By Zev Radziwill

With Luther Seminary recently putting its entire campus up for sale, the District 12 Community Council has now formed a citizens’ advisory task force “to help ensure that neighborhood voices are considered in any subsequent land use changes.”

Task force members include: Alex Bajcz, Allan Torstenson, Ann Wynia, Beth Magistad, Brian Jones, Deanna Seppanen, Eric Galatz, John Maurer, Kenny Niemeyer, Pat Thompson, Phil Carlson, Roger Purdy, Sherman Eagles, Steven McCarthy, Tom Ososki, Wayne Sisel and Zev Radziwill (ex officio).

In June, seminary officials announced plans to sell the remaining 10-acre “upper campus” and relocate to a smaller location elsewhere in the Twin Cities.

This follows news that the “lower campus” is already under a purchase agreement with a developer, Lifestyle Communities, with the sale expected to close in 2026. Together, these sites include spaces like Stub and Northwestern Halls and the cherished Breck Woods.

The seminary has shaped the landscape of St. Anthony Park since 1904, and its departure will mark a major transition.

The task force will provide feedback to developers, advise the District 12 Community Council and “help ensure neighborhood voices are part of the conversation from the start.” Over the coming year, the new group will share updates on any development plans.

Already, task force members have raised key questions to guide this work: What are the plans to address traffic along Hendon, Hoyt, and Folwell avenues? Will there be underground parking, or improved access to Como Avenue? How does the recent Upper Campus sale impact the Lower Campus development? And how might issues like affordability, open space, or preservation of Breck Woods be incorporated into the design? These questions reflect the care and complexity neighbors are bringing to the process.

Any potential development would likely impact traffic patterns and public access around the Luther Seminary Lower Campus as well. It also raises new possibilities for long-term infrastructure planning, including conversations about improved road access or a new street connection between key sites.

SAPCC will continue monitoring this location closely and will share updates as more information becomes available. 

Zev Radziwill is executive director of the St. Anthony Park District 12 Community Council.