Council approves Wheelock Grotto and Earl Street final orders amid strong resident concern over special assessments

The St. Paul City Council voted to approve final orders for two capital street projects — Wheelock Grotto Phase 2 and the Earl Street reconstruction — after staff presented project scope, estimated costs and a summary of assessment methodology, and after a series of residents testified about steep estimated special assessments.

Wheelock Grotto Phase 2: public works staff described a $15.5 million project that includes roughly two miles of reconstruction, new curb and gutter, 53,000 square feet of sidewalk replacement, sanitary sewer and water main replacements and green‑infrastructure work including three infiltration basins. Staff said about $3 million of the estimate is for utilities and the remainder is street reconstruction funded largely by street reconstruction bonds; estimated assessments for some properties…