The St. Paul Downtown Alliance has launched a broad community engagement effort aimed at shaping the future of the city’s downtown core, with input from residents, workers, visitors and businesses guiding upcoming projects and investments.

The initiative, titled “Reimagine Downtown St. Paul: Transforming the Core,” moves the Downtown Investment Strategy from vision to implementation. The Alliance and its subsidiary, the St. Paul Downtown Development Corporation, have partnered with Creative Catalysts and Mend Collaborative to design and lead the engagement process.

From now through spring 2026, the process will include in-person meetings, pop-up events, focus groups and virtual opportunities to gather feedback from a wide range of stakeholders. Organizers say the goal is to better understand what people want downtown to become, improve pedestrian experiences and align future efforts with city initiatives such as skyway improvements, redevelopment projects and street redesigns.

Downtown Alliance President Joe Spencer said community voices are essential as downtown continues to evolve. He described the effort as an opportunity to strengthen economic vitality while reimagining the heart of the city for future generations.

A public survey is open through Jan. 31 and is intended to capture perspectives from those who live, work and spend time downtown. Additional engagement details and updates will be shared through the Alliance’s communication channels.
More information, including survey access and event listings, is available at downtownstpaul.com/reimagine.