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St. Paul, Minn.

Along the Green Line, lives and businesses changed for good and bad

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Lee believes she will close her business
For 12 years, Ia Lee has owned her tailoring and suit shop, New Fashion. Even though it is located only a block from the newly opened Dale St. Green Line stop, Lee believes she will have to close her business in the next six months due to lack of business. "I used to have customers regularly. Now, after the Green Line opened, the store is empty," said Lee.
Will Matsuda / MPR News

Much like Portland and Seattle, where studies show that widespread development have raised costs, the new transportation corridor linking Minneapolis and St. Paul is experiencing economic pressure. It comes on top of the burdens they shouldered during building of the Green Line, when the disruption of construction hit businesses hard.

A 2013 court-ordered report by Metro Transit found that along the central corridor during construction, businesses that participated in the Business Support Fund "saw a range of losses from 2 to 84 percent of average monthly revenues,'' with a mean average sales losses of 30 percent.

For many, the troubles continue. Photojournalist Will Matsuda took a look at some of the lives that have been changed by the Green Line.

Disclosure: Minnesota Public Radio and the Metropolitan Council are negotiating ways to reduce noise and vibrations from the newly built light rail line outside MPR headquarters under a contract agreed to in 2009.

Gallery
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The changing face of the central corridor
As development along the Green Line occurs, the face of the central corridor will surely continue to evolve. To what extent and exactly how the neighborhoods will change is yet to be determined.
Will Matsuda / MPR News
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Ia Lee owns a tailoring and suit shop.
For 12 years, Ia Lee has owned her tailoring and suit shop, New Fashion. Even though it is located only a block from the newly opened Dale St. Green Line stop, Lee believes she will have to close her business in the next six months due to lack of business. "I used to have customers regularly. Now, after the Green Line opened, the store is empty," said Lee.
Will Matsuda / MPR News
2 of 19
New Fashion located near the Dale St. stop.
Small business owners like Ia Lee are questioning how the new development around the line will effect them. Jay Lee, owner of BG Food Market, Inc., says he thinks it is only good for some. "Light rail is good for the big businesses, not small family businesses like ours. Our small stores are much harder to access now."
Will Matsuda / MPR News