an empty store.
Community members pushed back on some of McGuire’s comments at the meeting and in social media posts afterward, noting that the stadium doesn’t pay property taxes.
One big sticking point is the lack of public restroom facilities for the new playground. Open-air drug use, loitering and liability are among reasons no public restrooms are in place. Part of the meeting discussion centered on cleaning up feces at United Village and at surrounding properties.
Rev. Kirsten Fryer of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in the Midway pleaded for restrooms, saying that while her young child loves the new playground, the lack of restrooms makes family use difficult. “Please consider bathrooms,” she said. “Please, please, please.”