Twin Cities Property Finder · David Olson, Broker · MN #BK3603584 · Whitefish Property Finder · MN #40646463 · Licensed in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida
The city of St. Paul, Minnesota is a vast, dynamic city.
Here’s a look at everyday life, from shopping and dining to community events.
Here’s an honest look, whether you’re selling or buying.
Life in St. Paul
With 17 unique neighborhoods, each of which containing their own distinct communities and amenities, there are plenty of different lifestyles to choose from. The following article provides a brief overview of each individual neighborhood and the lifestyle found within.
Not to be confused with the Como neighborhood in Minneapolis, the Como neighborhood in St. Paul is an attractive and peaceful residential neighborhood with a population of almost 12,000 residents. The neighborhood encompasses Como Park, and contains many features such as Lake Como, the Como Zoo, and the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. The State Fairgrounds are along the western portion of this neighborhood.
Como has a wide variety of housing styles, fluctuating from large, Victorian-era homes around the lake to smaller one-and-a-half story homes built in the 1920’s throughout the neighborhood. Ranch style homes from the 1950’s can also be found scattered throughout the neighborhood. There are a few schools in Como Park, which are Chelsea Heights Elementary School and the Como Park Elementary School.
Shops, dining and events
The Como neighborhood has many recreational amenities, including a golf course, bike path, several open fields, a pavilion, a municipal pool, several recreation centers, and the Como Zoo. The North Dale Recreation Center offers visitors access to two gymnasiums, an indoor track, a fitness center, a kitchen, and more. The Northwest Como Recreation Center is similar to the North Dale center, but smaller in size. It features a gymnasium, kitchen, and a meeting room. Another popular amenity within the neighborhood is the Oscar Johnson Arena which allows for ice skating and hockey facilities year-round.
The Conway-Battle Creek-Highwood Hills neighborhood is located on the south-east end of St. Paul, bordering the Greater East Side Neighborhood to the north, the city of Maplewood to the east, and the Mississippi River on the west. Although just two-miles from downtown, this residential neighborhood has a more suburban feel, as it is a bedroom community with large lots, modern housing options, and provides amazing views from the bluffs of the river and downtown. The neighborhood of just over 20,000 residents has convenient access to I-94, its own transit service, and is located very close to 3M headquarters. SunRay Center and Suburban Avenue are the neighborhood’s retail corridors, and they host many franchises, local restaurants, grocery stores, retailers, and fitness centers. The parks have programs for senior citizens and young kids, hiking and biking trails along streams and bluffs, and activities for all seasons. A popular amenity in the neighborhood is the Harding Arena which offers ice skating and hockey facilities year-round.
Most of the single-family homes in the neighborhood were constructed between the 1960’s and 1990’s in a variety of styles. Houses in the southern portions of the area were constructed in the wooded river bluffs and the homes in the northern portion are located on larger city lots.
More to explore
Dayton’s Bluff is a neighborhood on the east side of the Mississippi in the southeast part of Saint Paul. It is a historic neighborhood of almost 17,000 with exceptional views of the skyline, the Mississippi River and even downtown St. Paul, and is just fifteen minutes outside of the heart of Minneapolis. Dayton’s Bluff is Saint Paul’s biggest Historic District and possesses homes that fluctuate in style from from large Victorians to small worker cottages. The Mounds Theatre, the campus of Metropolitan State University, amazing coffee shops and restaurants, as well as three large parks: Indian Mounds, Swede Hollow, and Bruce Vento Nature, are located in the neighborhood.
The name of Dayton’s Bluff was derived from Lyman Dayton who lived from 1810 to 1865. On the southern portion is the highest elevation of Dayton’s Bluff along the Mississippi River. Dayton’s Bluff has houses dating from the 1850’s all the way to new construction. Other housing styles in Dayton’s Bluff include, Italianate, side-by-side double houses, craftsman foursquare, Dutch Colonial, bungalow, ramblers, and split-level. With so many options, homebuyers will find something they are looking for with greater ease in this historic city.
