Residents Weigh in on Vision for St. Cloud’s Downtown Future

(KNSI) – St. Cloud residents got their first in-person look Wednesday evening at the city’s draft downtown plan, viewing 16 renderings that lay out a vision for what key downtown sites could become in the years ahead.

The open house at the Rivers Edge Convention Center drew dozens of residents, business owners and other stakeholders who spent the evening circulating through the mezzanine, talking one-on-one with staff and consultants about specific concepts.

Among those taking in the displays was Brian Voerding, president of the Little Falls-based Initiative Foundation and a St. Cloud resident. Voerding said the process behind the draft plan stood out to him as much as the drawings themselves. “Building a vision for the future of downtown with really robust community engagement and buy-in is really vital to its success, and that feels very kind of richly apparent here.”

He pointed to walkability, outdoor recreation, and arts and culture as areas he’s personally excited about.

Jake Judd/KNSI News

Lifelong St. Cloud and Stearns County resident Shelley Benson said she was drawn to the concepts for the Kelly Inn redevelopment area and wants to see the city embrace the Mississippi River. “I really want to see us open ourselves up to the river more and provide more river opportunities. Whether it’s kayaking as they had suggested in the plan or other opportunities. We have a lot of parks along the river, so let’s take advantage of that and build in some development to go with it.”

The draft plan covers the downtown core and the Division Street corridor. Several prominent sites are featured, including the current Stearns County campus downtown, where county offices and courts will eventually vacate once the new Stearns County Justice Center is built. Drawings envision what redevelopment could look like on that 8-to-9-acre site once the existing buildings come down. Other drawings focus on the Lady Slipper block, the riverfront area near the Rivers Edge Convention Center, and additional locations along the corridor.

One of the most notable shifts from the city’s last comprehensive plan in 2015 is the emphasis on housing over office space. Community Development Director Matt Glaesman says the post-COVID shift has reshaped the development landscape, with housing now seen as the key to bringing people downtown around the clock, creating an active public realm and making commercial development possible.

Beyond development sites, the draft document also addresses parking, streetscape improvements, wayfinding and signage, and the role of arts in downtown.

The public comment period remains open until May 12th, giving residents additional time to weigh in before the planning commission holds a public hearing in May. The city council is expected to begin formal consideration of the document in June.

The draft downtown plan and a separate Division Street subarea plan are both available for review on the city’s planning webpage.

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