No Section

Senior housing and retail project nears start on Selby Avenue in St. Paul

Groundbreakings for both buildings are expected in December.

For the Minnesota Star Tribune

October 26, 2017 at 10:59PM

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Address: 838-44 & 934-40 Selby Ave., St. Paul

Type: Mixed-use

Senior housing units: 34

Commercial space: 5,803 square feet

Developers: Community Housing Development Corp., Rondo Community Land Trust

Architect: Cermak Rhoades Architects

Details: Minneapolis-based Community Housing Development Corp. and the Rondo Community Land Trust of St. Paul began the effort to buy and transform a pair of city-owned empty lots six years ago. Their vision was to construct affordable housing for seniors in the majority African-American neighborhood as well as provide storefronts for locally-owned businesses.

Using a land trust concept designed to keep the properties affordable even if gentrification raises property values, the two groups earned "tentative developer" status in 2015, and the next year won $756,000 in low-income housing tax credits from the city. This August, the St. Paul Planning Commission approved a series of zoning changes for construction.

The larger of the two "Selby Milton Victoria" buildings will be on the southeast corner of Selby and Victoria Street. It includes 24 senior housing units, 2,891 square feet of first-floor commercial space and up to three flexible "live/work" spaces for home-based businesses. The second building is set 934-40 Selby, at Milton Street. It includes 10 affordable senior units and 2,912 square feet of commercial space.

Groundbreakings for both buildings are expected in December.