ST. PAUL, Minn. (2026) - On Raymond Avenue in St. Paul, a former industrial building has been transformed into a long-term home for creativity through strategic acquisition and partnership.
The Playwrights’ Center, an internationally recognized nonprofit serving playwrights, has opened its new facility at 710 Raymond Ave., marking the culmination of a multi-year effort to secure and redevelop the site.
That work began in early 2020, when the Playwrights’ Center engaged Land Bank Twin Cities to help identify and hold a site in St. Paul that could support its growth. Land Bank introduced the organization to 710 Raymond Ave., a closing industrial and safety equipment supply outlet in a competitive and time-sensitive market.
Land Bank Twin Cities stepped in to acquire the property for $1.2 million, using its balance sheet to make an aggressive offer and secure the site.
“We were able to move quickly in a competitive environment and hold the property while the Playwrights’ Center assembled the resources they needed,” said Eddie Landenberger, Vice President and Director of Strategic Acquisition at Land Bank Twin Cities. “That allowed the project to stay on track and ensured the site could be used for long-term community benefit.”
Over three years, Land Bank held and managed the property, creating the time and stability needed for the Playwrights’ Center to advance an $18 million adaptive reuse project. The redevelopment transformed the site into a multi-use space for performances, residencies, education, and community gathering.
“Land Bank Twin Cities was an essential partner in our project to build the Playwrights’ Center’s new home,” said Robert Chelimsky, Executive Director. “Their involvement allowed us to make a transformational investment in Saint Paul’s Creative Enterprise Zone and expand the ways that we serve theater artists and audiences.”
The property was transferred in 2023, with construction completed and the Playwrights’ Center occupying the building in late 2025.
The project reflects Land Bank Twin Cities’ role in identifying opportunity, deploying capital, and holding land long enough for the right partners and plans to align.
This work demonstrates how creating time can unlock long-term community impact, turning a closing industrial site into a permanent home for creativity.
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Playwrights’ Center plans $18M move to St. Paul
Coverage highlights the organization’s expansion into a new facility in the Creative Enterprise Zone and its continued growth.
From industrial building to creative hub on Raymond Avenue
Local reporting details the transformation of the site into a space for performances, education, and community use.
