Page 26 - St. Paul, MN Central Station Design Guidelines

3.1 Design Principles for the Central Station Block

The following design principles provide broad direction Principle 3: Design new building(s) to relate
for future development of the Central Station block. to historic resources in mass and scale.
These design principles set the foundation for more The NHRP-eligible and Urban-Renewal-Historic-
detailed design guidelines that follow (Chapters 4-6). District-eligible buildings in this section of downtown
Saint Paul generally consist of block forms at least
Principle 1: Create a sense of arrival. 10 stories high. More specifically, new development
High volumes of transit passengers are expected to on the block should relate to street-level frontages
travel to and through the Central Station block, with (2-story storefronts) and overarching base, middle,
the LRT Green Line bisecting the block and two high- cap organization. While a new structure(s) on the
frequency bus stations along 5th Street. As such, the block should be “of its time” and therefore may be
Central Station block becomes a “gateway,” as well as much taller than its neighboring historic resources, it
a destination, for downtown Saint Paul. Development should reflect this general massing and scale to be
should respond to the block’s important role in form compatible with historic precedents in the downtown
and function. core.

Principle 2: Draw upon the design of local Principle 4: Design a new building(s) to be
historic resources for development on the “of its time.”
Central Station block. In addition to relating to the historic resources that
Any future building on the Central Station block surround the block, new development should be
should relate to the individually-significant structures modern in nature. A modern development will consider
in the area, which are identified as potentially eligible materials, durability, new technologies, resiliency and
for the National Register of Historic Places, locally- sustainability.
Figure 3.1 Draw upon the design of local historic resources for designated buildings, and those properties identified
development on the Central Station block (Principle 2).
as “contributing” to the potential Urban Renewal Principle 5: Provide safe transit access
Historic District (see map on page 20). Development throughout the block.
should do so through its mass, scale, orientation and The combination of pedestrian, automotive, bike, bus
a variety of other elements that will be discussed in and light rail traffic in and around the block make
more detail in following sections. safety a key concern. Future development should
plan for each mode of transportation, and consider

22 design framework and key design principles