The St. Paul City Council has offered a green light to a new eight-story, 160-unit hotel and parking garage planned in place of the McDonald’s restaurant on University Avenue near Allianz Field, voting 5-0 to grant the developer’s appeal of conditions imposed by the city’s Planning Commission.

The development team behind the Snelling-Midway Redevelopment LLC recently asked the Planning Commission for a conditional use permit and eight zoning variances related to the hotel’s height, setbacks, exterior door and window openings, and the expectation that the development anchor a street corner.

The requests included extra lot frontage for a drive-way drop-off that will be situated along the avenue.

Permit, variances approved by Planning Commission

The Planning Commission approved the permit and seven of the eight variances.

The exception was the U-turn-like driveway, which would draw cars in from Simpson Street and University Avenue and bring them back westward toward Asbury Street. The zoning code limits lot frontage to 60 feet. The proposed driveway’s length spans 322 feet, which the Planning Commission deemed too car-centric and not sufficiently focused on pedestrian access.

In addition, the Planning Commission called for additional exterior openings along hotel floors 3 to 7, along the west façade of the building, as well as greater connection between the retail space planned within the parking garage and the green space to its west, with the goal of enhancing the greenery.

Carolyn Wolf, director of the Tegra Group real estate advisers, told the council on Wednesday that city staff supported their variance requests for the driveway, window and door openings as-is.

Ramsey County, which has jurisdiction over University Avenue, would not allow direct vehicular access onto the avenue, necessitating driveway access from existing side streets, a situation outside the developer’s control.

New vitality to neighborhood

Council President Mitra Jalali on Wednesday called the developer’s proposed lay-out “a safe and desirable alternative” over both the existing pedestrian access and previous concept plans, which she said were less pedestrian-oriented. She called the Planning Commission’s requests for additional wall openings vague.

“An 18-foot sidewalk, a green space strip … and that direct connection to the light rail walk, that is what we would hope for,” said Jalali, referring to a concept drawing on an overhead screen in the council chamber. “That green space is going to be public and activated.”

Council Member Anika Bowie, who represents the neighborhood, called the appeal discussion “a crash course in zoning” and said she welcomed the infusion of new vitality into the area. Having more eyes and foot traffic on the avenue would help everyone, said Council Member Rebecca Noecker.

“The location of the entrance along University Avenue has a number of really positive benefits (including) a public safety benefit … which necessitates that variance for a long driveway,” added Noecker. She noted the parking garage wall closest to the Great Lawn will feature a wall-sized mural, which will help enhance the green space.

Council Members Saura Jost and HwaJeong Kim were absent for Wednesday’s vote.

Bill McGuire, owner of the Minnesota United soccer team, has taken the lead role in the long-awaited redevelopment of the former Midway Shopping Center, which emptied out in 2020 and has sat devoid of commercial tenants beyond McDonald’s.

McGuire has said if financing comes through, site clearing for new real estate development could begin this year, perhaps as soon as this summer.

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