‘Rondo renaissance’: St. Paul neighborhood on brink of change with affordable condo, commerical space

St. Paul neighborhood on brink of change with affordable condo, commerical space

St. Paul neighborhood on brink of change with affordable condo, commerical space

A St. Paul neighborhood is on the brink of change with a plan in the works to build an affordable condominium and commercial space on Selby Avenue.

Rondo Avenue, once a thriving corridor showcasing Black businesses and success, took a turn in the late 1950s.

I-94 construction was built right through the area, tearing it down, and Rondo natives are hoping to build it back up.

“Selby Avenue is what I’m calling the Rondo Renaissance,” Mikeya Griffin, Rondo Community Land Trust executive director, said. “This work is very near and dear to my heart.”

The Rondo Community Land Trust’s goal is to build community wealth and neighborhood stability through affordable commercial space, housing and ownership.

“Affordable and accessible opportunities for entrepreneurs who want to have brick and mortar but can’t afford it,” Griffin said.

The latest effort is the Beasley Project.

The building on the corner of Dale and Selby will be transformed into 20 condominium units rooted in affordable ownership.

Also, inside the building will be 3,000 square feet of affordable commercial space for entrepreneurs.

“Once we come together as a community and bring back the history, the culture, the music, the love, the food, it’s going to be the place to be in St. Paul,” Tameka Jones, Lip Esteem Founder and CEO, said.

Jones is the brains behind the plant-based cosmetic line “Lip Esteem.”

Three years ago, she opened up her storefront on Selby Avenue.

“Our kids need to see themselves in the community of people that are in Rondo and the people that are going to come back and revitalize it,” Jones said.

Officials explained the plan is to break ground on the Beasley project at the end of the summer or early fall.

The condominium is one of many additions coming to Selby Avenue in the next year.

The beloved restaurant Golden Thyme is set to open back up in early February under new ownership with affordable retail space.

In the previous building space, the bar and restaurant will reopen. There will also be a Golden Thyme coffee shop opening up in a different location on Selby Avenue.

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