Whoee! My family is going to have it's own park. Too cool!!
from the St. Paul Pioneer Press:
Pedro family donating land for downtown St. Paul park
The site of Pedro Luggage, once a retail landmark in downtown St. Paul, soon could become Pedro Park. The St. Paul City Council is to approve a plan today to accept the donation of the land that once was the site of Pedro Luggage and give it to the Parks and Recreation Department for a downtown park named after the Pedro family.
Parks and Recreation Director Mike Hahm said the donation is a "pretty unbelievable opportunity" to make good on city plans to build a park in that portion of downtown.
"The Pedro family had approached us about a desire on their part to make a donation of their property as the first step to help realize the vision of a park," he said.
The park's potential name would recognize both the donation and the family's history in the city, Hahm said.
Pedro Luggage closed in October 2008 after 94 years in business. The Pedro brothers, Eugene and Carl, put the 85,000-square-foot building at 501 N. Robert St. on the market after selling off most of their retail inventory.
Property records valued the building and surrounding land at $1.9 million. Taxes on the property were more than $61,700 in 2009.
A family spokesman declined to comment in advance of today's council meeting.
Approval of the donation is the first step to establishing a park on the land. According to a donation agreement, the city does not have a budget to convert the property into a park at this time. Hahm said there are no specific plans for the park.
5 comments:
If this comes to be I'll come and pray the Divine Office there with my community and bless it.
Keep me posted!
nazareth priest - that would be so wonderful. What a blessing you are...
Ummmmmm - is there a way to contact you privately? You could always email me (if that's allowed)
How cool is that? I really hope they do build a lovely park.
Adrienne, are you a member of the Pedro family, then?
I always like green spaces in downtown areas. I hope this becomes a reality.
Austie - Adrienne Pedro - that would be moi.
My Dad owned Pedro's Shoe Repair in the old Emporium after closing his bar, The Market House , my uncle owned Mr. Pedro's Supper Club, my cousins owned Pedro's liquor store, other uncles and cousins - Pedro's Luggage, my brother - The Cabooze Bar, my immigrant grandfather had a barber shop on Grand Ave. (seeing a trend here? it's all sooooooooo typically Italian - gotta love it!)
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