Obb’s Sports Bar & Grill was one of the first of 10 bars in St. Paul to be licensed after the repeal of Prohibition in the 1930’s, making this popular local hangout a historical piece of the community. The building started as a grocery & feed store back in 1919. Another great dining spot is the Swede Hollow Cafe, which was founded in 1997 in the historic Stutzman building. Patrons will appreciate the astonishing view of the downtown skyline. The cafe received its title from the historical Swede Hollow Park located behind the building. The distinct area has been a showcase on several PBS documentaries.
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The majority of people believe that the Downtown neighborhood’s borders are Interstate 94 to the north and Kellogg Boulevard and the Mississippi River to the south. However, the legitimate border of the neighborhood is a little further north, at University Avenue. Downtown St. Paul is not only know as an arts, amusement, and business center, but is also a host to over 8,000 residents. The city’s residents enjoy living close to its “Twin” city in Minneapolis, the natural beauty of the Mississippi River, gorgeous parks, and the community events year-round. As one of St. Paul’s increasingly growing areas, the Downtown neighborhood possesses historic buildings, an active and involved arts community, and the locally famous St. Paul Farmers’ Market. Easy access in all directions is offered by I-94 and 35E, and with a Light Rail Transit coming soon, the infrastructure is second to none. The neighborhoods are also attached by a unique skyway system, which is useful during the colder months
Homes in the neighborhood consist of old warehouses and commercial facilities transformed into modern apartments. New construction, high-rise condo developments provide residents with excellent views of the river and the Minnesota State Capitol. Compared to Minneapolis, St. Paul’s downtown has much older buildings. The tallest among them is the Wells Fargo Place building, which is 471 feet tall. The most renowned building is the First National Bank Building on Fourth Street.
The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Rice Park has theater, opera, ballet and kids’s performances. In 1980, Saint Paul native Sally Ordway Irvine wanted to create a performance center. Through the donations of over 46 million supporters, she achieved her goal. The Ordway presently consists of 1,900 seats and a music theater, two large rehearsal halls, and magnificent lobbies on each floor. There are many other additions that are constantly being developed which help to make the Ordway even more magnificent.
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The Landmark Center is located within the Downtown neighborhood and contains the TRACES World War II History Center, the Schubert Club Museum of Musical Instruments, and several other exhibits. Downtown St. Paul is also home to the Fitzgerald Theater, the Park Square Theatre and the History Theatre. A small art gallery, the Minnesota Museum of American Art, is located on the Mississippi river bank. Museums in downtown St. Paul include the impressive Science Museum of Minnesota, the popular Minnesota Kids’s Museum, and the Minnesota History Center. The Science Museum yields full benefit for it’s ideal location on the river. Guests enter on the top floor, and from there the galleries descend downwards towards the river. A large atrium in the heart of the museum features dinosaur skeletons and scientifically-motivated artwork. Galleries on three different floors display the museum’s large paleontology, anthropology, and natural history collections, and many interactive displays demonstrate mathematical, electrical, light and weather phenomena. The museum also offers an Omnitheater, where a large and encompassing screen displays scientific films everyday. The Minnesota Kids’s Museum is a magnificent museum devoted to entertaining and educating kids. It is a large museum with lots to see and do. It’s easy to view the Minnesota History Center as place only for tourists, however it is also captivating for locals too. The beautiful building is the home of the Minnesota Historical Society, and also houses a museum, galleries, a research library, a theater, a store, and a cafe.
