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St. Paul council pauses demolition at 108 Howard, opens nuisance proceedings on multiple properties
Summary
The City of St. Paul on March 3 suspended demolition of an unsafe apartment at 108 Howard Avenue after a renovation progress update and voted to begin nuisance proceedings on several other properties that the police identified as unsafe or in violation of city code.
Mayor Mike Feeken opened the St. Paul City Council meeting on March 3 and read an email from resident Elmer Perez detailing renovations at 108 Howard Avenue, including removal of outside decking and steps, drywall work, and interior demolition in two units.
After the update, Council member Jerry Woodgate moved to suspend the scheduled demolition of the unsafe building at 108 Howard Avenue; Council member Mark Wilson seconded. Council members Katie Kowalski, Bill Peters, Mark Wilson and Jerry Woodgate voted aye and the motion carried 4-0.
The suspension follows a previous council decision to move the demolition date from Feb. 19 to March 4 and reflects the council’s response to reported on-site progress. The council did not adopt a new demolition date at the March 3 meeting.
Later in the meeting, St. Paul Police Department Chief Dan Howard presented a separate list of nuisance and unsafe-structure cases. Chief Howard identified nuisances at 1220 Farnum Street (semi-trailer and roll-off dumpster) and 221 Jackson Street (clutter, unlicensed vehicles). He also listed unsafe structures at 416 5th Street (roof holes), 422 5th Street (leaning shed, roof holes), 904 3rd Street (building collapse, animal issues) and 1122 Farnum Street (garage roof collapse).
Council member Mark Wilson moved to begin the city nuisance process for the addresses Chief Howard listed; Council member Bill Peters seconded. Council members Kowalski, Peters, Wilson and Woodgate voted aye, motion carried 4-0.
What the council approved were procedural steps to begin enforcement under local nuisance and building codes; no specific abatement timeline or demolition orders were recorded in the meeting minutes. The council’s actions separate the 108 Howard decision (suspension based on renovation activity) from the newly initiated nuisance processes at the other addresses.
The council adjourned at 8:05 p.m. and did not set additional dates for formal hearings on the nuisance list at that meeting.
