Real Estate Snippets

St. Paul Drought

From a distance this tree looked like fall colors had begun already.  The closer I got, the sadder the tree looked.  Instead of changing color, the leaves were actually half dead.  The St. Paul area still needs more rain and this poor tree has suffered the effects of our lack of rain.  The precipitation this year is 4.85 inches below the average for St. Paul.  The younger trees and plant life have suffered  from this lack of rainfall resulting in damage like this tree has experienced.

Peace At Last

The barricades are removed.  The trappings have come down.  Traffic has returned to normal.  The helicopters no longer are circling my neighborhood.  Kellogg Avenue is open to the public.  St. Paul residents have come out of hiding and returned to work.  Access is no longer restricted.  Peace and quiet have been restored.  St. Paul has survived the elephant madness!

Ironically local businesses did not all experience a boom in business as they had hoped.  The restriction of traffic, protestors, and tight security discouraged convention goers from wandering too far from the secured area.  Although some restaurants were prepared for an influx of business with extra staff and extra food, they were disappointed.  Tom Reid's, Cosetta's, and Mancini's, all downtown landmarks that normally profit from the Xcel Center traffic, did not benefit from the Republican National Convention as much as they hoped.  Normal traffic was absent because local St. Paul people avoided the congestion by vacationing during the convention.

The residual effects of the Convention may multiple.  St. Paul's facilities and people made a positive impact on delegates to the Convention.  Possibly future business will occur if delegates return as tourists because of this first positive contact with our beautiful city

Despite the business impact, St. Paul as a whole is breathing a sigh of relief.  The elephants have left the building!

The Minnesota State Fair

We went on Tuesday . . . $8.00 admission day.  I was worried there would be a bazillion other people fighting for a piece of asphalt on which to stand.  The weather was perfectly sunny and not too hot.  The loving husband took personal time off for the afternoon in an attempt to avoid the crowds.   Amazingly, the crowds were slim on Tuesday despite the discounted entrance fee. 

The fair is a fantastic place to experience sensory overload.   Sights, smells, sounds, and sales all vie for the fair goer's attention.  Almost everything comes on a stick, even some things that shouldn't!  Fat grams and sugar call from every corner.  Sales people hawk their wares. 

Snowflakes surprised me in the creative activities building.  The maker of this quilt had patience beyond imagination to fill a whole quilt with unique snowflakes.  Even though I "snip away at real estate until a snowflake is formed", there's no way I could accomplish this beautiful work.

Tonight the giant ferris wheel rose as the sun went down on the last day of this year's fair.   Once again the Great Minnesota Get Together was just that, a great get-together!

 

St. Paul's Vacant Building Ordinance

We've all been busy the last two weeks.  School is upon us.  The Great Minnesota Get Together was in full swing.  Preparations for the Republican National Convention were pressing forward.  When all those things are accomplished, St. Paul will still be stuck with the vacant building ordinance changes which the City Council approved this year.  One can go to the St. Paul City website to read the actual ordinance or check out the blog "A Democracy" which transcribed an interview with the City Council president about the ordinance.  I'm still not sure the council's intended results for the ordinance change are what will happen, but time will be the only true test.

National Night Out 2008

Today's the day for National Night Out.  This year is St. Paul's 25th celebration of this national affair.  Each neighborhood organizes something for their own neighbors.  My block club will be sharing a pot-luck meal at the local park.  National Night Out was first created to take back the neighborhoods from criminals.  It's a great way to get to know your neighbors, the local police and sometimes dignitaries as they attend the different celebrations.  It's a fun way to taste foods from different cultures as well!  To get details about your St. Paul neighorhood's celebration, you can e-mail Pam McCreary or call 651-266-5455.

Another Reason to Like St. Paul

What a strange fountain, thought I, until the light bulb went on.   It's a doggy fountain! 

This testimony to St. Paul's dog friendliness was found at Two Rivers Overlook where the Minnesota River joins the Mississippi.   Besides being dog friendly, the overlook itself is a work of art with the map of the river area worked into the walking path using different paving materials.  The view combined with the historical significance of the area make a visit worthwhile.  The overlook is located on Shepard Road just east of Highway 5.

