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Economic Development
Welcome to West St. Paul!
Located in close proximity to both downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis, West St. Paul provides unbeatable accessibility, thriving commercial and industrial districts, great residential neighborhoods, an outstanding park system and excellent schools making West St. Paul a great place to live, work and play.
- Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
- EDA Redevelopment Grants
- Tax Abatement
- Reduced Energy Costs - Xcel Energy Programs
- Commercial Exterior Grants
The West St. Paul Economic Development Authority (EDA) is currently offering a matching grant for existing commercial property owners for exterior building improvements. Please click here to obtain the application / criteria. - MN Department of Trade & Economic Development Program
- Metropolitan Council Programs
- Small Business Assistance
The City of West St. Paul partners with Open to Business which provides assistance in such areas as start-up and expansion financing, business plan development, licensing, zoning and regulatory issues, and financial management. For more information please visit their website or call (612) 789-7337.
West St. Paul is just a 20 minute drive from downtown Minneapolis, home of U.S. Bank Stadium, Target Field, Orpheum Theatre, Walker Art Museum and many more of Minnesota’s landmarks.
The extremely close proximity to St. Paul and Minneapolis ensures businesses a large workforce of highly skilled workers within reasonable driving distance as well as public transportation. There is a population of approximately 185,000 within a 10 minute drive from West St. Paul.
West St. Paul is home to Minnesota’s largest inflatable sports dome that brings visitors in from all over the region.
The John V. Hoene Ice Arena also received much needed renovations, replacing the coolant system as well as aesthetic upgrades ensuring the rink will serve the community for many years. These renovations are an example of West St. Paul’s close knit community, partnering with neighboring city, Mendota Heights as well as Independent School District 197 to finance the improvements.
Part of Independent School District 197 is Garlough Environmental Magnet School, a unique school that educates with an emphasis on science, technology, environment and math. Garlough E-STEM sits adjacent to West St. Paul’s Garlough Park which gives children the opportunity to learn about nature first hand. Garlough is also connected to Dodge Nature Center through an underground trail tunnel.
Dodge Nature Center has 460+ acres of prairies, hardwood forest, lakes, wetland, miles of open hiking trails, a working farm, orchard, bee apiary, and a variety of animals to discover. It is the mission of the nature center to provide exceptional experiences in nature through environmental education. Over 59,000 nature experiences are offered annually: day visits, events, programs for all ages, camps, onsite preschool, school outreach, field trips and more.
The median 2014 housing value in West St. Paul is $173,000 with the average value standing between $150,000 and $199,999 (see figure # below which details housing costs within West St. Paul). Rental prices remained relatively stable with just a two percent increase in rental prices; going from a median monthly rent of $805 to a median of $829, according to the 2010/2014 American Community Survey (ACS). Many new housing projects are currently underway in West St. Paul!
The Quality Housing Program was established in the fall of 2000, when the City Council and Economic Development Authority (EDA) adopted the Implementation Plan for Quality Housing. The plan outlined strategies to create and sustain quality housing in West St. Paul. These strategies were implemented to establish a housing stock that is aesthetically more attractive, has increased valuation, is healthier for residents, and improves the security and social fabric of the community at large.
The City of West St. Paul addresses property maintenance, rehabilitation, and redevelopment issues through the following programs:
- Rental Licensing
- Code Enforcement
- Property Recognition Programs
- Home Improvement Loans and Property Fix-Up
- Housing Replacement Program
West St. Paul Economic Development Map
Economic Development Authority
The City of West St. Paul's Economic Development Authority (EDA) strives to retain existing business and promote new business development opportunities. Explore the map above to see available commercial/industrial properties for sale and for lease.