Businesses in St. Paul building told to vacate after property owner says they can’t afford to keep it open
St. Paul downtown business owners are being forced to pack up and leave after the property owner sent a letter explaining they can’t afford to keep the building open.
On Monday, Alliance Bank Building tenants got an email from the management company, Madison Equities, explaining the building is facing “significant financial hardships due to the deteriorating condition of downtown St. Paul.”
Property management finished the letter by telling tenants to pack up and move out immediately because utilities would be shut off.
Elijah Johnson, a convenience store owner, opened up in October to bring care and conversation to the building, but his store will go quiet in a few weeks.
“It’s been an emotional roller coaster. It’s just unbelievable,” Johnson said. “I just kind of felt betrayed and like let down. I just feel like they dropped the ball.”
Mayor Melvin Carter called the situation in his own letter to businesses “frustrating and unreasonable.”
The city negotiated with utility companies to keep the lights on until the end of the month.
“All they [Madison Equities] say is, ‘We’re sorry for what happened,’ and that’s just not good enough. It’s like you didn’t uphold your responsibility, and you should be more accountable,” Bilal Saleem, B’s Barbershop owner, said. “I’m not going to feed into negativity. I want to keep it positive. So the best way I can do that is just let it go.”
Tenants explained the building was headed in the wrong direction with down escalators that have been out of service since last year and an elevator that was broken for a month.
“I’ve been building my store since last year. I painted all the walls, mounted the TVs. I did all the work myself,’ Classic Kiccz store owner said. “Seeing the circumstances and everything that has happened, I just opened my doors now and just said, ‘What can I sell?’”
Business owners explained the city of St. Paul is assisting them with relocation in downtown St. Paul with some already planning to move next door to the Town Square Complex.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to Madison Equities several times for comment but is still waiting on a response.