St. Paul has a small selection of restaurants. From the eponymous 24-hour Mickey’s Diner Car, and the casual Key’s Cafe, up to the divine Meritage and the upmarket St. Paul Grill. Mickey’s Diner was created to look like the railroad dining cars of the period. It is distinct in that it is one of the initial diners to be built in the Art Deco style. Mickey’s Dining Car was manufactured in New Jersey and shipped by rail on a flatbed to its present location. Today, it is a fun place to experience a meal inside of a little bit of history. In 1973, the first Keys Café opened in St. Paul on Raymond Avenue. Since that time, the Keys Café has extended to nine Twin Cities locations and has been renowned and awarded both locally and nationally for their fabulous menu. From their characteristically ageless dining room, to the popular oyster bar, Meritage provides an atmosphere that will lighten up any mood. Their terrace provides memorable summer evening dates, or a wonderful place to enjoy some time with family. Whatever the reason for the visit may be, the Meritage is sure not to disappoint. Known continuously as the “best restaurant in Minneapolis and St. Paul”, The St. Paul Grill is everyone’s favorite for any occasion. This downtown dining location showcases a classic, yet astonishingly varied menu from prime steaks and thick-cut chops to juicy poultry and fresh seafood.
International dining selections include Fuji-Ya, Pazzaluna, and Senor Wong. Fuji Ya has a lot of rich history behind it, and has two locations in the state, one in each of the Twin Cities. The restaurant has offered some of the best, most authentic Japanese cuisine for many years, and is more than worth any customer’s time to experience. The critically admired and award-winning Pazzaluna Urban Italian focuses on serving regional Italian food that showcases the best Italian food in the area. Pazzaluna’s active and upscale environment makes it ideal for an outing with family, friends, business partners, or a romantic date. Possessing an impressive Italian wine list, a beautiful mural-adorned dining room, and a high level of service, Pazzaluna deserves its standing as one of the best nights out that the Twin Cities has to offer. Come to Senor Wong Craft Bar for dinner and drinks with friends. They showcase a list of local and regional craft beers, signature craft cocktails, wines, and artisan sake. This is a popular place to eat before a hockey game or any other large scale event going on in the cities. The major sporting facility in downtown St. Paul is the Xcel Energy Center. It’s mostly known for hosting NHL’s Minnesota Wild team, but it also hosts conferences, music concerts, and other sporting events throughout the year.
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The Greater East Side neighborhood is between the city’s largest and most densely populated city districts and contains 28,000 residents, most of them middle-class. The neighborhood is located in the northeast corner of St. Paul, with the city of Maplewood bordering it. The Greater East Side neighborhood offers suburban luxuries that are just minutes from downtown Saint Paul, 3M’s headquarters, and employment opportunities in the neighboring city of Maplewood. White Bear Avenue is the major hub of the neighborhood, with churches, schools, unique shops, malls, homes, restaurants, entertainment, libraries, offices, community facilities, and much more.
The Greater East Side neighborhood has many housing options and styles. The majority of homes were constructed after World War II, in rambler and Cape Cod styles. Historic homes as well as apartment buildings can also be found in the neighborhoods.
One of the most popular restaurants in the neighborhood is the Cherry Pit Bar & Grill. The Cherry Pit Bar & Grill works hard to offer more than just a good time for its visitors. The warm and welcoming staff makes them the premiere bar in Saint Paul. With such a great staff and wonderful selection of menu items, this bar is a favorite for not only the neighborhood, but also the entire city.
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Started in 1921, Hillcrest Golf Club of St. Paul is one of the most popular and affordable private golf clubs in the Twin Cities Area. Hillcrest Golf Club offers its members a remarkably preserved and manicured golf course, a dining experience not found anywhere else, and a splendid and relaxed club environment for family, friends and business. With topography of rolling hills and mature trees, the Par 72 course will test the skill of players at any level. The spacious deck, patio and pool area offer a convenient environment for the family to relax and enjoy themselves. The golf club is also a popular place to hold events and meetings.
The Greater East Side neighborhood houses two recreation centers. Hazel Park Recreation Center offers visitors a craft room, game/teen room, gymnasium, kitchen and a meeting room. The Hayden Heights Recreation Center is the second recreation center within the Greater East Side neighborhood. Similar to the Hazel Park center, Hayden Heights provides visitors with a craft room, game room, gymnasium, kitchen, meeting room, and a warming room. Both of the recreation centers are attached to local parks and are great resources for residents of the neighborhood.
