October in the Zone
October 26, 2021
Neighborhood STAR Loan Dollars Available | Getting to the Roots
Around the Zone | Chroma Zone Exhibit Closes SOON! | CEZ Sizzles
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Low-Interest STAR Loans Available – Apply now!
The CEZ still has a limited amount of low-interest loan funds available for small businesses, nonprofit organizations and commercial property owners who want to make improvements to their properties located in the Zone (with a special extension as far east as Fairview Avenue). The loan funds are made possible through the city of Saint Paul's Neighborhood STAR Program.
Loan sizes range from a minimum of $10,000 to $50,000. The interest rate is 2% and amortizations up to 15 years are possible. A one-to-one match is required for each loan. The match may come from equity, bank loans, or other sources.
Eligible businesses and commercial properties must be located within the CEZ service area, which covers these boundaries (see map above):
- Southern boundary—Interstate 94
- Northern boundary—Railroad tracks south of Energy Park Drive
- Western boundary—Minneapolis/Saint Paul border (Emerald Street)
- Eastern Boundary—Fairview Avenue
Eligible properties must be zoned as commercial, industrial, office, or mixed use. Home-based businesses are not eligible. Loans can be used for exterior and interior capital improvements.
- Examples of eligible exterior building improvements include new windows, signage, murals, art, tuck-pointing, paint, architectural lighting, pedestrian lighting, awnings, graffiti-proofing, and landscaping.
- Examples of capital improvements related to COVID-19 include new patio, upgrade to HVAC, take-out window, permanently affixed equipment.
- Example of eligible interior improvements include display windows, lighting, flooring, and build-outs.
 
The new order station and prep area at Urban Growler, pandemic-related changes made to the brewery's interior to optimize existing space, made possible with funding from the CEZ Neighborhood STAR Program.
CEZ loans may not be used for the following: temporary signage, billboards, equipment that is not affixed to the building, furniture, improvements to public property, parking lot improvements, and capital replacements that don’t constitute an improvement (for example: a new roof).
To learn more about the Neighborhood STAR loan program, contact Angela Casselton by phone at 612.205.7915 or at director@creativeenterprisezone.org.
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Getting to the Roots of new Trees
 
 
Above: Numbered tree tags noting species, dedications, sponsors and community partners. Newly planted and staked tree by U of MN students. Below: The robust root systems of trees grown in gravel beds this summer and harvested in October as part of the CEZ's 100 Trees Initiative.
We did it! Together, with our team of expert partners, property owners, volunteers and shared community, we grew and planted new trees in the CEZ through our first-ever 100 Trees Initiative in 2021. How cool is that?!?!
A huge, deep-rooted thanks to Ben Shardlow (and family) for his time, leadership and dedication to trees, making the CEZ a greener place to work, live and play.
 
