Title
Renaming the portion of Concordia Avenue between Griggs Street and Mackubin Street to Rondo Avenue.
Body
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of St. Paul desires to rename Concordia Avenue between Griggs Street to Mackubin Street and restore its former name: Rondo Avenue; and
WHEREAS, in the mid-1900's the City’s Rondo Avenue neighborhood was a thriving center of African American life in Minnesota, and was an important and historical location of African American commerce and culture; and
WHEREAS, the construction of the Interstate 94 corridor through the Rondo neighborhood resulted in the destruction of many businesses owned by African Americans and further displaced hundreds of neighborhood families from their homes; and
WHEREAS, in 1964, in conjunction with the construction of I-94, the City Council adopted a resolution to rename Rondo Avenue to Concordia Avenue; and
WHEREAS, the City Council believes, where possible and appropriate, that reclaiming and preserving Saint Paul’s historic cultural identity to be in the public interest; and
WHEREAS, prior to 1964, Rondo Avenue extended from Griggs Street to Mackubin Street;
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that returning Concordia Avenue back to Rondo Avenue will help to reclaim the cultural history of the Rondo neighborhood and is therefore in the public’s interest; and
WHEREAS, the City Council further finds that renaming Concordia Ave from Griggs Street to Mackubin Street back to Rondo Avenue is a necessary step to reclaiming the Rondo neighborhood’s lost cultural and historical identities; and
WHEREAS, Legislative Code § 73.04 (11) requires the Heritage Preservation Commission to review and comment on proposed street names; and
WHEREAS, on November 20th, 2023, the Heritage Preservation Commission reviewed the proposal to rename Concordia Avenue to Rondo Avenue and unanimously approved the proposed name change for the reasons set forth by the Heritage Preservation Commission which the Council incorporates her...
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