The Hamline-Midway neighborhood is renowned for being active, family-oriented, and full of amenities. Hamline University and more than ten other educational institutions are scattered throughout the neighborhood, attracting students from around the metro area. Several civic groups speak to local issues from urban greening to engaging youth and elders. Shops, parks, recreation centers, restaurants, and a library are all found within the neighborhood, offering convenience to Hamline-Midway’s 12,000 residents. The neighborhood is centrally located between both downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul and contains the State Fairgrounds, future Central Corridor Light Rail line, and quick access to I-94. The neighborhood also contains the Hancock Recreation Center, which offers residents access to a craft room, gymnasium, kitchen, lounge room, multipurpose room, performing arts area, and The Canvas Teen Center.
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The Hamline-Midway neighborhood consists of a collection of large Victorian and Eastlake style houses built in the 1880’s close to Hamline University. Development of the neighborhood happened with the construction of houses in block tracts of foursquare, bungalows, and Tudor Revival cottages in the early 1910’s to 1930’s.
Highland Park is a neighborhood in St. Paul’s southwestern portion. It is bordered by the Mississippi River on the west, south, and east, and Macalester-Groveland to the north. Highland Park Tower is the main local landmark. Highland Park was at one point the site of a large Ford Motor Company plant, and there are current plans to renovate the old site. A retail hub with a blend of stores and restaurants is concentrated around Ford Parkway and Snelling Avenue.
Highland Park is centrally located and yet possesses it’s own small-town feel. Families flourish on the recreational options with miles of park land, golf, little league sports, a theater and a newly refurbished park pavilion. Whether it be walking old-fashioned, tree lined streets to kindergarten or graduate school, or even to the annual 3 day festival, “Highlandfest”, there’s something for every one of the 25,000 residents to appreciate and explore in Highland Park.
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Highland Park consists of mainly single-family houses going back to the 1920’s and 30’s. There are plenty of styles such as ranch, split-level, and rambler. Apartments and condos are predominantly located in the West 7th Street-Shepard Road area.
At the Chatterbox Pub, the owners have worked diligently to advance a status as both a unique and flavor-filled pub that will shock visitors, as well as offering excellent and professional services that will make anyone feel content. Laughter and jokes are readily available on any given night. The banquet facility is perfect for rehearsal dinners, business meetings, holiday get-togethers, birthdays and other special events. Movies are available on the projector and screen, including TV specials like major sports events. This pub is a great atmosphere for an evening drink or a late-night hangout.
Highland National Golf Course was renewed and reopened in the spring of 2005. This course is better and more challenging than before with a good variety of patterns and terrains framed by old trees. Pristine holes challenge golfers of all skill levels. Highland National provides the amenities of the modern course with the feel of a traditional and classic old city course. It is an 18-hole, 6,600 yard, par 72 course.
A simple plan for your St. Paul move
I’ve been helping people sell and buy homes across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida for about two decades, and I build and remodel luxury homes too. I’ll help you see both what a property is and what it could be.
Getting the house ready, or making it yours
If you’re selling and want repairs handled before buyers see them, Super Crew Contractors can give you an estimate. If you’re ready for something custom, Ivy Lane Homes does luxury home building and remodeling. And a quick coverage check with Intrinsic Insurance before closing can save you a surprise. Learn more: St. Paul, Como, Conway-Battle Creek-Highwood Hills, Dayton’s Bluff. Ready to talk? Start a buyer plan or ask what your home is worth.
Super Crew Contractors, Ivy Lane Homes and Intrinsic Insurance are owned by David Olson; you are free to use any contractor, builder or insurer.
Your next step in St. Paul
St. Paul homes are priced neighborhood by neighborhood. Whether you’re selling or buying, I’ll help you make a plan that fits.
Please note: I don’t handle rentals or property management. I work with sellers and buyers, and that’s where I can help you most in St. Paul.
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