ST PAUL, Minn. — It's a time of growth at the University of St. Thomas.
"We've been seeing our undergraduate growth excel, which we're really excited about," said Jerome Benner, director of neighborhood and community relations for the university.
As the school continues to grow, new facilities are needed – especially as the school receives a new classification.
"We're proud that we are a D1 facility now," said Benner. "With that, we'd like to continue to upgrade our facilities."
Those upgrades are easy to spot on campus. Construction has already begun on a new, 5,500-seat arena for basketball and hockey.
"There's so many areas of St. Thomas where we've grown, you know, academically as well as through our athletic program," Benner said. "And so we want to continue that growth."
It's growth that doesn't come without some pushback – including from the university's neighbors.
"This is a project that is just way too huge for the neighborhood, on a part where people live," Beth Brombach, a resident living near the university's south campus, said.
Brombach says she remembers a time when the neighborhood near campus was quiet – now, traffic is easy to see and hear.
"We're not anti-St. Thomas, we never have been," Brombach said. "I just don't think you do it in a sleepy neighborhood."
She's not the only one against this. Signs are easy to spot along streets nearby, all saying "no" to the new arena.
"There are environmental concerns, there are neighborhood concerns that have a lot to do with traffic and parking," Dan Kennedy, president of Advocates for Responsible Development (ADR), said.
ARD is pushing for the new arena to be in a different location, citing environmental concerns.
"It has largely to do with the fact that this is right next to the Mississippi River River Bluff, and when I say right next to I mean, about 60 feet from it," Kennedy said. "The infrastructure that's required would go within the River Bluff Impact Zone, which is not permitted by the city code. So there's an environmental concern just because of where it is."
Those environmental concerns led ARD to reach out to St. Paul's planning commission, applying for a zoning appeal.
"If you appeal it, then it will go to the planning commission," Kennedy said. "There's also an appeal of the city's decision not to require an environmental impact statement that was heard by the Court of Appeals last Thursday."
During that appeal, construction is stopped.
Kennedy says there are other locations the university should consider, including near light rail stations and Allianz Field. He admits, though, that that would require the university to purchase additional land to make that happen.
When asked, Benner said they have looked at other locations, but the current site on campus makes more sense than any other.
"It just makes sense from a practical standpoint," Benner said.
Benner says they're working to be as good of neighbors as possible, and says they are working to fully comply with all environmental restrictions.
"We are just as concerned and hold ourselves accountable to make sure that we're taking the proper steps through the environmental review, and really paying attention to what municipal agencies have told us in consultation of how we can best mitigate our impact on the environment," Benner said. "And I think we've been doing a great job of following those guidelines from agencies."
Benner also emphasized that they've tried to work as closely as possible with those living nearby.
"It's one thing to say if you don't like it, but how can you provide solutions so we can make it work for everyone," he said. "And I think that's what we've been trying to accomplish here."
Still, neighbors like Brombach say they wish this situation was handled better.
"They're not good neighbors" she said.
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