St. Paul Ford Plant

Renewable Energy Push Could Bring Thousands of Jobs

The Blue Green Alliance, sponsored by the Sierra Club and the United Steelworkers, released a report in November, 2007 suggesting a switch to an economy fueled by renewables could create as many as 18,000 new manufacturing jobs in Minnesota. In an economy bleeding manufacturing jobs the concept of new jobs creating wind turbines, solar panels, biomass facilities and other products, as well as services in the burgeoning green economic sector, could be a boon to the state.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said after the report's release that the state had the potential to become the Silicon Valley of renewable energy.

To read the report, head for this link: Download BGA-MN-Report.pdf

News coverage of the report's release from Minnesota Monitor and the Strib can be found hereDownload 112707_news_articles_on_mayors_green_manuf_initiative.doc

The Five Scenarios

The Five Scenarios -- no, not a musical group or a movie -- represent the Ford Plant Committee's five favorite plans for the site. Here they are available for download.

Download 1_primaryreuseforindustry.pdf 

Download 2_mixeduselightindustrialflextech.pdf 

Download 3_mixeduseofficeinstitutionalcampus.pdf 

Download 4_mixeduseurbanvillage.pdf 

Download 5_highdensityurbantransitvillage.pdf 

Place them side by side for some interesting visions of the site's potential future.

Power Up A PowerPoint

Okay, so most PowerPoints are as intriguing as watching late night commercials for lute players. Alas, this PowerPoint nails a vision for the Ford Plant so compelling it actually maintains interest. It's the vision of Lynn Hinkle and the merry band of land use and environmental activists -- our partners -- listed on the sidebar to your right.

It's a presentation in motion, meaning it may change in future editions. But for now, here it is.

Download sustainability_design_ford_plant.pdf