Downtown St. Paul businesses nervous, angry amid early light-ra...

The sign on the corner of Fourth and Minnesota streets in downtown St. Paul says "Business as Usual." Really? The image of the sign - in road-hazard orange - juxtaposed against a torn-up street with parked two-story construction equipment has become a rallying point for business owners anxious about the planned Central Corridor light-rail project.

[No Way]

What they need are street cars instead of light rail!!!!!!!!!!

If you look in your history you can see a PCC street car going right by the capital building on its way downtown along the same route as the Central Corridor...and it can be built with much less disruption!

[waste of time]

light rail in downtown stpaul? what is downtown? NOTHING. nothing at all.
this is a pointless expenditure.

they dont even like ppl out and about in downtown stpaul. the police constantly have to get the bums out of mears park, they dont like anyone sitting in the park, they dont like anyone sitting anywhere, and THEY CLOSE THE DAMN SKYWAY. THEY RAN OUT EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS IN GALTIER PLAZA.
THEY DONT EVEN HAVE A JAZZ FESTIVAL ANYMORE. WHY DONT THEY RUN THE DAMN THING DOWN 7TH?
AT LEAST THAT MAKES SENSE.

[light fail]

Both downtowns are creepy as heck nowadays. Plastic bag tumbleweeds, hoodie-wearing weirdos,unfriendly workers, and the parking meter police. Got to keep those parking fees coming in as the businesses leave this high tax region.

[Choices]

I think we heard from four unelected people with "non-profits" (they don't pay income taxes but are often funded by them) that are ready to help struggling business owners.

Huh?

How about we lower the tax bill on small business' by eliminating all Council's, Committee's, and Collectives? I love this City and desire it's vibrancy. I'm really beginning to resent folks who scam others through funding themselves on the backs of those they propose to help.

Get a real job - quit leeching!

[Deadeye Dick]

Years ago the downtown streets were all torn up to put in district heating. Shoppers couldn't get downtown so they went elsewhere. The retailers followed their customers.

I expect that tearing up the streets for light rail will drive out the few remaining downtown retail businesses and quite a few on University Avenue as well.

[dodobird]

light rail or any construction which diminishes small businesses, or puts them in jeopardy of survival and then comes down cedar street and disturbs st paul gems, like mcnally-smith music school, mpr, fitzgerald theater, the glory of central presbyterian and st. louis churches is a travesty by the mayor, his cronies, other "officials". this is a time of great economic travail in our country and nothing is worth putting business owners and their employees in peril. disgusting that mayor coleman says he hopes no business will fail as a result. maybe , coleman should fail at his reelection bid!

[St Paul]

waste of time wrote:

light rail in downtown stpaul? what is downtown? NOTHING. nothing at all.
this is a pointless expenditure.
they dont even like ppl out and about in downtown stpaul. the police constantly have to get the bums out of mears park, they dont like anyone sitting in the park, they dont like anyone sitting anywhere, and THEY CLOSE THE DAMN SKYWAY. THEY RAN OUT EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS IN GALTIER PLAZA.
THEY DONT EVEN HAVE A JAZZ FESTIVAL ANYMORE. WHY DONT THEY RUN THE DAMN THING DOWN 7TH?
AT LEAST THAT MAKES SENSE.

You really have not been around lately have you. Galtier is one of the most fully occupied buildings downtown. Skyways are open until 2AM. Finally, there is a Jazz Fest.

I'll give you the drunks in Mears Park though.

[Kevin G]

Coleman's comment is absolutely laughable. He knows full well, as does the Met Council, that it is impossible for some of these businesses to remain profitable during construction. There have been numerous meetings concerning this and to put any other spin on the subject is an outright lie.We have endured years of these fools shoving this project down the taxpayers throat and they are not about to let up now. They have cooked the figures required by the feds for funding and are getting support from bought and payed for Minnesota politicians, construction unions and connected contractors to get this bs project going. Met Council, I hope you are happy with this 100 million dollar per mile boondoggle. As a taxpayer that will never use this monstrosity, I am appalled.

[Beaver Cleaver]

Quote " This month, the agency issued a written apology to two prominent Asian business owners over remarks Baenen made to Minnesota Public Radio. Responding to a story about business owners worrying about the effect of the rail-line construction, she said, "There's absolutely no money in the project for handouts."

Lysa Bui, owner of Saigon restaurant, said the comment was "hideous."

"We're not asking for handouts," she said. "We're asking for better marketing, a loan program, better parking solutions and to tell us the truth about construction." "

IN OTHER WORDS, I'M LOOKING FOR A HANDOUT...

[Richard]

We are looking forward to the Central Corridor and the high potential it will have for supporting business and housing along University Avenue in MSP and Saint Paul. Portland, Oregon is a great example. This addition, and other zoning incentives to cut back the mindless sprawl and life in a SUV, will ultimately benefit all.

