Nellie Stone Johnson Memorial Dedication
The Minnesota Capitol welcomed a statue of Nellie Stone Johnson to its artworks collection on Monday, November 21, 2022, and Governor Tim Walz proclaimed it Nellie Stone Johnson Day. More than a dozen speakers and hundreds of admirers celebrated Nellie’s inspiring life and indefatigable spirit. Nellie Stone Johnson is best known as a labor rights leader and organizer, a civil rights leader, an educator, an advisor to two U.S. Vice Presidents, and one of the founders of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.
The statue of Nellie Stone Johnson is the first one placed in the Minnesota State Capitol building since 1959; is the first of an African American woman in the Minnesota State Capitol; and is the first memorialized through government action in any U.S. state capitol building.
Artist Timothy Cleary crafted the statue with input from close friends and family on the Nellie Stone Johnson statue committee. Read here to learn more about Nellie Stone Johnson, the Nellie Stone Johnson organization and scholarship committee, and artist Timothy Cleary.
News & Updates
Recent & Upcoming Board Meetings
Next Meeting: Date and time TBD
Aug. 24th Agenda | Board Packet Items | Live Stream
Apr. 5th Agenda | Board Packet Items | Live Stream
Mar. 14th Public Hearing Recording | Hearing Introduction Presentation | CAAPB Presentation | Transcript
Jan. 18th Agenda | Board Packet Items | Live Stream
Commemorative Works Rulemaking
Revised Rules governing commemorative works on the Minnesota Capitol grounds took effect on November 21, 2022. Information on the application process to request consideration of adding a new work or modifying or removing an existing work is available on the Applications webpage.
The Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board approved an Order to Adopt amendments to its rules governing monuments, memorials and works of art [aka Commemorative Works] on the Minnesota State Capitol grounds. All information about this topic can be found on our webpage, Rulemaking: Commemorative Works on the Minnesota Capitol Grounds.
Bethesda Site: Vision for New Mental Health Facility Approved by CAAPB
"The New Behavioral Health Hospital Project at 559 North Capitol Boulevard in St. Paul, Minnesota, on a site formerly known as Bethesda Hospital, is a joint venture between Fairview Health Services and Acadia Healthcare. The new Hospital is a five-story, ~108,000 sf facility with 144 beds serving the mental health needs of adult, child/adolescent, and geriatric inpatients and outpatients. The new Hospital includes six inpatient nursing units highlighted by social spaces with generous natural light in tower elements at the building corners, a gymnasium and exterior activity yards for interior/exterior patient recreation, and an outpatient center for post-discharge step-down treatment of patients – all in a state-of-the-art and healing environment." Review the approved schematic drawings, application materials and community review timeline here.
Sears Site Design Process
The March 2nd 2021 Board Meeting marked the beginning of the community design review process realizing the community plan for a mixed-use transit-oriented urban village near Capitol Rice LRT Station. Aspirational images presented by owner/developer team (Seritage Growth Properties) are the first iteration of a series of submittals to occur during a ‘predevelopment’ process featuring community discussions, individual surveys and stakeholder meetings involving neighbors, neighborhood groups and institutions. View the Sears Site Design Process page for more information and to share your views.
Capitol Area Stormwater Management Study
Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) and Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board (CAAPB) are partners on a stormwater management study to understand water quality and quantity issues in the Capitol Area and identify regional green infrastructure opportunities for improved stormwater management. CRWD and CAAPB believe that stormwater management strategies will be integral to achieving the broader vision and goals in the Capitol Area comprehensive plan. Visit CRWD's website (linked above) for further information.