Drill Team Practice in St. Paul

Just follow the drums . . . Drumbeats have been echoing through my St. Paul neighborhood as I've spent time weeding my garden. Being a suburbanite for most of my life led me to think the drum beats were a marching band. They echoed night after night and weekends as well, even on the hot, muggy 90 degree days. "Wow!", I said to myself, "Whoever is doing all that marching must really be committed."

An appointment took me northwest on Como past Marion St. one afternoon. The drumbeats grew louder. Maybe I was going to find the source? Indeed a group was practicing in the ball park. I hoped they would be there at my appointment's end so I could get a closer look, but such was not the case.

Tonight, however, the drums beckoned again, calling with their persistent beat. We made the trek and were rewarded to find the rehearsal spot of the Half Pintz Drill Team. The Half Pintz were practicing for the Ronda Days Drill Team competition to be held at the St. Paul Central High School Griffin Field on Saturday, July 19, as part of the Rondo Days Festival. The watching parents of team members informed me that drill teams come from all over the nation to compete in the festival.

It impressed me to watch these young people as they practiced. Their coach accused them of being lazy after one run through!  My opinion differed, but what do I know? The group had been practicing since 5:00 this evening and finally wrapped it up at 8:30! The youngest member is five years old and kept up with the teens remarkably well. My old creaky joints started to ache with sympathy pains as we watched deep knee bends with instantaneous rebounds, jumps and somersaults, bumps and grinds.  There is no way my body could do those moves and live to tell about it the next day!  

Best Old House Places in the Midwest

St. Paul's very own Dayton's Bluff made an impression on the editors of "This Old House" magazine.  "This Old House" is one of the publications revered by lovers of old houses.  To make the list of top 12 best places in the nation to buy a Queen Anne Victorian house is quite an honor, and Dayton's Bluff deserves the accolade.  Many lovely old homes are ripe for the picking and just awaiting restoration.

The house in the picture is actually a side by side twin home or row house or . . .  Each side is separately owned and maintained.  Ironically, this house is across the street from one of the houses the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood association had on its vacant homes tour.  The tour home was a registered vacant building that had been recently restored to its former beauty.  All the character was maintained and the mechanicals upgraded.  It was bank owned and very reasonably priced if someone chose to buy both sides in one package. 

Dayton's Bluff recognizes its wealth of housing and actively supports residents and new buyers in their quest to finance restoration projects.  The article in "This Old House" can be found here. 

Housing Options

Not everyone is meant to be a home owner.  Some have recreational property and don't want to maintain two properties.  Some travel and need a home base without maintenance.  Some have lifestyles not conducive to owning a home.  Some want lots of free time for other activities.  Some don't want the responsibility of maintaining a home.

Alternatives to single family homes in St. Paul are many.  Common interest communities include town homes, condominiums and cooperatives and are the right choice for the right people.  For others, apartments best meet their needs.  The oft forgotten option is rooming houses.

Rooming houses sometimes have shared bathrooms and kitchen facilities.  They come in all kinds of configurations.  The Lowell is an example of one St. Paul rooming house with history.  According to the resident manager, the Lowell is one of only two houses of ill repute still standing.  The grand staircase has since been partitioned off, but it originally led to a second floor teller type window where the gentlemen paid their fee and were introduced to their escort of the hour.  Twenty-five furnished rooms are now occupied at the Lowell with residents of both genders, all ages, and many who have lived there many years.  The paintings in the photos below are only 12 years old, but reminiscent of the building's origins.

Sunday in Como Park

It's Sunday and a great day for taking the dogs for a walk.  The old Dalmatian and the Lady Bella strutted their stuff this afternoon along with half of St. Paul.  St. Paul dwellers know that the best cure for cabin fever is a good dose of spring fever and its accompanying thaw.  What better place to breath the fresh spring air than around Como Lake?