The construction of Interstate 94 (I-94) pierced through the heart of the Rondo neighborhood, devastating the community. The impact was astronomical. More than 700 homes were demolished, numerous businesses were displaced, and a vibrant cultural district was torn apart.
Now, more than half a century later, a community-led initiative, ReConnect Rondo, is working to restore what was lost with a bold and transformative proposal that will start with the Rondo Land Bridge.
ReConnect Rondo held a Rondo Plan Discussion and Dinner at the Wilder Foundation in St. Paul on Nov. 4, detailing its vision for renewing the community. Their “Restorative Development Neighborhood Plan” has six key elements:
Transportation and mobility: Rondo will be a place that provides safe and viable multimodal transportation options for all while applying innovative approaches to mobility and encouraging healthy living.
Parks and open space: Rondo will foster a neighborhood where people are connected to nature and their community.
Economic opportunity: Rondo will be a healthy local economy that supports entrepreneurship and job opportunities, develops youth, builds intergenerational wealth, and is a hub of the African American community.
Housing opportunity: Rondo will be a place that provides equitable and affordable housing designed to rebuild the community in a manner that prevents displacement and builds generational wealth.
Environment and resilience: Rondo will become more resilient by intentionally cultivating its natural and social resources.
History, culture and arts: Rondo will sustain and grow its identity, build community, and spark economic vitality so that Rondo becomes the center of African American cultural institutions for the region.
For many in Rondo, the destruction caused by I-94 was not just a matter of lost homes but the disruption of a thriving, self-sustaining community. “I-94 destroyed the social, cultural, economic, civic and spiritual fabric of the Rondo community,” said Keith Baker, executive director of ReConnect Rondo. “The freeway cut through the neighborhood, wreaking havoc on the lives of countless Black and brown families and businesses. The scars of that destruction are still felt today.”
ReConnect Rondo’s work is grounded in the belief that this community can be restored and revitalized. “How do you restore a community that has been so devastated? How do we bring economic opportunity to a community that has been impacted in the way Rondo has?” Baker asked. “What happened to Rondo is a story shared by hundreds of communities across the country. These questions need answers, not just for us here in St. Paul, but on a national scale.”
The project will involve building significant community assets, including housing, business incubation, educational opportunities, and the land bridge. ReConnect Rondo has spent years working with local, regional and state agencies to secure the necessary support and funding for the project.
During the discussion, ReConnect Rondo’s leadership team outlined plans to develop an Anti-Displacement Toolkit to keep residents in the neighborhood, establish a Right to Remain and Return for people who were displaced by the construction of I-94, create a Rondo Community Investment Trust to enable the Rondo community to benefit from future development around the land bridge, and institute a Rondo Community Reinvestment Fund to use revenues from the land bridge to support community assets.
Despite the promise of renewal, the city’s rapid growth and rising property values have already pushed some longtime residents out of the neighborhood. ReConnect Rondo aims to prevent this by ensuring that the land bridge and accompanying developments benefit the existing community.
ReConnect Rondo is working to create not just a physical bridge but a catalyst for economic recovery, cultural revival, and community healing. The land bridge, which would span I-94, is central to their vision of reconnecting the neighborhood and addressing the legacy of displacement, Baker said.
“It just so happens that the focus point of our work is geographically Rondo, but this is about the impact of the highway system on Black communities in Minnesota. It’s critical to see that connection because this isn’t the first or last time we’ve been dispersed and made to feel disjointed.”
He added that the land bridge is about more than physically reconnecting the two halves of the neighborhood. It’s about restoring the cultural and economic vitality that existed before the interstate cut through. The land bridge would provide a space for the community to heal, rebuild and flourish.
The proposed land bridge would stretch across I-94, connecting the northern and southern parts of Rondo, which were historically one cohesive community. But the bridge is envisioned as more than just an infrastructure project. It is a centerpiece of an expansive effort to create a thriving cultural, economic, and social hub for the neighborhood.
Baker sees the project as a unique opportunity to address longstanding disparities in the African American community. “This land bridge could be catalytic to reigniting an African American cultural enterprise district,” he noted.
By creating space for businesses, community gathering, and cultural institutions, ReConnect Rondo aims to restore not only the physical fabric of the neighborhood but also help it thrive economically and culturally again.
“There are three major components: designing and building the structure, development on top of that structure, and programmatic elements that will help build up the community from there,” Baker said.
The group’s approach includes securing funding for affordable housing and business support for Black-owned businesses. Baker is adamant that economic development cannot come at the expense of the community’s longstanding residents: “It’s critical that we address housing instability and make sure that Rondo’s residents are the primary beneficiaries of this development.”
For Craig Vaughn, the principal of Transportation Collaborative & Consultants (TC2) and a member of the ReConnect Rondo team, the project is more than just a professional undertaking. It is deeply personal.
Vaughn grew up in Rondo, and the destruction of the neighborhood directly impacted his family. “My father moved to the Rondo community in 1951 and lived on Rondo Avenue and Grotto Street. He was negatively impacted by the destruction and displacement of Rondo. I am forever connected to Rondo,” he said.
Vaughn’s passion for the project is evident, and his professional expertise is key to the success of the neighborhood planning process. “As a young kid growing up in Rondo, I would’ve never thought that I would grow up to be a transportation and community planning professional who’s able to pour knowledge back into my community,” Vaughn said. “This is a passion project of mine from a professional perspective, but it’s also something near and dear to my heart.”
Vaughn hopes that the land bridge will allow the community to see its own vision for the future come to life. “Many of us say that the Rondo we see today isn’t the Rondo we remember. I’m hopeful that the community is able to see the reflection of their ideas and aspirations in the work that we have done and will continue to do,” he said.
The full cost of the land bridge project is estimated to exceed $400 million, a significant investment in the future of Rondo. While the project is large in scale, Baker is confident that the return on investment will be well worth it.
“Minnesota spent around $350 million on the Viking Stadium and over $400 million on Target Field. It’s not a lot of money in terms of what the potential return is,” he said. “When we invested in the stadium and the field, they brought us passive benefits to the neighboring areas, but ReConnect Rondo is focused on directly benefiting the Rondo community.”
Baker views the land bridge as an opportunity to create lasting change for the neighborhood, the city and state. By investing in the community, St. Paul could see a significant return in terms of economic growth, higher property values, and increased tax revenue.
ReConnect Rondo is focused on restoring what was lost: the homes, businesses, cultural heritage, and sense of community that once defined Rondo. They expect to host a community review of the final draft plan in December and hope the city will adopt it in early 2025.
Alexzia Shobe welcomes reader responses to ashobe@spokesman-recorder.com.