Wheelock-Grotto Reconstruction Phase 2

Construction Schedule

• Week of June 1 - construction activities anticipated to begin, including placement of construction signs and temporary water main
• Starting June 15 - removals are expected to start

There are many street segments included in this project. Specific work locations and schedules are dependent on weather and the contractor’s capacity. Work may not always be happening on your block. 

The contractor intends to begin work on East Como Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue early to mid-June, 2026 and then move southeastward. 

Map showing the order of anticipated construction by area

General order of street construction (each block or roadway section will likely be on a different schedule):

• Construction set up, including signage and temporary water mains
• Removal of existing roadway
• Underground utility work
• Construction of concrete curb and gutter
• Construction of roadway
• Installation of new sidewalk and pedestrian ramps
• Final layer of roadway asphalt
• Boulevard restoration 
• Tree plantings (often happen the following year)

Apply for a Native Landscape Grant

Residents in the Wheelock-Grotto Street Reconstruction Phase 2 area have the opportunity to apply for a native landscaping grant from the Capitol Region Watershed District. 

Native Landscape Grant is a one time grant award up to $1,000. The following activities and materials are eligible for the grant award:

• Purchase of native plants or native cultivars
• Purchase of soil, mulch, and edging
• Rental of equipment and tools
• Contracted construction

For more information about Native Landscape Grants: https://www.capitolregionwd.org/grants/native-landscape-grants/

To apply for a Native Landscape Grant, complete the application: https://www.capitolregionwd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Native-Landscape-Grant-Application-new.pdf 

Utility Work

Lead Water Service Line Replacement

Update 5.18.26: Saint Paul Regional Water Services (SPRWS) is on site replacing lead service lines.

SPRWS will replace lead services to properties that participate in the Lead Free SPRWS Program. If you have a lead water service, you will receive notice from SPRWS with details. For additional information go to www.stpaul.gov/water/lead-free, call 651-266-6820, or email lead@stpaul.gov.

Sewers

Property owners are responsible for their private sanitary sewer lines that are under the roadway and connect to the city’s main sewer line. Because the street is being reconstructed, it is a good time to undertake needed or preventative work/repairs on your private sanitary sewer line. The project encourages everyone to have their sanitary sewer connection inspected to verify its condition. For questions, contact the Sewer Utility service desk at 651-266-6234 or PW-SewerCounter@ci.stpaul.mn.us.

Video Presentation

Please watch the Wheelock-Grotto Phase 2 video presentation (September 2025) to learn more about the project. You can also view the PowerPoint slides used in the video.

For additional information about the project, see the PowerPoint Slides used during the October 23, 2025 community meeting and shared during the November 6, 2025 office hours.

Tree Removals and Replacements

Update 3/25/26: Tree removals are scheduled for the week of March 30 in the Phase 2 area.

Update 3/10/26: On Monday, March 9, 2026, Forestry staff, the project manager, and the contractor Hugo Tree Care marked 61 trees in the Wheelock-Grotto Phase 2 construction area for removal. These trees are marked with a red X. Hugo Tree Care will be on site in the next couple of weeks to remove the marked trees.

Tree removals and replacements are part of every street construction project as construction activities can be damaging to boulevard trees. The city works to minimize the construction impacts to trees.

Tree removals will be completed by April 14, 2026, due to endangered species habitat regulations. Trees to be removed will be marked in advance with paint, with a red X on the trunk. Additional trees may need to be removed during construction.

Public Works Street Design and Construction works with Forestry staff in the Parks and Recreation Department to determine tree removals and tree replacement. Trees could be removed for several reasons, including:

• Poor tree health or condition, including any pre-existing signs of decline and/or structural defects
• Proximity to the installation of curbs and/or sidewalk that impacts tree root systems and structural stability or health of the tree
• Underground utility work conflicts, including lead water service replacement, private sanitary sewer replacement, and/or sewer or water main repairs or installations
• Roadway regrading that conflicts with existing root systems of trees

The City of Saint Paul values trees and strives to maintain and preserve our urban canopy wherever possible. Tree replacement is a critical component of all city street construction projects.  

The city will plant new trees once the street construction project is completed. New tree plantings include diverse species selections, providing a more resilient urban canopy across Saint Paul.

Sidewalks

The city is committed to making Saint Paul a pedestrian friendly, walkable community for everyone. In February 2017, the Saint Paul City Council adopted a policy of installing sidewalks where none exist as an integral part of all reconstruction projects. 

The project will incorporate sidewalk recommendations from the 2023 Como Park High School and Como Park Elementary Safe Routes to School Plan within the project limits. The plan was developed by Saint Paul Public Schools staff and students along with the City of Saint Paul. It includes recommendations for street improvements near the two schools with the goal of increasing the number of students and families who walk and bike to school. The plan recommends sidewalks where there are none.

The standard placement for sidewalk installation is at the private property line. The city will work around existing trees and infrastructure where possible.

Public Hearing on January 28

The City of Saint Paul held a public hearing for the Wheelock-Grotto Phase 2 reconstruction project, during the city council meeting on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. Information about the city council meeting is available on the Council’s agenda at www.stpaul.legistar.com.

Property owners, tenants, and others were invited to attend the hearing to provide comments or provide comments in advance via email, written letter, or voice mail. A sample notice mailing is included in the Project Documents section below. 

For more information about the assessment, or to see if you are being assessed, please call 651-266-8858 with the parcel ID/address listed in your letter. All property owners were mailed a notification letter with the hearing information and the estimated assessment details from the Office of Financial Services. 

More information about special assessments, including how the special assessment is calculated, is available at stpaul.gov/specialassessments.