Former factory proposed as Central Corridor light rail's operation and maintenance facility
A vacant former factory would be a better location for the Central Corridor LRT line’s operation and maintenance facility than a site on county-owned land east of the Lafayette Bridge between Kellogg Boulevard and Warner Road, project designers say.
The 178,000-square-foot Diamond Products building (formerly a Gillette Co. factory) at the northeast corner of Broadway and Prince streets in Lowertown would be better for a number of reasons, including:
The Diamond Products building (left) in St. Paul’s Lowertown may be purchased for the Central Corridor LRT operation and maintenance facility.
- Reduction of construction costs
- Lower operating costs
- Fully functional maintenance facility with train-washing equipment and enclosed storage shed for light rail vehicles
- Preservation of future connection to Union Depot concourse
- Reduction of exposure to poor and contaminated soils
- Reduction of coordination with the reconstruction of the Lafayette Bridge
It would cost about $69 million to buy the Diamond Products building and land east of it and do accompanying construction there, compared with about $72 million for building from scratch on the other site and laying the tracks to it.
The Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority conducted its own study and agreed that using the Diamond Products building would be better. The city of St. Paul and Ramsey County will consider the change shortly through the municipal consent process. The maintenance facility will bring 150 jobs to downtown St. Paul.