Living in St. Paul's tallest residential building has its perks, sweeping views of the city among them.
That's one of the things that led Jim Pagliarini and Elizabeth Raymond to purchase their unit in Airye Condominiums across from Mears Park in Lowertown.
When Pagliarini became president of Twin Cities PBS — TPT in 1997, he moved from Nevada to Minnesota and temporarily rented an apartment in Lowertown. The husband-wife duo, who decided they wanted to stay in the neighborhood long-term, purchased the condo a year later.
"We literally moved across the park," Pagliarini said. "I loved being in Lowertown. It was nice to have Mears Park right there and have a bit of green space and the stream running through it."
Over the years, they've enjoyed the park as well as views of the Mississippi River and surrounding landscape from the expansive south- and east-facing windows.
"We have views of Mears Park and the river," Raymond said. And "We can see the outfield of the stadium [CHS Field]. We can see the St. Paul municipal airport. And you see I-94 and the bluffs on the other side."
Pagliarini and Raymond, a history professor at the University of Nevada, are both now retired, and have moved back to Reno, where they also have a home. They've listed their 1,370-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit built in 1984 for $350,000.
Airye Condominiums are located in Galtier Plaza. The condo is on the 31st floor of the 46-story building.
Location, location
In addition to the sweeping views, the couple also appreciated being downtown.
"It was in close proximity to my workplace a few blocks away," Pagliarini said. "There was access to transportation. I traveled a lot for my job, and the drive from the condo onto Old Shepard Road to the airport was very convenient."
They also had easy access to concerts in Mears Park and were within walking distance of restaurants and breweries, the light rail station, Union Depot and the St. Paul Farmers' Market. Pagliarini said he appreciated skyway access to places such as the St. Paul Downtown YMCA as well as sports and entertainment venues.
"It's been a great neighborhood. Literally, in one week I think I walked to a hockey match and then a concert at the Xcel and then a chamber orchestra performance at the Ordway," he said.
They also took full advantage of the easy access to paved bike paths along the Mississippi River, with links to trails throughout the metro area.
"You walk out the door and in three blocks you're down at the riverwalk and you literally can ride your bike to Minneapolis or Stillwater. The access to bike paths was phenomenal," Pagliarini said. "Now that I'm talking about it, it's making me miss it."
All the right spaces
Over the years, the couple had made updates to their living space, including remodeling the kitchen with custom cherry cabinets, quartz countertops and a tile backsplash. The bathrooms also received updates including new vanities, fixtures and Corian countertops.
The building itself comes with amenities, too, such as storage units for each condo, bike storage and an underground garage. Residents also have access to a party room.
Listing agent Joyce Peterson said the building is also known for being well-maintained, thanks to an onsite property management company. And each unit has a distinct personality.
"The floor plans are unique. There are many different floor plans, so not everything is the same," she said.
Pagliarini and Raymond took nothing for granted in appreciating Airye's uniqueness, including its stature in the downtown skyline that offered unprecedented views, especially from the balcony.
"You can see the fireworks on Harriet Island. You can watch the St. Patrick's Day parade," Raymond said. "It was a beautiful space to be looking out onto. It was living in the city without being overwhelmed by the city. It was just endlessly fascinating."
Joyce Peterson (Joyce peterson@cbrealty.com; 651-269-8571) and Ralph Peterson (ralph peterson@cbrealty.com; 651-261-2796) of the Ralph and Joyce Peterson Team at Coldwell Banker Realty have the $350,000 listing.
