editorials

St. Paul's Port Authority is poised to close on its biggest land deal in the last 20 years. To complete the purchase of the former 3M site that began last year, the agency is set to buy the last parcel and continue its work to revamp the 46-acre plot into a job-producing zone. Part of the Phalen corridor development, the plan is to attract a combination of light industrial, business and other enterprises to the area.

But a disagreement over whether a handful of buildings on the site should be preserved or torn down in two years could get in the way of sealing the deal. That shouldn't happen. The Port Authority should buy the land and come to terms with the city and community over the proper amount of time to let those structures stand.

Last year, the Port Authority agreed to buy the 3M site on the city's East Side in two stages. First, it bought 35 acres for $3.5 million. Now the agency is ready to buy the remaining 11 acres for $1.5 million.

But the Port Authority staff is understandably concerned that the buildings might not be purchased. As developers who use public funds, they don't want to be locked into maintaining empty buildings indefinitely. Their research on the current real estate market says they are more likely to find buyers for cleared, environmentally clean plots. And on the "good development begets more good development" theory, those considering moving or starting a business don't want to be located steps away from vacant buildings.

The Port Authority is open to plans for reuse, and it's hired a top-notch marketing firm to seek buyers during the next 24 months. And the community group acknowledges that options other than reuse should be considered for at least one of the buildings if it doesn't sell within one year.

Between those two positions, the two camps should be able to find common ground. Historic preservation is important, but so is responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds and government-owned land.

The Port Authority board is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the matter. A solution should be crafted that allows a reasonable amount of time to pursue re-purposing the buildings but does not keep the land empty and off the tax rolls indefinitely.