St. Louis Park to receive $5.1 million in state bonding for Oxford–Louisiana area project

Kim, a city staff member, told the St. Louis Park City Council that the state legislature’s recent bonding bill includes $5.1 million for the “Oxford, Louisiana area investment project.” She said the funding was secured in the final flurry of bills passed by the legislature and that the city was included for the $5.1 million allocation.

The staff announcement said the $5.1 million is part of what Kim described as a larger $16 million project and that the funds will be used for critical infrastructure, transportation safety, flood mitigation and neighborhood connectivity near the hospital and the Oxford–Louisiana area. “This is $5 million that our taxpayers, our water and utility rate payers will not have to bear,” she said.

City officials welcomed the allocation as a way to reduce local cost exposure on a multi-million-dollar project. Kim said the project is scheduled for construction in "'29 and '30," as stated at the meeting; no further schedule detail was provided at the council meeting. The council thanked staff and the city’s legislative delegation for the advocacy that led to the award.

The announcement did not include an exact project timeline, contracting details or a funding breakdown beyond the $5.1 million figure and the cited $16 million project total. City staff referenced the site area as down by the hospital near Oxford and Louisiana but did not provide additional maps, firm contractor selections or regulatory milestones during the meeting. The council adjourned following the announcement.