Created: 11/18/2009 9:24 PM KSTP.com | Print |  Email By: Becky Nahm

St. Paul Businesses Oppose Street Assessment

A $22 million plan to enhance the "streetscape" on University Avenue in St. Paul is causing concerns among business owners.

The money would be spent to spruce up the road after the Central Corridor Light Rail Line is constructed.

The improvements would include more than 1,000 trees, new lighting and brick-paver crosswalks.

Nearly $4 million of the cost for the upgrades could come from a special tax assessment on business owners and residents along University Avenue.

Business owners, like Jim Segal who owns the Ax-Man Surplus Store, oppose the assessment.

Segal says he can't worry about improving the "streetscape" when he's not even certain his business will survive the light rail construction period.

Segal said, "It's the proverbial caboose before the train. We need to have resolution to parking. We to need to have a business mitigation fund so we know we're going to be here once this train has been built."

Jack McCall, the owner of the Midtown Commons office buildings, agrees.

McCall says he figures he might end up with a $40,000 assessment that might not benefit him much.

McCall said, "Trees in nine and a half feet of sidewalk with six feet of concrete also seem to me to be a little bit of a waste in an industrial area."

There will be a public hearing in January for business owners and others to comment on the plan.