(Left) CEZ Board Vice Chair & Public Space Committee leader Ben Shardlow. (Right) The backside of the dedicated tags adorning newly planted and staked trees in the CEZ.
We are grateful to everyone who shared in this hard and important work. Here are just a few of the well-earned shout-outs:
Davey Tree crew - Your team was absolutely essential, cheerful, knowledgeable, and more. We couldn't have done it without you!
Naomi Schroeder, our 100 Trees intern, who helped with utility locates, property owners, and volunteer communications and so much more.
Grace Chryssomallis who designed the beautiful tree tags.
Pat Thompson and Julie Ann James, CEZ board members, who provided essential web and graphic design and much more.
Bob Butterbrodt, CEZ Public Space Committee member, who helped us get the gravel beds made.
Satoko Muratake of TEN x TEN Landscape Architecture & U of MN Instructor, who developed the planting plan and led her excellent tree staking project with her University of Minnesota students. See the cumulative visual effect in the neighborhood (pictured above) - so cool!
Saint Anthony Park Community Council (SAPCC), especially the Environment Committee, for their partnership throughout this season, with special individual shout outs to Michael Russelle for spearheading getting trees to the Kasota Ponds, Stephen Mastey for critical technical assistance early on, and Rennie Gaither for his key insights in managing gravel beds.
Transition Town ASAP for helping us get our intern, recruiting volunteers, and promoting community engagement.
Landbridge Ecological, Tory and crew, for hosting a gravel tree bed, providing much needed advice and counsel (and tools) along the way.
Bailey Nurseries: for donating this year's 100 trees.
The U of MN Good Neighbor Fund for their generous project support.
Angela Casselton, CEZ Director, for her work recruiting gravel bed hosts, promotion at the Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival, and general support.
Bang Brewing, Deneen Pottery, Spot Weld and Exeter, our gravel tree bed hosts.
All the volunteers that gave time and people-power to make this project happen.
2021 dedicated tree sponsors who contributed $50 or more in support of the trees.
Many thanks to the over 60 volunteers, who started their morning at Landbridge Ecological and ended it at new trees sites throughout the Creative Enterprise Zone, making our first-ever Community Tree Planting Day on Saturday, October 9th, a huge success!
Attn: Tree donors - looking for the location for your dedicated tree(s)? Watch for an email in the coming weeks letting you know specifically where your tree was planted, along with a letter acknowledging your tax exempt gift. Many thanks for your patience and support!
Wondering about the trees long-term care? For now, the trees are being watered through a contracted service until they go dormant for winter. After that, we will look to our property owners and residents to help care for the new trees (and hopefully more gravel beds) in the spring. If you are interested in helping to water trees next year, drop us a line at info@creativeenterprisezone.org or watch this e-newsletter for future volunteer opportunities.
Community Tree Planting Day photos by Ben Shardlow, Angela Casselton and Mindy Keskinen of Transition Town- ASAP.
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Around the Zone
Saint Paul artist Kada Goalen (lower left) and leaders of Saint Anthony Park's Community Council hosted a Community Street Painting event on Saturday, Oct. 2., adorning the asphalt on Seal Street, near the newly installed sidewalk on Territorial Road. Just one of several exciting new traffic-related creative projects underway by the SAPCC.
Our friends at the Saint Anthony Park Community Council (SAPCC) have been busy this summer, overseeing the addition of a new sidewalk along Territorial Road, installing the CEZ's first asphalt mural near Seal HiRise, and navigating the city's design guidelines to create an artist-designed crosswalk on Territorial at Carleton Street.
As noted in their recent newsletter, "These placemaking measures have been the work of the SAPCC Transportation Committee in order to let drivers on Territorial Road know to slow down — this is a place where people live!" This is especially important as our residential numbers continue to grow.
The street painted mural on Seal Street was designed and implemented by local artist Kada Goalen and features native Minnesota plants and animals (with the exception of the seal, requested by the residents of Seal HiRise.)
Saint Paul's Thomasina Topbear is the artist behind the repeating pattern of Morning Stars found on the new crosswalk at Carleton Street, recently added to provide safe connection for residents and businesses on both sides of Territorial Road. The Morning Star, often thought of as the star quilt pattern, is an important symbol of Dakota Culture, representing the connection between this world and the spirit world of their ancestors.
The Morning Star also figures prominently in Thomasina's other creative endeavor in the CEZ, the colorful "Unci Maka" (Grandmother Earth) mural at Murphy Rigging, a half block east of the crosswalk. Created for the 2021 Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival, the artist writes, "We are still here and I do think it’s very important that our culture is shared. I especially believe that these teachings should be shared by Lakota & Dakota people." To learn more about artist Thomasina Topbear, read her festival bio and statement here, or follow her at @tomierae and linktr.ee/Thomasinatopbear.
Saint Paul artist Thomasina Topbear, pictured here with Tom Jay, installing the new creative crosswalk at Carleton and Territorial Road, thanks to planning by SAPCC's Transportation Committee, with funding from the AARP Community Challenge and University of Minnesota Good Neighbor Fund. Photo courtesy of Saint Anthony Park Community Council.
If transportation and placemaking are areas of interest for you, consider joining the SAPCC Transportation Committee. Learn more at sapcc.org.
Have you seen Kada Goalen's other new mural at the corner of Fairview Ave N and Thomas Ave W.? It's located on the administrative offices of the Feline Rescue. Follow her @kada_creative, or check out her website at kada-creative.com.
New mural at 600 Fairview Ave N, painted by muralist Kada Goalen, on the administrative offices of Feline Rescue.
Chroma Zone Exhibit @ Vandalia - Closes Sunday!
Image: Untitled (Buff Series), 2021. 48” x 83” Latex and aerosol paint on canvas. By 2021 Chroma Zone muralist Peyton Scott Russell. On view through Sunday, October 31.
NewStudio Gallery, in partnership with the Creative Enterprise Zone and Baum Revision, are pleased to present the Chroma Zone Artists Exhibition at Vandalia Tower in St. Paul. The exhibition showcases vivid, culturally engaging work by Chroma Zone mural artists and alumni on the first level of Vandalia Tower, a former King Koil Mattress Factory under renovation by NewStudio Architecture (home of NewStudio Gallery). On view through Sunday, October 31 during regular building hours. Learn more about Vandalia Tower and its growing list of tenants here.
The exhibition features screen prints, paintings, clothing, and banners that are all available for purchase through NewStudio Gallery's convenient online shop here.
Chroma Zone mural artists and alumni participating in the exhibition include: Rock (“Cyfi”) Martinez, Kao Lee Thao, Biafra, Inc.,Witt Siasoco, Mike Davis (Burlesque), Katrina Knutson, Reggie LeFlore, Martzia Thometz, and Peyton Scott Russell.
Can't make it to the Chroma Zone Artists Exhibition at Vandalia Tower?
Take a virtual tour of the exhibit at newstudiogallery.com or by clicking on the image below. Hurry! Show closes Sunday, Oct. 31.
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And now, a little Chroma Zone sizzle....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xfr9LJ-sqo
We are proud of the work we are do to promote, engage, and connect the people, places and creative economy of Saint Paul's Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ), and we hope you are too!
Check out this year's fantastic new "sizzle reel" created for the 2021 Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival by the talented Jon Reynolds and his team at Venn Media Production. Enjoy!
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Ready, Map and Go!
2021 Chroma Zone muralist Peyton Russell Scott standing in front of "WE (#3)" on the north wall of Avalon School, 700 Glendale Street. Photo courtesy of Venn Media Production.
Any day is a great day to check out the murals created over the past three years in the CEZ. Download our 2021 CEZ mural map HERE and mural script HERE to take a self-directed tour of the 10 incredible new murals created by the local artists during the 2021 Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival. Browse artists profiles and content at chromazone.net.
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Your investment in the Creative Enterprise Zone — the district and the 501(c)3 organization — supports community-driven programs, investments, and public initiatives that attract and support creative people and businesses to #MakeItHere.
Make a online donation using the button below or donate by check sent to:
Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ), PO Box 14252, Saint Paul, MN 55114.
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