[Fort Lauderdale Resident]

This whole light rail is a bad idea. Public transportation is a bad idea. Our economy depends on maximizing individual consumption. If we have citizens using public transportation, they we are hurting our economy. Citizens will not be spending money on gasoline which means out tax revenues will drop, and the rest of us will have to pay more taxes to make up the loss. Also, citizens who take public transportation do not stop at stores and malls to shop on their way home from work. This will reduce retail sales and taxes that go with sales. The real solution is to get everyone in a car at the least and preferably an SUV (works best for these St Paul winters) and get all of our citizens spending the maximum amount of money possible...this will get us out of this recession and put St Paul on a growth path. Remember, cars and suvs generate large amounts of taxes and ancillary sales. Sales is what makes the St Paul economy grow. Let's dump this plan and be American.

[Incredible70]

" Concerned Asian Business Owners, a group representing some 30 businesses along University, has filed a complaint with the Federal Transit Administration's Office of Civil Rights alleging the nearly $1 billion project will disproportionately harm minority-owned businesses. " - Come on Libbers! Come to the aid of one of your favorite groups, immigrants! Surely the light rail is evil. Where are the protests? Where are the activists standing in front of TV cameras demanding we stop targeting immigrants?

[Downtown Jim]

I'm so tired of the drama that light rail is causing. Of course construction is disruptive. Yes, some businesses will suffer. But once it's finished new businesses will open where others failed. The Hiawatha line was very disruptive when it was under construction. But as soon as it opened, I recall numerous articles quoting business owners along the rail line saying what a godsend it was having workers from downtown Minneapolis using the line to come to their stores and restaurants.

It's going to be a long five years, but the construction will not be everywhere at once.

[Incredible70]

No Way wrote:

What they need are street cars instead of light rail!!!!!!!!!!
If you look in your history you can see a PCC street car going right by the capital building on its way downtown along the same route as the Central Corridor...and it can be built with much less disruption!

Or people could take the modern version a street car, THE BUS! Most of us live in 2009, not 1960...

[Choices]

Richard wrote:

We are looking forward to the Central Corridor and the high potential it will have for supporting business and housing along University Avenue in MSP and Saint Paul. Portland, Oregon is a great example. This addition, and other zoning incentives to cut back the mindless sprawl and life in a SUV, will ultimately benefit all.

Richard,

Who's "We" - and did "y'all" just tell others where to live and what to buy?

Golly, I thought this was America ... land of the free.

Please be content building your own communal living lifestyle on your own dime and don't force others onto or into it.

[Nosht]

Incredible70 wrote:

" Concerned Asian Business Owners, a group representing some 30 businesses along University, has filed a complaint with the Federal Transit Administration's Office of Civil Rights alleging the nearly $1 billion project will disproportionately harm minority-owned businesses. " - Come on Libbers! Come to the aid of one of your favorite groups, immigrants! Surely the light rail is evil. Where are the protests? Where are the activists standing in front of TV cameras demanding we stop targeting immigrants?

I agree completely ... They play the race card quickly and easily. I wonder if the white business owners could file a complant because light rail will bring minorities and all the associated crime with them into the area where their business are.

[Get a clue]

Concerned wrote:

If all these restaurants go out of business the only thing we will miss is some Chow Mein.

Obviously you know your Vietnamese cuisine. Stick with lutefisk.

[Jim]

Nice screen design. Your stupid ads cover up the article.

[Get a clue]

Beaver Cleaver wrote:

Quote " This month, the agency issued a written apology to two prominent Asian business owners over remarks Baenen made to Minnesota Public Radio. Responding to a story about business owners worrying about the effect of the rail-line construction, she said, "There's absolutely no money in the project for handouts."
Lysa Bui, owner of Saigon restaurant, said the comment was "hideous."
"We're not asking for handouts," she said. "We're asking for better marketing, a loan program, better parking solutions and to tell us the truth about construction." "
IN OTHER WORDS, I'M LOOKING FOR A HANDOUT...

IN OTHER WORD, U R CLUELESS. Helping small businesses in our community is a handout? Big businesses get tax credits and all kinds of corporate welfare all the time. Big banks get billions in bailout handout. Most small businesses on University Avenue are the result of a lot of hard work by their owners who get no help from government. In fact they pay huge in taxes to the government. I'm all for help these mom and pops survive.

[Race Card]

Nosht wrote:

<quoted text>
I agree completely ... They play the race card quickly and easily. I wonder if the white business owners could file a complant because light rail will bring minorities and all the associated crime with them into the area where their business are.

White people play the race card when they cry "they play the race card." There is a reason for these civil rights laws, which is what this complaint falls under. Learn history. And you are so right, white people don't commit crimes. Only "they" and minorities do. What an idiot.

To other posters: If you are an idiot e.g a bigot do not post your idiotic comments.