Like northeast Minneapolis a decade or two ago, Dayton's Bluff is a neighborhood in transformation. As places like the Strip Club and Swede Hollow Café bring patrons to the other side of downtown St. Paul, people are getting exposed to the history, beauty, diversity, and culture of the neighborhood. Sitting high on land that overlooks the Mississippi River, Dayton's Bluff is full of gorgeous historic properties—Queen Anne Victorians, brownstones, and brick manors—available at a fraction of the price of many other city neighborhoods. The area is within walking distance of the St. Paul Farmers' Market and Mears Park, and is home to Swede Hollow Park, Indian Mounds Park, and the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Regional Trails. The Bluff also has a wealth of food culture. Italian, Salvadoran, Mexican, Hmong, Vietnamese, and Thai restaurants and markets, along with several incredible taco trucks, make the area a food-geek paradise. The neighborhood is also known for the intense community involvement of residents, evidenced by the multitude of programs promoting neighborhood improvement in the arts, housing, employment, and education. Recently the nonprofit Historic St. Paul reserved money for renovating many of the facades of the businesses on East Seventh Street, and it has started the Fourth Street Preservation Project to help homebuyers renovate, as a way to further preserve and beautify this picturesque neighborhood.
Coming from a historic city on the East Coast (Philly) i am looking to spend time in the Twin Cities area and Dayton's Bluff seemed like a natural fit, I'm a professional, love the arts and architecture. I have an offer in on a historic home but now I'm getting scared about tumbling property values and crime. Lisa's insulated comments seem extreme, but though shallow, seem to have some merit. Someone please tell me tell otherwise! As a single female, safety is key.
I see the web posting by Lisa, I am not sure what this report would look like when you pull any area of the twin cities, I am sure that there are issues all over. But in small type in the corner it states "DISCLAIMER: Statistics displayed do not reflect official crime index totals. The listed crimes are subject to change for reasons including, but not limited to: late reporting,reclassification of some offenses, and discovery that someoffenses were unfounded." So it does give you some information but how much of this is correct when all is said and done. The real way to judge a neighborhood is to live in it. And I for one am a happy resident. So I am not sure why you would want to talk bad about a neighborhood you do not live in but it is sad that this is the only thing you look at when it comes to a neighborhood. I choose to look at the glass as half full vs half empty but to each her own.
I agree with Caryn about Lisa's comment. Lisa obviously didn't look around much and it sounds like she came into the situation with pre-existing perceptions. I've lived in Dayton's Bluff for 4 years and absolutely love it. I agree with Caryn that the neighbors look out for each other. I'm surrounded by very loyal people. And for better or for worse, the demographic of the project that Lisa speaks of is starting to move here. I've seen change just in the last 4 years. I'm glad you're happy in the burbs, Lisa. Based on your comments, that's where you belong.
(Another correction) Well it did it again,it changed my spelling again, see the last 2 comments, not sure why but I hope you all know what I mean.
(Correction to the last post) The first line should say Dayton’s Bluff not Daytona, not sure what happened but that is not what I typed.
I am a little surprised by the last comment, I am guessing that she did not go anywhere except 4th street, but the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood as a whole is great. I have lived here going on 15 years now and would not live anywhere else. If you want the travel time to town and the long commute home then the burbs might be the place for you. I for one got sick of the rat race and purchased my home by Indian Mounds Park in 1994 and could not be happier. The community involvement is something to be envied; I have never felt more part of a community than I do living here. People that live here care about there neighbors and watch out for each other. The 4th street project is just that, a project to help restore the area to what it used to be and only when good people move back to that street will it be as good as the street I live on. You can not judge the entire neighborhood on one street. Most of us have been here a very long time and love living here. I agree with the reporter about the gorgeous historic properties and the great businesses within miles of my home, it is one of perks of living in the best undiscovered neighborhoods in the twin cities area. I am sorry she had such a bad experience but I can speak for the area and what she experienced is not a true representation of the great community of our Dayton’s bluff neighborhood. Come on by if you want to experience it for yourself, take a drive to Indian Mounds Park and walk or bike the trails that go for miles and miles, this is one of the most beautiful times of the year, pack a picnic and see for yourself what a great place this is.
I would like to know how much money the city of St. Paul paid you to print this?? Seeing as how they are stuck with a glutton of homes that they purchased that no one wants to buy. I was thinking about buying in the area..namely the 4th St preservation project. After looking at the area and the filth that lives there I quickly changed my mind. Who wants to look at freeloaders right across the street after you put in your 8 hour workday. I felt like I should just drop off my paycheck at their front door every two weeks to pay their welfare for the month. Not to mention running crime reports in that area yielded a pretty scary picture in one week there was 56 calls! In one week!! If the area is so great why are all those houses still vacant a year after the project began? Good luck getting the demographic that the project was started for to move there...as for myself I now live in the burbs and couldn't be happier
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