Dear Neighbor,

Like you, we love our Lowertown. We have been supporters of local community efforts for over four decades and are proud of the many ways that residents have come together to make this an even better place to live. We also recognize that there are many significant new challenges facing the neighborhood. That is why we are now approaching you first, condo and co-op owners, to offer our assistance in coordinating efforts to address these concerns. We are not selling anything, nor are we asking for money, we simply want to help make your voices heard and bring about shared goals.

You may be aware of the St. Paul’s Downtown Alliance and their projects to boost pride and safety in that area. We are proposing something similar for Lowertown, and indeed there may be ways in which we can piggyback on each other’s efforts to achieve even more together. As stakeholders – property owners – you are among the most committed partners in this vision. We believe a coordinated group can become a clear and unified voice at City Hall, making practical changes that benefit not only Lowertown but also reverberate more widely across the region.

We come to you with questions, and no specific agenda:

·       What do you think an organized group of owners can do to improve the neighborhood? We have seen the benefits of the inspiring teams tending the Mears Park gardens, the thriving Farmers’ Market, and clean-up projects with some apartments. What more can be done?

·       What are your primary concerns at this time? Safety? Skyway access? Visible signs of community pride and celebration? What else? Once we prioritize a list of dreams and feasible goals (both short- and long term) we can take concrete steps towards realizing them.

·       What form should this visioning group take? How might this effort expand to include more people and more voices in the neighborhood? How active would you like to be? Would you like to help steer the efforts of such a group?

As we get the ball rolling, we need to be able to communicate quickly and easily with everyone who might like to know more. There’s no commitment implied and we will keep your contact info private, but we do ask you kindly to sign up for the email list above.

Finally, you may be wondering who is writing to you. We are a team of long-time community volunteers; professionals with connections in political and business circles, working often behind the scenes to develop livability in Lowertown. We have history with the Lowertown Future Fund and the research for a potential Residential Improvement District, but this effort is distinct from those, carrying no specific structure or implied expenses to homeowners. 

We look forward to learning more about the needs as you see them, your opinions, your voice, and helping shape an effective response and way forward in the coming weeks, months, and years. Please reach out to us at [email protected] with questions and/or go to the link above and start gathering your best ideas for manifesting a better Lowertown.

Many thanks for your time and suggestions,

John Mannillo

Bill Englund