St Paul Condo Guide

With a little more than a month left of summer, there are still plenty of ways to get outdoors and enjoy the season.

Examiner writer Marie Malinowski offers a list of mountain biking trails around Minnesota. Whether you’re a veteran mountain biker or just cutting your teach in to sport, there’s something for everyone on this list.

If you feel like switching gears, there are plenty of great backpacking trails around the state. TheBackpacker.com offers a listing and reviews of several favorite trails.

Some of us, however, would honestly rather see the trees and squirrels in a nice painting…with a drink in our hand. For those, I suggest checking out some of the great rooftop patios and outdoor dining locations around the cities. CityPages offers its top 25, but some of our favorites include Stella’s Fish Market and Lord Fletcher’s.

Also, here is a great list of outdoor art shows around the area by Midwest Weekends

Fourth of July in the Cities

Fourth of July Rodeo in St Paul - The 74th Annual St Paul Rodeo returns this year with everything from Professional Bull-Riding to a BBQ Cook-Off to Carnivals and Youth Rides. For More informations, See stpaulrodeo.com

The Taste of Minnesota in St Paul runs from July 2-5, located at Harriet Island. The festival features a fireworks show each night, and while the event costs $10 to get in, the show can be seen from accross the river.

View great fireworks the Red, White and Boom event in Minneapolis. Fireworks at 10 on the Minneapolis Riverfront cap off a night of entertainment on the 4th.

If you’re more indoor-inclined, the Walker Art Center is not only open on the 4th of July, but it offers free admission.

Firework shows can be seen in almost every subburb surrounding the city. Most begin at 10 pm, but check city sites for more information.

Recently, the Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority finalized an $8.2 million deal to make Union Depot a regional, multi-modal transportation hub for the light rail system.
The move is great news for residents and potential residents of the Union Depot Condominiums, approximately 33 units located in the Depot, which is already home to the likes of Christos Restaurant. JAS Apartments anticipates an upswing in unit sales as it has seen a sharp increase in showings since news of the deal.

Not only will the hub provide direct service for the Union Depot residents, but also for condo residents in nearby projects, such as the River Park Lofts.

More apartment buildings and condos are kicking the habit to give Twin City residents and renters smoke-free options. The Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota says that nearly 280 complexes have at least one smoke-free building to offer tenants.

It works for the owners who figure to have lower property damage concerns and for tenants with health concerns of second hand smoke seeping in through vents and infrastructure. It’s too soon to tell, though, if the new trend will be work for those trying to sell property in non-smoking buildings.