Saint Paul, Minnesota: Excesses of the growth coalition and the rise of the alternative growth coalition

The City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the Upper Midwest region of the United States along the Mississippi River, provides an excellent example of the excesses of the growth coalition. It is also a good example of the creation of an alternative growth coalition of neighbourhood‐based organisations seeking to ensure that growth benefits those in most economic need.

Like most American cities in the Eastern and Midwestern parts of the United States that grew up as manufacturing centres, Saint Paul experienced some decline in recent decades as its suburban areas grew. Changes in the economy of the country from manufacturing to service sectors and the common inability of central cities to compete with retail shopping centres in the suburban areas left Saint Paul with some areas of vacant land and distressed buildings.