Gen·tri·PAK·fation\1,
gen·tri·pak·fashun \v.
1. Obliteration of an entire sacred arts community rooted in the
history of St. Paul, MN. through the "cleansing" of buildings perceived
to be money-makers by developers from a non-marginalized social class.
2. Illusion that PAK developers are entrepreneurs vs. the reality they
are manipulative at the hands of those less fortunate & vulnerable
to their crack-pot lip service.
(elevator
at the Rossmor, August 2003)
Rossmor Building - 2003
500 North Robert Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
photo © Clara NiiSka
Maquah
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Rossmor,
St. Paul
Who's here, What's coming?
Who's here - you shold be!
The renovation of the Rossmor is part of an exciting revival of
Lowertown/North Quadrant that is about a year old and still going
strong. Hundreds of new residents are flocking to the neighborhood
around the Rossmor because they know a good thing when they see it.
Many are attracted by the incredible value, convenience and sheer
rarity of actually being able to afford to live downtown. Others are
energized by the new life waking the neighborhood up, bringing its
history alive without being drowned by it. Most current businesses in
the neighborhood are ecstatic about the changes and vitality, not to
mention the kind of foot traffic that for years has only been an echo
of what it was nearly a century ago. Several new businesses, retail
stores and restaurants have moved in over the past few months with many
others interested as spaces open up. Get in on the action before
everyone knows about it.
The Rossmor is located on the edge of Lowertown and the North Quadrant,
the first of three new downtown- area urban villages. With the
integration of both new construction and rehabilitation of existing
warehouse spaces, these new communities offer a variety of unique
living and working spaces. For more information on the exciting
redevelopment of St. Paul's North Quadrant visit the
St. Paul Riverfront Corporation's web site.
"Rossmor - True Loft - Genuine Property
500 N. Robert St.
St. Paul, MN
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Neighborhood Happenings
The area around the Rossmor is host to many exciting annual events and
cultural centers. Take a look at a few:
April
St. Paul Spring Art Crawl
A self-guided tour of over 200 artists' studios in the neighborhood.
Free and open to all.
May
Festival of Nations
One of the nation's largest and longest-running multi-ethnic event.
July
Taste of Minnesota
Minnesota's largest free festival serves up tasty musical nostalgia.
October
St. Paul Fall Art Crawl
Take this opportunity to visit the neighborhood and view a wide variety
of art media, techniques and working spaces.
Places to See
Science Museum
Minnesota History Center
Xcel Energy Center
Ordway Theatre
Landmark Center
Rice Park
Harriet Island
--------------
Historical Significance
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The “U”-shaped Rossmor Building has a
parapet wall, decorative brickwork and concrete block detailing, as
well as individual concrete cornices at the top of each bay. The outer
two bays project slightly and rise above the parapet wall. The two
story concrete entrance has an incised carving, reading “Foot, Schulze
and Co.” Its giant, factory-like windows cover the entire building,
flooding the halls and interior spaces with light.
HISTORY: Built in 1916, the Rossmor Building was the Saint Paul
division of a shoe manufacturing company that originated in Red Wing .
The farmers in the area provided a steady market for the company's
durable work-boots and shoe pacs (rough moccasins with the fur left on
them). But in 1881 and several partners later, Silas B.Foot moved part
of the business to Saint Paul to take advantage of the city’s
transportation networks. There he joined Theodore A. Schulze to form
Foot, Schulze and Company to make more refined “city shoes” .
In 1905, S.B. Foot’s son, E. H. Foot, took over the operation of the
original tanning company, renaming it the Red Wing Shoe Company, which
endures to this day.
After the Foot, Schulze, and Company went out of business, the building
began a new life as inexpensive work-spaces for artists in the Twin
Cities. The Rossmor is well known among the artistic community in the
Twin Cities for its wide-open spaces and huge windows. Now these True
Loft spaces have been converted slightly make them truly livable while
maintaining the character and light of the historic building.
--------------
The Developers & Collaborators
PAK Properties - Developer
P.O. Box 10677
White Bear Lake, MN 55110
Collaborative Design Group, Inc. - Architects
1501Washington Avenue South, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Phone: 612-332-3654
Michael J. Crowe, Inc. - Construction Management
23 South East Fourth Street, Suite 211
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612-362-8894
Sarah Kinney - Coldwell Banker Burnet
821 Grand Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55105
Phone: 651-206-2091
antfarm inc. - strategy.commincations.design
23 South East Fourth Street, Suite 211
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612-362-0000
-----------------
from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal
August 7, 2003
Pak to develop Rossmor building in St. Paul
Scott D. Smith
Staff reporter
White Bear Lake-based developer Pak Properties will create 109 loft
spaces in the Rossmor Building in downtown St. Paul.
The first two floors of the building will continue to support
commercial uses, the other five floors will be converted into condos.
To keep the building connected to its history of housing artists'
studios, artists will be given first shot at buying a unit; they have
from Aug. 25 to Sept. 7 to get in their bids. The spaces will cost from
$80,000 to $200,000.
Richard Pakonen, principal of Pak Properties, said he hopes to sell
about one-third of the units to artists, which he said will help the
"mystique" of the project.
"If you can build that kind of energy inside a location, that is going
to help sell the units," Pakonen said.
Pak properties purchased the 162,000-square-foot building, 500 N.
Robert St., in June for $5 million and plans to invest to $7 million or
more in renovating the building.
-------------------
PAK Properties
Richard Pakonen
Avenues May 2005
Bill Smitten isn’t demure about saying it. He is selling loft
condominiums at the “best location in downtown St. Paul”—the Lowry
Building. “We look at the Lowry as the hub of downtown,” said Smitten
of Coldwell Banker Burnet’s Grand Avenue office.
Lowdown on Lowry block
It’s no secret that some people are buying units in local condominium
projects with no intention of ever living in them. They’re investors
who are hoping to make a killing in the red-hot market for condos.
Lowry building's unlikely new look suits it
Perhaps the most fascinating loft conversion project in the Twin Cities
these days involves a building that, at first glance, would hardly seem
to be a candidate for any sort of trendy makeover.
Condo Investors Help Fuel Market
It’s no secret that some people are buying units in local condominium
projects with no intention of ever living in them. They’re investors
who are hoping to make a killing in the red-hot market for condos.
Improving Our Community One Condo At A Time!
Community development involves strengthening neighborhoods through
housing and economic development activity. Rich Pakonen of PAK
Properties...
St. Paul office building might join condo-conversion trend
A flurry of conversions from low-quality office space to condominiums
in downtown St. Paul may continue with the latest acquisition by St.
Paul developer Rich Pakonen...
Developer amassing property
A relatively unknown White Bear Lake-based developer called Pak
Properties is amassing property in downtown St. Paul for housing and
commercial uses in the...
Pak Properties buys St. Paul's Rossmor Building
White Bear Lake-based developer Pak Properties closed
Monday on the $5 million purchase of the 162,000-square-foot
Rossmor Building in St. Paul...
Developer plans condos, offices for Lowry Building
For the residential component, Zehring is working with Rich Pakonen,
president of White Bear Lake-based Pak Properties, who recently
redeveloped St. Paul's historic Produce Exchange Building...
St. Paul artists' studios become fast-selling condos
Mayor Randy Kelly says the Rossmor Building's conversion to condos is a
sign that downtown St. Paul has turned a corner as a viable housing
option...
----------------------
St. Paul Business Journal, April 200
