I took a drive/walk along university early yesterday morning when no one was looking. It looks like some of the businesses are surviving light rail construction and there are a couple of new chain type fast food places wedged in between the wonderful asian restaurants. There are some vacant store fronts along University avenue where construction killed some of the businesses that were spared by the great recession.
When my mother was in college she took a train down the very same street but back then they called the trains street cars. The tracks were torn out long ago in the name of progress. Back then progress was buses. Now progress is trains so they are putting the track back onto University. [Click on the photos to make them larger]
University Ave and Lexington
University Ave just East of Snelling
University Ave near Berry, East of Raymond
People ask me if the light rail will have an impact on local housing. Yes it will. The rail line has created construction jobs already and there are some apartments on the rail line that will also benefit.
The street improvements and stations look wonderful.
love it!