Pints for a Purpose: Rondo Community Land Trust

We are beyond excited to announce that our first Pints for a Purpose partner of 2019 is the Rondo Community Land Trust (CLT). The Rondo CLT is in the midst of developing two mixed-use commercial/residential buildings, the Selby Milton Victoria Project, and the funds from their Pints for a Purpose night on January 17th will help support the installation of artwork along the development that tells the story of the Rondo neighborhood.

About this project:
Rondo Community Land Trust (CLT), along with its partner Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC), is developing two mixed-use commercial/residential buildings, the Selby Milton Victoria Project (SMV). These buildings will provide long-term affordable commercial space for small, local and African American owned businesses along with affordable senior housing. The buildings will be located on two long-vacant parcels of city-owned land at 852 Selby and 940 Selby in St. Paul. There will be a total of 34 units of low-income senior housing. The units will be affordable to those at 30% to 60% of the area median income. There will be 9,300 square feet of long-term, affordable commercial space.

It is important that the art work reflect the rich history of the Rondo neighborhood. Rondo CLT has commissioned Seitu Jones and Ta-coumba T. Aiken to create art work. Seitu and Ta-coumba have recently been involved in several other projects in the Rondo neighborhood that contribute positively to emphasizing the rich African American history in Rondo. These projects include the Jeremiah Program, the Rondo Commemorative Plaza and Walker West Music Academy. These projects help tell the story of the historic Rondo community, long the social and cultural center of the African-American community in Saint Paul.