Ex-Ford Site Redevelopment: Ryan Companies Unveil Plans

SAINT PAUL, MN — Ryan Companies unveiled their concept for Saint Paul’s Ford Site Master Plan in a neighborhood presentation at Highland Park Middle School Wednesday. Ford awarded Ryan Companies the development rights to the prominent 122-acre site in June.

The concept focuses on retail, residential and commercial building. Ryan Companies said it's committed to maintaining and extending the character of the existing neighborhood and to thoughtful transitions into and out of the site.

The plan will include more than 50 acres of public and open space:

• Central water feature
• Multiple green spaces, with 1,000 trees and a range of traditional and creative green spaces including green rooftops and pocket parks
• New grid road system
• Public gathering spaces/plazas
• Pedestrian and bicycle trails
• The Highland Little League ballfields

And private development including:

• Retail
• Healthcare
• Office

Wide range of for sale and rental housing options including:

• Single family homes
• Senior living
• Condos
• Rowhomes
• Affordable housing
• Market-rate rental housing

"After years of planning and discussing the future of this site we are thrilled to share the vision," Mike Ryan said in a statement.

"We believe we have struck the right balance of housing types, open space, amenities, shops, affordability and yes, ballfields! Our goal has been to build the City’s plan, to soften the edges of the site, maintain all that is beloved about Highland Park, while at the same time enhancing it. Neighborhoods like this are very rare, and I can’t imagine a location in the state where a new resident would rather live."

The project is estimated to bring more than $1 billion of economic development to the area, the company said.

Specifically, the project will create over 14,000 construction jobs over the course of the redevelopment and approximately 1,300 permanent jobs in a variety of industries including: retail, healthcare, office, senior living, housing, fitness and building operations, according to a news release.

The company will submit the master plan and zoning amendment requests to the Saint Paul City Council for master site plan approval. Infrastructure work is anticipated to begin the fall of 2019.

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Images courtesy of Ryan Companies