Downtown St. Paul residents' suit alleges skyway was grabbed

A group of St. Paul residents has sued the city and the owners of Galtier Plaza, alleging they illegally granted Cray supercomputer company public space in the city's indoor sidewalk.

[Town Hall]

Chris Coleman was payed 65k from Cray, For his Re-Election Cost. In return, Cray was Given 450k Tax free Building space and the run of the City. After all, Cray deliverd 34 Jobs to St Paul! But the Pioneer Press will not look at the fact the 1.700 Jobs left downtown in the past 3 years. R.I.P St Paul Voters! You Get the Government You Deserve!

[Prince]

The suit has no merit and John Manillo is about as good for St. Paul as a greyhound station.

[ItchyRainbolt]

Prince wrote:

The suit has no merit and John Manillo is about as good for St. Paul as a greyhound station.

What's wrong with greyhound stations? Greyhounds are great dogs and make wonderful pets, you just need to take them out and let them run once in awhile. I think your prejudice against particular breeds of dogs is despicable (pronounced as Daffy Duck would pronounce "despicable.")
Let's tear down all the skyways and put in streetcars! Pulled by horses! On brick streets!

[What a joke]

I just walked thru there a week ago and saw the construction. There is still PLENTY of room for people to get around in Galtier!

That side of the skyway and Galtier building as a whole are so empty that anyone who works or lives anywhere near there should be thanking Cray for moving in!

Oh yeah, I forgot- St. Paul hates success, growth, prosperity, jobs, common sense, etc. etc. etc.

[hastings]

People should just be happy that space is being used and more people have jobs downtown, because
the city is becoming a ghost town!

[Bill Boater]

John Mannillo is not a building owner, however he is a regal pain in the butt. He finds fault with everything. His actions send messages to those interested in locating downtown to go else where. A very insecure individual who needs a cause to feel important. John, take a one way trip to anywhere. You are not wanted in St. Paul.

[Question]

Why does the Mayor put up with this c r a p?

[Incredible70]

More money wasted by the city on a baseless and petty lawsuit. I hope they jack all three of these whiner's taxes to cover it.

[Jim in downtown]

The skyways are public spaces and Cray and Galtier Plaza's owners owe it to the public to make it accessible to everyone. Galtier's apartments have many handicapped residents, cutting a couple of inches off the width of the skyways doesn't seem like much, but it is. I've lived in lowertown and walked thru Galtier to get to work. Galtier's skyways and all of them for that matter, can be tight when trying to share the "road" with folks in wheelchairs.

I don't believe anyone had any ill intent. I know the city hosted a meeting with residents to discuss the issues earlier this year. Hopefully everything can be resolved amicably and we can avoid future lawsuits.

[Chris from Summit Hill]

Wow, I think Bill Boater has some anger problems.
It sounds like some of the complaints come from business people who need an effective skyway system to prosper. The selfish, short term approach is what is hurting downtown.

By the way isn't Manillo the guy behind Mears Park.
Heck all the success in Lowertown has started there.

[Billie Frechette]

Skyways are public space, just like sidewalks. They belong to all of us and are not the Mayor's (nor the building owner's) property to give away.

Now we have a building owner collecting rent from a business for space that doesn't belong to them.

What the lawsuit is asking for is simply fair: pay that money back to the City so that it can be used to benefit the rest of the skyway system.

[Brown Cow]

What's going on with Cray is nothing compared to what David Fhima did to the place. He was allowed to remove the east public entrance along Sibley, he commandeered the public atrium, and he walled-off half of the food court space which was used by vendors & the public long before he arrived to save the day, all for his wildly successful Loto restaurant which is always empty. So, welcome, Cray. Go ahead and annex Loto for your cafeteria.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

bunch of whinners if you ask me

[Son of Sam]

600 sq ft of public space sounds like a considerable amount of area to me. Why would the city just give it away. It doesn't even sound like Cray is affected by the lawsuit. Why is this different from any encrouchment on the public street?
Bill Boater's comment about Mannillo being insecure
is comming from someone who does not identify himself either.

[ray]

The owner od GALTIER is dyfunctional ,first they closed the beautiful entracne with LOTO .They cannot get the theatres open eve though some operators were intrested.It seems they wanted the plaza to fail .

[From afar]

This discussion almost make one pine for the days of the outrageous hijinks of Henry Z.

[Prince]

Haven't I done well with all the posts John?

[Wahlt A]

John Manillo = Moron. Your 15 minutes is up John. Go back to your mansion in Highland. Do you still own a building in Downtown?

[Jane]

city boy wrote:

If you're looking for someone to blame, blame it on B.O.M.A..

If B.O.M.A helped get Cray through the process then St. Paul should thank them.

[Father Galtier]

Chris from Summit Hill wrote:

By the way isn't Manillo the guy behind Mears Park.

If what you mean by behind Mears Park are those gawdy Fleet Farm lit animals,St. Paul would do well to rid themselves of this "visionary" named manillo.