The Central Selby Association is a group of businesses, non-profit, and community leaders committed to targeted actions that support, guide and enhance the revitalization of Selby Avenue between Dale Street and Lexington Parkway in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The organization’s three main goals include:
- Build community capacity to grow, nourish and replenish Black enterprise and workforce;
- Increase visitor-ship and pedestrian traffic; and
- Reduce the number of persistently underutilized, blighted and vacant properties
To accomplish these goals, CSA creates strategic partnerships to:
- Identify, organize, and unify community stakeholders
- Determine and collaborate on physical space projects and improvements
- Recruit, train, and support small business development
- Foster cultural tourism as sustainable economic driver through branding and marketing
Created by community members, CSA is a group of community stakeholders consisting of local business owners, residents, city officials, and local nonprofit staff persons, among other members, that are also working together to guide the development of Selby Avenue as an African American Heritage Corridor – Commercial District. The goal of the project is to celebrate the community’s rich African American heritage, market the corridor as representative of the local community, and foster economic development.
CSA has partnered with community players including the Rondo Community Land Trust, the Neighborhood Development Center, the Summit-University Planning Council, Walker West Music Academy, the City of St. Paul, University of Minnesota graduate students, and hired consultants, among other partners, to solve local challenges with community member and stakeholder support.
Central Selby 