Browsing by Author "McKay, Buck"
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Item Assessment of Long-Term Commercial Vancies in Saint Paul(2018-05-09) Larson, Emily; McKay, Buck; Rashid, UmarLong-term vacancies in the City of Saint Paul are detrimental to neighborhood vitality and depress economic growth. Based on our analysis, we recommend the following actions for reducing long-term commercial vacancies: ● Improve Processes ○ Create and maintain a comprehensive list of commercial vacancies. ○ Better align Historic Preservation Commission activities with other City departments. ○ Promote signage to activate spaces and invigorate Saint Paul streets. ○ Expand online permitting. ● Incentivize Behaviors ○ Increase property taxes on long-term commercial vacancies. ○ Use tax revenues (from long-term commercial vacancies) to provide tax incentives to attract new businesses. ● Activate Spaces ○ Create a business pop-up/incubator program. Scope & Process: We implemented an exploratory approach in which discoveries in the first phase of the project informed and directed the work plan for subsequent phases. Work proceeded in three phases, which may be likened to a medical process: observation, diagnosis, and prescription.Item City of Ramsey: Where the Heartland Begins(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2018) Born, Trevor; Graney, Erin; MacPhail, Amanda; McKay, Buck; Timba, DianeThis project was completed as part of the 2017-2018 Resilient Communities Project (rcp.umn.edu) partnership with the City of Ramsey. Despite Ramsey’s rich history, it is often confused with Ramsey County (located on the opposite side of the Twin Cities metro area) or the neighboring community of Anoka. Ramsey has a central brand, but it is often not used to its full potential. Students in JOUR 8202: Generation and Selection of Communication Strategies, taught by Steve Wehrenberg, worked with City staff and used various methods to gain resident feedback on the aspects of Ramsey valued most by residents. The students used this information to develop a unique branding strategy that will not only help people distinguish Ramsey from other communities, but will also attract new residents and businesses to the city. The students’ final report is available.Item Organics Recycling in the City of Ramsey(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2018) Born, Trevor; Graney, Erin; MacPhail, Amanda; McKay, Buck; Timba, DianeThis project was completed as part of the 2017-2018 Resilient Communities Project (rcp.umn.edu) partnership with the City of Ramsey. The state of Minnesota is requiring municipalities to have a plan to divert 75% of waste from landfills by the year 2020. Many municipalities, including the City of Ramsey, are looking to organics recycling as a means to reach this goal. Students in PA 5712: Science to Action, taught by Steve Kelley, examined how organics recycling programs have been implemented in other cities. The students interviewed waste hauling companies, municipalities, and Ramsey residents to better understand how these programs work, and the willingness of Ramsey residents to participate in them. The group outlined business models the City of Ramsey could adopt that would facilitate organics recycling programs through the public, private, or non-profit sectors. The students’ final report and survey results are available.