Committee hears plea to repair Jackson Street Roundhouse roof; request laid over

Senate File 912, a funding request to repair the roof of the Jackson Street Roundhouse in downtown Saint Paul, was presented Tuesday to the Minnesota Senate Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy. Josh Hobie, executive director of the Minnesota Transportation Museum, asked the committee for support to renovate the roof and underlying structure to preserve the museum's educational programs and community partnerships.

The Jackson Street Roundhouse, described in testimony as a historically significant railroad facility that serves as a “living museum,” is operated largely by volunteers who run trains, exhibits and educational programs. "This is more than just fixing a roof," Hobie said, noting that the museum is in year two of a three‑year growth strategy and that the building supports hands‑on STEAM and career‑exploration programming.

Committee members questioned the project's engineering and cost assumptions. Senator Green asked whether structural engineers had evaluated the old wood underlayment and whether re‑insulating the structure could increase snow load risk. Hobie responded that engineers have inspected the building and that the renovation design would address needed structural shoring, insulation replacement and a long‑life roofing membrane.

No final appropriation or vote to fund the project was taken. The committee recorded the testimony and laid Senate File 912 over for possible inclusion in an omnibus capital/legacy package.

The request as presented did not include a formal dollar figure in committee testimony; committee members discussed the potential scale of need during questioning but did not set an appropriation.

Looking ahead, committee staff indicated they may request additional engineering reports or budget detail before deciding whether to include the project in any omnibus funding bill.