[DEV] Live Minneapolis - Saint Paul

Located in the west central part of St. Paul, Union Park is a collection of smaller neighborhoods including Merriam Park, Lexington Hamline and Snelling Hamline. Though the neighborhood is predominantly residential, Union Park includes sizeable sections of the Midway commercial and industrial areas along University Avenue. The Central Corridor light rail transit line, which is expected to be operational by 2014, will travel through Union Park between the downtowns of St. Paul and Minneapolis, making the Union Park neighborhoods some of the most convenient and desirable in the Twin Cities. The Central Corridor will make many of the other neighborhood’s amenities more accessible, including several colleges and universities, exceptional parks, and vibrant commercial districts at the intersections of major streets.

Boundaries and Zip Code

North: University Avenue and Interstate 94
South: Summit Avenue
East: Lexington Parkway
West: Mississippi River (east of Transfer Road)

Zipcode: 55104

History

Much of Union Park was developed in the late 1800s as an ideal commuter suburb between the downtowns of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Built along the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad’s “Short Line” between the two cities, this area was formerly the site of many important trading trails including the Old Military Road and the Red River Ox Cart Trail. But after the extension of the commuter rail and the streetcar network onto Snelling, Prior, University and Selby Avenues. What is now known as the University of St. Thomas was founded in the 19th century, however campus buildings in existence today were built largely in the 20th century.

http://www.rchs.com/neighborhoods/merriam_park.htm

Housing Styles and Types

Union Park neighborhoods are predominantly single-family homes built in a variety of architectural styles found in Saint Paul between the 1880s and the 1930s, including Queen Anne, Craftsman Bungalows, Prairie, Colonial Revivals, and Tudor Revivals. Neighborhoods are laid out in a traditional grid network, often with corner stores at the intersections of major streets. Sidewalks and trees line either side of the quieter residential streets. Alleys are common throughout the neighborhood with garages hidden behind homes.

Schools

Public Schools:

• Central High
• Longfellow Elementary (Magnet)
• Ramsey Middle

Charter Schools:

• Higher Ground Academy (k-12)
• Avalon Academy (7-12)
• Sobriety High (9-12)
• Laura Jeffrey Academy (5-7)

Private Schools:

• Concordia University
• University of St. Thomas
• Saint Paul Seminary

For more information on Minneapolis schools, visit Live MSP's Schools page.

Public Facilities

• Merriam Park and Community Recreation Center (2000 Saint Anthony Avenue)
• Merriam Park Library (1831 Marshall Avenue)
• Dickerman Park (University Avenue and Herschel Street)
• Desnoyer Park (Pelham Boulevard and Beverly Road)

Home Purchase/Home Improvement Incentives

For information about other incentive programs that may be available in this neighborhood, visit Live MSP’s Incentive Programs page.

Getting Involved

Union Park has several active neighborhood organizations, including the Union Park Neighborhood Council which keeps a calendar of community events and committee meetings. This can be found on their website.

The Lexington Hamline Community Council was Saint Paul’s first neighborhood organization and continues to be active. Learn more about their initiatives here.

News

Union Park Neighborhood Council produces an e-newsletter. To subscribe email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Statistics

• Wilder Research Center Neighborhood Profiles—Includes trend information on neighborhood demographics, economics, and housing, taken from the most recent census data.

• Ramsey County’s Property Records and Revenue Department—Review Saint Paul property sales data by searching for or entering in a street name. You can find the most recent sales price for individual properties and current property tax information.

• St. Paul Crime Statistics—Crime maps, statistics, and reports compiled by the St. Paul Police Department. Check out Interpreting Crime Statistics to help you make sense of these resources.

Real Estate Listings

Search Realtor.com for listings. You can search for properties by either clicking on the map or entering the neighborhood name or zip code (noting that zip code boundaries span multiple neighborhoods) into the search bar.

OwnAHomeMN.org—Check here for listings of affordable homes sold by community developers. Note: not all neighborhoods have listings.

Contacts

Union Park District Council
Sarah Kidwell, Executive Director
1570 Concordia Avenue, Suite LL100
Saint Paul, MN 55104
Office: 651-645-6887
Website: www.unionparkdc.org
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Lexington Hamline Community Council
Margaret Jones, Executive Director
1216 Selby Avenue Saint Paul, MN. 55104
Office: 651-645-3207
Fax: 651-645-7578
Website: www.lexham.org
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Selby Area Community Development Corp.
Art Weddington, Director
917 Selby Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55104
Office: 651-291-7704
Fax: 651-293-9090
Website: www.selbyareacdc.org
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

University Avenue Business Association
712 University Avenue, Suite 105
Saint Paul, MN 55104
Phone: 651-641-0334

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