The East Side Neighborhood Development Company (ESNDC) is a non-profit community development corporation that works in community and human development. ESNDC has been working on Saint Paul’s East Side for 30 years, providing leadership and direction to effective community participation in the area’s development.
East Side Building BLOCKS (Business, Livability, Opportunity, Community, Knowledge, Sustainability) is a comprehensive redevelopment project that ESNDC is pursuing, and was funded as a Metro CERT seed grant project in 2010. The project evolved out of a long, committed engagement process, working with neighborhood stakeholders to create a future comprehensive vision for their community. The strategy incorporates new development, existing building rehab, resource conservation, and the addition of renewable energy. Redevelopment will include the residential, commercial, and public spaces within select blocks of the neighborhood in an effort to sustainably revive a struggling community.
ESNDC has been offering energy-saving programs for commercial and residential customers on the East Side through Neighborhood Energy Service and a business energy efficiency program. “Cutting costs by reducing energy usage is a great way for small businesses to improve their bottom line,” said Sam Hanson, former Sustainable Development Manager at ESNDC. “The more energy-efficient the business, the better chance they have at being successful long term. As these businesses become more sustainable, it makes for a healthier commercial corridor and a healthier neighborhood.” Stay tuned to the CERTs website for more information and a case study on the East Side Building BLOCKS project.
