[DEV] Live Minneapolis - Saint Paul

The West Side neighborhood is rich with diversity.  The topography ranges from the River Flats that are home to many businesses to the Bluffs which provide breathtaking views of downtown Saint Paul and are home to some of Saint Paul’s finest historic houses. Within the West Side neighborhood, community members come from a rich diversity of income, age, cultural, and geographic backgrounds, this diversity is celebrated through a host of public art pieces disbursed throughout the neighborhood. The West Side is home to many parks and scenic overlooks as well as several neighborhood commercial areas—District del Sol, Stryker/George, Smith Avenue—all of which make the neighborhood vibrant and convenient. The West Side is just minutes to downtown Saint Paul and surrounding suburbs.

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Boundaries and Zip Code

The West Side is located just south of downtown Saint Paul and was named for its location on the West bank of the Mississippi River.

North: Mississippi River
South: Annapolis Street
East: Mississippi River
West: Mississippi River

Zip code: 55107

Sub-Neighborhoods

The following neighborhoods are part of the West Side planning district (District 3):

• West Side flats
• District del Sol
• Cherokee Heights/Riverview
• The Bluffs

History

The West Side has always been a gateway for newcomers in Minnesota starting with French-Canadian, German, and Irish immigrants during the middle of the 19th century and Jewish immigrants during the 1880’s. The West Side first gained its Hispanic flavor when large numbers of Mexicans migrated to the area in the early 1900’s to work in the local vegetable and sugar beet fields. The next few decades have included Syrian, Lebanese, Southeast Asian, and West African immigrants, as well as a rise in African Americans and American Indians. The West Side continues to live up to its reputation as both a melting pot and “one spicy neighborhood.”

Download Tour Saint Paul: The West Side, produced by Historic Saint Paul, to learn more about this unique neighborhood.

Housing Styles and Types

The majority of homes in the West Side neighborhood were constructed in the 1880’s to 1920’s and are Craftsman and Victorian style single family. Interspersed throughout the neighborhood are modern single family homes and apartment buildings that were constructed more recently.

Schools

Public Schools:

• Cherokee Heights West Side School (PK-6)
• Humboldt Junior High (7-8)
• Humboldt Senior High (9-12)
• Riverview
• Roosevelt (K-6)

Private Schools:

• Saint Matthews

Specialty Schools:

• Guadalupe Alternative Program (7-12)
• Focus Beyond (ages 14-21)

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

Public Facilities

• Baker Park and Recreation Center
• Bluff Park
• Cherokee Park
• Douglas Park—neighborhood park at West King and Orleans Street
• El Rio Vista Recreation Center/Neighborhood House
• Harriet Island
• Parque Castillo
• Prospect Park—neighborhood park with playground equipment and benches (at W. Delos Street and S. Bellows Street)
• Prospect Park Terrace—scenic river and downtown overlooks 
• Riverview Public Library
• Boys and Girls Club—West Side Club

Home Purchase/Home Improvement Incentives

• Neighborhood Development Alliance has several programs to assist with home improvement and home purchase, as well as foreclosure prevention. Contact them at www.nedahome.org for a list of current programs. 

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

Getting Involved

Riverview Economic Development Association (REDA)
176 Cesar Chavez Street
Saint Paul, MN 55107
Phone:  651-222-6347
Web: www.districtdelsol.com

REDA is the business association and community development corporation focused on improving quality of life in the commercial areas of the West Side neighborhood.

West Side Citizens Organization
Carlos Garcia-Velasco, Executive Director
127 West Winifred Street
Saint Paul, MN 55107
Phone: 651-293-1708
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: www.wsco.org

West Side Citizens Organization is a volunteer-driven organization that encourages the involvement of everyone—people from all backgrounds who live and work on the West Side—in decisions and activities that affect our community.

Neighborhood Development Alliance
Wabasha Center
481 Wabasha Street
Saint Paul, MN 55107
Phone: 651-292-0131
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: http://www.nedahome.org

West Side Safe Neighborhood Council (list of block clubs)
209 Page St. W
St. Paul, MN, 55107
Phone: 298-9727
Web: http://www.westsidesafe.org/index.htm

Neighborhood House
179 Robie St E
St Paul, MN 55107
Phone: 651-789-2500
Web: http://www.neighb.org/

Boys and Girls Club—West Side
291 East Belvidere
St. Paul, MN 55107
Phone: 651-222-2212
Web: http://www.boysandgirls.org/loc_west_side.asp

News

• Saint Paul Voice and La Voz Latina: Subscription information can be found at http://www.stpaulpublishing.com/home.html 
• West Side Citizens Organization posts meeting and other neighborhood events at: http://www.wsco.org/calendar/calendar.html

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.
• Saint Paul Crime Statistics—Crime maps, statistics, and reports compiled by the Saint 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

Riverview Economic Development Association
Christopher Romano, Executive Director
Phone: 651-222-6347

Neighborhood Development Alliance
Karen Reid, Executive Director
Phone: 651-292-0131

West Side Citizens Organization
Carlos Garcia Velasco, Lead Organizer
Phone: 651-293-1708

Neighborhood House
Armando Camacho, President
Phone: 651.789.2575

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