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St. Paul News
Estelle Timar-Wilcox

Residents of condemned St. Paul apartment suddenly displaced again

The boarded-up front of a large apartment building
The condemned Lowry Apartment building is pictured in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

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Former residents of St. Paul’s Lowry Building apartments have been suddenly displaced twice in the last month, after the troubled downtown building was condemned.

Residents were evicted from the Lowry in mid-December. The city cited a broken heating system, unsanitary conditions and fire safety concerns and said tenants needed to leave.

Residents were moved into hotels. At the time, city officials said the receiver of the building, Halverson and Blaiser Group, was paying hotel costs for tenants for a month. After that, the goal was to get residents back into their repaired apartments.

But the arrangement didn’t last thirty days. Residents were told they had to vacate their hotels on Monday. They cannot yet go back to their apartments at the Lowry.

The boarded-up front of a large apartment building
Signs left by the city of St. Paul’s Department of Safety and Inspection are taped to the boarded-up doors of the Lowry Apartment building, pictured in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

Jennifer Lor, a spokesperson for St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, said the city and the county are working together to find options for tenants.

“Ramsey County Housing Stability Department is available to assist individuals who do not have alternative housing options. Residents will also be able to work with the receiver to retrieve any personal belongings,” Lor said.

Ramsey County spokesperson Casper Hill said several residents went to the St. Paul Opportunity Center to look for help; all those who did were connected to a housing provider. 

“A number of Lowry residents now have another place to stay,” Hill said. “Any county resident seeking emergency supportive services is encouraged to call our single point of entry contact number at 651-266-1050 for assistance.” 

But the Pioneer Press reported some former tenants are planning to live outside or look for other options rather than live in shelters that they say don’t meet their needs.

Lor noted Halverson and Blaiser Group “assumes responsibility of the property and is the acting landlord and final decision-maker regarding next steps.” 

Halverson and Blaiser Group did not immediately respond to request for comment.