Central Corridor nears the funding finish line

The Central Corridor project, which has been in the works for nearly 20 years, reached another milestone Tuesday. The Federal Transit Administration gave approval for the project to enter the final design stage.

Although the federal government still hasn’t officially agreed to cover half of the cost of light-rail construction, this final step is almost inevitable. According to officials, all projects that have reached the final design stage have received federal funding.

The utility construction that has been plaguing downtown Saint Paul for months will make it possible for the 11-mile light-rail line to be finished by 2014.

Breaking ground for growth and new jobs

PCL construction crews officially broke ground on Baldinger Bakery’s new $30 million, 130,000-square-foot facility that will help the 122-year-old company modernize and expand its operations in Saint Paul. Baldinger is known for baking hamburger buns for McDonald’s and Famous Dave’s restaurant chains. All of Baldinger’s 72 employees will move to the new facility, and the bakery expects to hire 42 new employees over the next 10 years.

State and business leaders joined city officials to celebrate
the Baldinger Bakery project that is part of the
new Beacon’s Bluff development in Saint Paul.

The bakery will be part of Beacon’s Bluff Business Center. The Saint Paul Port Authority has been redeveloping the complex since 3M moved its operations from the site. Ultimately, this project will help increase Saint Paul’s industrial tax base and revitalize the city’s East Side, stimulating job growth and economic investment.

Construction on the new bakery, which is expected to be finished in about nine months, will be completed by PCL Construction, Inc. Operating out of a branch in Burnsville, PCL has built many other notable Twin Cities landmarks, including the Mall of America and the Science Museum of Minnesota. The company’s experience working on similar food manufacturing facilities helped make this exciting project a reality.

We are proud to be a part of PCL’s team. Congratulations!

Saint Paul celebrates its pot of gold

Saint Paul was full of energy and Irish cheer today as revelers (real Irish or just Irish for the day) enjoyed one of the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parades in the country. The nonprofit Saint Patrick’s Association organizes the parade each year and donates the proceeds from button sales and sponsorships to charity. Last year, the association donated more than $10,000.

This is the 43rd year that people have paraded through the streets of Saint Paul hoping to find the luck of the Irish and maybe even a beer. With today’s very warm weather, the Irish eyes were clearly shining.

We here at Goff & Howard look forward to the Saint Patrick’s Day parade and the visitors it brings to our neighborhood each year.

Hockeytown, USA springs to life

The melting of snow piles, the donning of lighter coats, walking instead of sprinting from the office to the car, and the crowds of hockey fans filling Saint Paul’s streets, bars, and restaurants mean one thing – hockey tournament season has arrived! Thousands of people will descend upon the city to cheer for their favorite hockey team in the boy’s high school state tournament, the WCHA Frozen Five, and the NCAA regional hockey championships.

In 2007, Sports Illustrated recognized Saint Paul as Hockeytown, USA. For Saint Paul, hockey is more than just the Minnesota Wild – it’s about the pickup games on the neighborhood pond, the peewee games at the community ice arena, and the high school games at the city rink. Even the Xcel Energy Center – the home of the Wild – displays the hockey jerseys of every high school in Minnesota in the outer concourse.

Hockey is more than just a game. It helps city businesses, bars and restaurants at a time when our economy needs a boost. These tournaments add an estimated $7-10 million a year to the city’s economy. Restaurants will be full, bars will be crowded, and people will be happy.

Welcome to Saint Paul, hockey tournament athletes, coaches, and fans.

See below for more information about the upcoming hockey tournaments:

• Boys state hockey tournament (March 10-13)
• WCHA Frozen Five (March 18-20)
• NCAA Division 1 Men’s Hockey Regional Tournament (March 26-27)
• Remaining home games for the Minnesota Wild