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History of the West 7th / Fort Road Federation
The West 7th / Fort Road Federation was formed in 1973 to unite neighbors, and local businesses and organizations for the purpose of solving issues impacting the vitality and livability o the community. Over the past 45 years, the Federation has served as a leader in setting citizen-driven direction for transportation planning, historic revitalization, commercial revitalization, public education, infrastructure/living environment matters, siting of community residential facilities, housing development, community organizing and Mississippi River front land and transportation planning along the river front.
In 1973, with the national flight to the suburbs as a backdrop, the neighborhoods of the West End faced similar challenges. Responding to this challenge, a dozen community members banded together to create the
West 7th/Fort Road Federation. They founded the organization on the principle that citizen acting together could maintain and improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods and help commercial endeavors prosper once again. With a $5,000 start-up grant from the Christian Sharing Fund, its journey began.
- From Twenty Five Years of Facing Change, published in 1998 the Fort Road Federation on its 25th anniversary.
Past Projects
New High Bridge
Residents of the Leech-McBoal neighborhood changed the intended location of the replacement High Bridge.
Irvine Park
The historic park with its majestic homes and central fountain was intended to be razed and transformed into an industrial park and high rise apartment buildings. Neighbors organized and fought the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) as one of its first major redevelopment efforts, and Irvine Park was designated a historic district in 1973, and is now featured by the City of Saint Paul.
Opposition to Adult Entertainment
In 1976 neighbors organized to fight and close adult entertainment establishments, often under threat from their owners.
The CSPS Hall
Located at 381-383 Michigan at West 7th was built as a two-story lodge for members of the Czech-Slovak Preservation
Society. In the mid-1970's, the local Project Area Committee (PAC) and the City of St. Paul wanted to raze the entire block to install a strip mall. The Federation united with SOKOL Minnesota to place the building on the Historic Register in 1976 and it now serves the local Czech and Slovak community as the national longest-serving Czech-Slovak building.
Kipps Glenn Sewers
When the City of St Paul condemned a number of houses without access to the city's sewer system, the Federation organized neighbors to secure block grants for sewer connects to save 105 homes and an entire neighborhood from destruction.
Monroe Community School
When the Saint Paul Public School District proposed closing the school in 1981, neighbors rallied under the flag of the Federation to protest and establish the first K-8 school of the time, and in 1997 again worked with the Saint Paul School District, the Wilder Foundation, Monroe staff, and neighbors to implement the Achievement Plus and Paidea Programs.
Interstate 35E
Plans to drive a freeway through the neighborhood were stalled when 300 neighbors gathered at the Federation's first "Issues Brew" in 1973 and voted to stop the freeway. Already many homes had been cleared. Compromises didn't stop the freeway, but rather transformed it into a lowered parkway with reduced speed and prohibition on truck
traffic.
Community Development Corporation, 1978.
In the early 1980's, the Federation began its "Houses to Homes" project that turned into a city-wide project. Between then and 1998, the Federation invested close to $9 million in rehabilitating 50 units in revitalizing its housing stock with dramatic effects on property values.
974 West 7th Street/Fort Road
In 1994, the Federation moved its offices to this century-old building intentionally rehabilitated toward this purpose. Transforming this condemned structure had a visible effect on the neighboring commercial district while providing office space for its programs.
Superior Street Cottages
The Superior Street Cottages contain 23 senior citizen rental units developed in conjunction with Lyngblomsten, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, and the Federation. Superior Street Cottages provides living opportunities to West 7th seniors who desire to continue living in the community but no longer want to maintain their single family homes.
Residents of the Leech-McBoal neighborhood changed the intended location of the replacement High Bridge.
Irvine Park
The historic park with its majestic homes and central fountain was intended to be razed and transformed into an industrial park and high rise apartment buildings. Neighbors organized and fought the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) as one of its first major redevelopment efforts, and Irvine Park was designated a historic district in 1973, and is now featured by the City of Saint Paul.
Opposition to Adult Entertainment
In 1976 neighbors organized to fight and close adult entertainment establishments, often under threat from their owners.
The CSPS Hall
Located at 381-383 Michigan at West 7th was built as a two-story lodge for members of the Czech-Slovak Preservation
Society. In the mid-1970's, the local Project Area Committee (PAC) and the City of St. Paul wanted to raze the entire block to install a strip mall. The Federation united with SOKOL Minnesota to place the building on the Historic Register in 1976 and it now serves the local Czech and Slovak community as the national longest-serving Czech-Slovak building.
Kipps Glenn Sewers
When the City of St Paul condemned a number of houses without access to the city's sewer system, the Federation organized neighbors to secure block grants for sewer connects to save 105 homes and an entire neighborhood from destruction.
Monroe Community School
When the Saint Paul Public School District proposed closing the school in 1981, neighbors rallied under the flag of the Federation to protest and establish the first K-8 school of the time, and in 1997 again worked with the Saint Paul School District, the Wilder Foundation, Monroe staff, and neighbors to implement the Achievement Plus and Paidea Programs.
Interstate 35E
Plans to drive a freeway through the neighborhood were stalled when 300 neighbors gathered at the Federation's first "Issues Brew" in 1973 and voted to stop the freeway. Already many homes had been cleared. Compromises didn't stop the freeway, but rather transformed it into a lowered parkway with reduced speed and prohibition on truck
traffic.
Community Development Corporation, 1978.
In the early 1980's, the Federation began its "Houses to Homes" project that turned into a city-wide project. Between then and 1998, the Federation invested close to $9 million in rehabilitating 50 units in revitalizing its housing stock with dramatic effects on property values.
974 West 7th Street/Fort Road
In 1994, the Federation moved its offices to this century-old building intentionally rehabilitated toward this purpose. Transforming this condemned structure had a visible effect on the neighboring commercial district while providing office space for its programs.
Superior Street Cottages
The Superior Street Cottages contain 23 senior citizen rental units developed in conjunction with Lyngblomsten, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, and the Federation. Superior Street Cottages provides living opportunities to West 7th seniors who desire to continue living in the community but no longer want to maintain their single family homes.
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West 7th / Fort Road Federation
882 West 7th Street, Suite 6, Saint Paul, MN 55102 651.298.5599 - fortroadfed@fortroadfederation.org |