Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Laura Yuen
St. Paul, Minn.

$28M affordable housing complex set for Green Line route

An artist rendering of Hamline Station
An artist rendering of what the new Hamline Station development will look like.
Courtesy of Met Council

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

The end of the automobile era on University Avenue doesn't get more symbolic than this: A new housing and retail development will reshape a vacant auto sales lot along the Green Line light rail route.

Government leaders and housing officials will break ground Monday on a $28 million complex that will include more than 100 units of affordable rentals. A portion of the units will be occupied by people with disabilities and the formerly homeless.

The new development, called Hamline Station, is a block long and will be built with a mix of private and public money. It will be built on the site of the former Midway Chevrolet used car lot.

While some have criticized the concentration of low-income housing along the corridor, Project for Pride in Living's executive director, Paul Williams, is unapologetic.

"University Avenue is a better place because of the affordable housing that's been built in and around Frogtown and Summit-U," Williams said. "If we don't build that housing, these markets -- these neighborhoods -- are really in the dumps."

Williams says his nonprofit wanted to build a community where working families could easily hop on transit to get to their jobs.

"It's actually going to be a very striking project, which is going to send a statement to the marketplace and the neighborhood about the quality and what's possible here. So we view it as a very catalytic project," he said.