Craft named West Sider of the Year
Jake Spitzack
Staff Writer
When Bob Craft added his signature to a petition seven years ago calling for the closure of the former Stryker Market for illegal activity, it ignited a desire within him to become more involved in causes that benefit his neighborhood. Since then, he’s become an integral and dedicated volunteer for the West Side Community Organization’s (WSCO) Community Land Use Circle, which is currently working on three major initiatives, including creating plans to revitalize Robert Street in conjunction with construction work to the street slated to begin in 2026.
For his efforts he was recently recognized as the West Sider of the Year, an award that honors a resident who has demonstrated leadership on a major issue or made valuable contributions to the community.
“The West Sider of the Year award is to honor a West Side resident who has worked collaboratively in the community with dedication to the values of the West Side,” said Monica Bravo, WSCO’s executive
director. “We also have awarded the Spirit of the West Side Award in 2024 to John Acosta, Armando Gutierrez, and Richard Schletty, who are the artists who worked on the original mural on the side of the Captain Ken’s Building, and have come together again to restore that original art mural in 2024 and 2025.”
Craft received his award in early November at WSCO’s annual meeting. The Nebraska native and retired information technology worker has lived on the West Side for 37 years. He assumed leadership of the Land Use Circle last spring after the former organizer departed. He was nominated for the award by six other members of the Circle.
“I’m sure there were other people equally or more deserving, but everybody likes a pat on the back to acknowledge that your efforts are appreciated,” Craft said humbly. “I am privileged. I recognize that…. I’m able to live comfortably and to give back to the community…. If you have the means to contribute to educating people about city projects and so forth, it’s worthwhile.” He noted that community involvement also helps curb his isolation, which elderly folks commonly face.
Craft’s first experience with WSCO was in 2017 when the organization was assisting with a petition to close the store at 617 Stryker Ave. – commonly known as the Stryker Market – which was found to have had multiple license violations and been the site of various illegal activities by the owner. Craft later became part of WSCO’s team that was creating an Equitable Development Scorecard. Completed in 2020, the scorecard helps determine which developments and businesses are a good fit for the West Side.
The Land Use Circle is also working to see that the St. Paul Port Authority and the Pollution Control Agency complete a handful of necessary actions to reduce pollution from the Southport Industrial Zone on the West Side, which were identified in a 2017 study but never addressed.
Finally, Craft and his team are devising ways to help promote the West Side as a cultural corridor and cultural destination area, such as increasing public artwork and supporting investments like the proposed creation of a Minnesota Latino Heritage Museum.
“We’re organizing a process to reimagine Robert Street as a destination and not just a thoroughfare,” he said.
WSCO is St. Paul’s district council for Ward 2, which encompasses the West Side, and provides input on the neighborhood to the St. Paul Planning Commission to be adopted into the city’s comprehensive plans. One issue WSCO is working on is the City’s proposed rezoning of parking lots near the Mississippi River for industrial use. Craft said the city didn’t notify WSCO about the proposed rezoning and therefore the organization has requested an extension to the project’s timeline to allow it.
“The real struggle will be at the city council, at the public hearings,” he said. “We hope to involve the people that are participating in the Flats of the Future project to indicate that this is essentially repeating the past. There are other options [the city can find for industrial purposes]. The old Ball [Corp.] can factory down there is a block and a half from where they’re proposing this development. The Port Authority could buy that place and help convert it to the needs of the [Pier] Foundry.”
WSCO recently unveiled its Flats to the Future report, which laid out the economic and social harm caused by the conversion of the West Side Flats neighborhood to an industrial zone in the 1960s – more than 2,000 homes were condemned by the City and the St. Paul Port Authority due to poor living conditions, and many of the families displaced didn’t receive proper compensation.
For more information on WSCO’s initiatives, including the creation of its latest 10-year plan, visit wsco.org. To get involved in the Robert Street project or other development initiatives, attend WSCO’s Land Use meetings. The next one is at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 18 at WSCO’s office, 209 Page St. W.
