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Lowertown is the most well known of the neighborhoods that make up Downtown Saint Paul.  About half of the Downtown population lives here, loosely defined as stretching east from Jackson Street to the edge of Downtown, and running from I-94 to the Mississippi.

This neighborhood is defined by the large number of historic buildings and the artists who live in many of them.  Many of these historic buildings are converted warehouses, such as the Tilsner, and artists, who make up as much as a third of the population.

The amenities of Lowertown are as amazing as you can expect in a Downtown location.  One of the most important is the Farmer’s Market, which is the perfect place to greet your neighbors in the summer.  There are also over 40 bars and restaurants within easy walking distance, and access to the skyway system keeps everyone warm in the winter. 

The people who have chosen to live there are about 3,000 strong with all of the new construction that is finishing up.  Downtown as a whole has 85% of all units standing as rental, but that figure generally taken as a bit less in Lowertown.  The median age of Downtown residents  is 40, which is considerably higher than the median of 35 for Saint Paul.  Accurate figures for Lowertown are hard to come by, since it is part of the D owntown Census Tract but known to be somewhat younger.

People who live in Downtown do not necessarily work there.  40% reported that they drove to work alone, meaning they likely work outside of the skyway system.  However, 31% walked to work, showing the great diversity of people who live there.  In fact, fully 37% of the population reports not owning a car at all!  There is one thing that is true for nearly all of the population, however, in that only 0.5% report having children in the household.

New residents are arriving all the time to Lowertown as more buildings are renovated or built.  One of the most exciting projects involved clearing the “Northeast Quadrant” and rebuilding it as an urban village.  The Wacouta Commons includes many important and stylish new condos, such as the 38 unit Essex, built around the new Wacouta Commons Park.  This has created spin-off development around it, such as the 37 unit (in phase 1) Printer’s Row.  Most of this development, on the northern edge of Lowertown, has been in new construction, adding to the texture of a neighborhood defined by so many historic structures.

The texture and opportunities of Lowertown make for a rich and exciting life.  While it is know for converted warehouses and artists, it is actually very diverse draws people from all kinds of professions and ages.  What is common to everyone who lives there is that they enjoy an urban life that is still comfortable and warm.  Lowertown is one of the few neighborhoods that can offer so much to everyone.