Frequently Asked Questions

*Renderings subject to change

General

1. Who is JB Vang?

For over 40 years, JB Vang has delivered high-quality, customized developments that enhance the fabric and vibrancy of communities in the areas of Education, Housing, and Community Services. Our team is experienced with both historic rehabilitation and new construction, always striving to create spaces that serve people today and sustain value for the future. We are a Saint Paul-based, family-owned business. We’re honored to have been a trusted partner of both metro-area municipalities and private sector clients.

2. How was JB Vang selected for this project?

After a lengthy process, JB Vang was selected unanimously by the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, which owns the land. The HRA is a public entity that manages and develops housing, commercial, and business properties within the city by authorizing real estate acquisitions, providing loans and grants, and issuing bonds to support these efforts. The city put out a request for proposals in 2021, and JB Vang was officially awarded tentative developer status (TDS) in January 2023. The city’s website states that JBV’s proposal aligns with a list of priorities put forth by the City of Saint Paul during the request for proposals (RFP) process as well as community values shared by nine East Side organizations including the East Side Neighborhood Development Company (ESNDC), East Side Business Association (ESABA), Payne-Arcade Business Association (PABA), Payne-Phalen Community Council, Dayton's Bluff Community Council, Railroad Island Neighborhood Group, Friends of Swede Hollow, Historic Saint Paul, and the East Side Freedom Library.

3. When will the project be built?

The Hamm's Eastside Complex is tentatively slated to break ground in 2027 and is expected to take about two years to complete. However, this timeline is dependent on securing all funding sources, which we are actively working on, along with the City's approval process. Ideally, both portions of the project will be worked on at around the same time, per the city’s preference, and to create efficiencies throughout the construction phase. Please check our timeline posted on this site for the latest updates.

4. What kind of amenities does this project bring to the community?

Major components of the project plan include a commercial marketplace and site improvements that will introduce new community gathering and green spaces, and connections to nearby Swede Hollow Park and Bruce Vento trails. We received many great ideas from the community about the types of programming they’d like to see.

5. Does the project include both a new building and restoring the historic brewery buildings?

Yes, our proposal includes a new construction building with approximately 110 affordable housing units AND the renovation of the historic brewery buildings to include housing (86 artist-style lofts) and a commercial marketplace. These projects are planned to move forward on a similar timeline. The new construction housing is anticipated to be financed through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA), while the historic buildings are primarily expected to be financed with the use of historic tax credits.

6. How will this project impact the existing businesses at the Hamm’s Brewery Complex?

Ultimately, we believe that “A rising tide lifts all boats,” which means that when there is a general improvement, such as in an economy, everyone benefits. We are grateful to and inspired by the businesses that took a chance to build something special on this historic site. Having hundreds of new potential customers living in proximity should be a boon to them, as well as new transit opportunities and programming that will spark interest and create opportunities for people from the neighborhood and the wider metro to visit. 

*Renderings subject to change

Housing

1. What type of housing will be built?

To address the community’s housing needs, the project plans to deliver 196 units of housing that will serve a range of community members. Currently, the project is designed to include 110 units of family-friendly new construction housing, offering 1-3 bedroom units on the East end of the Hamm’s Complex. The West End will feature 86 artist loft-style units within the historic brewery buildings. The lofts will primarily consist of one-bedroom and studio units..

2. What level of affordability will the housing offer?

All of the 196 housing units will be affordable, with a range of affordability levels from 30% to 70% Area Median Income (AMI).

3. What does it mean to say the housing is affordable?

Housing that is defined as affordable has a mix of units where the rent structure is based on the Area Median Income (AMI). The proposed housing in this development will have rents that are targeted at households with income that are 30%, 50% and 60% of AMI.

The current metro AMI is $124,200 annually for a family of four. The median income for Saint Paul, in 2023, was $73,055, for a family of four. 60% AMI for the metro is $74,500. This means that the median income in Saint Paul is just slightly under the qualifying 60% AMI. This housing development will significantly benefit the current residents of Saint Paul, especially our East Side Community.



Transit and Parking

1. How is this project transit-oriented development?

Transit-oriented development (TOD) focuses on creating communities where homes, businesses, and job centers are all easily accessible by public transit, walking, and biking. This project is ideally located, with bus stops on Payne and Arcade just a short walk away, and the future Purple Line BRT planned nearby. Additionally, the city's upcoming reconstruction of Minnehaha Avenue will bring improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Within the site, pedestrian walkways will connect to the Bruce Vento Regional Trail, further enhancing walkability and accessibility.

2. How will the Hamm’s Complex address the parking needs of all of the residents and buildings that will be on the full site?

In advance of development on the HRA-owned land, the City of Saint Paul has maintained the property and allowed for public parking on the site. While there are no agreements for any particular business or entity to utilize the HRA-owned land for parking, the HRA has worked with the proposed housing developer to redesign the project to result in as much surface parking for public use as possible. With these robust transportation options and refinements to the development proposal, the Hamm's Brewery complex is well-situated to be a destination for residents, shoppers, and visitors and meet the needs of the new development and existing businesses.

3. Where will residents of the apartments park?

The East End Apartments will have structured underground parking beneath the building, which will serve as the designated parking for residents of both the East End and West End Apartments.

4. Where will customers who visit the site be able to park?

Although not in the initial proposal, the current plans were redesigned to include an approximately 70-stall surface parking lot to accommodate customers for the businesses on site. There are additional surface parking stalls in the interior courtyard parking lot and on-street parking along Minnehaha Avenue. JB Vang also has overflow parking available at their building at 800 Minnehaha, just east of the site.

5. How much parking does the city require for a development like this?

In 2021, the City Council adopted Ordinance 21-27, which eliminated minimum parking regulations in the City of Saint Paul. This change removed all required parking minimums across the city. At the time this change was adopted, roughly 36% of Saint Paul’s land area was dedicated to moving or storing automobiles. Eliminating required off-street parking minimums for developments allows for more opportunities for housing developments, incentivizes housing affordability, reduces carbon emissions, and reduces overall urban sprawl.



Community Involvement

1. What engagement has occurred with the community?

JB Vang met with many community members prior to submitting a proposal for the project in 2022 to ensure it reflected community needs and priorities. The development team also relied on the statement of community priorities submitted by local organizations in preparing their proposal. In 2024, JB Vang collaborated with LISC to host four community workshops to gather feedback. Here is the final report from LISC summarizing the workshops. Other community activities included:

• Tabled at 7th Street LIVE in 2024

• Tabled at Art in the Hollow in 2023, 2024 and 2025

• Attended various meetings with community organizations.

You can follow our events and meetings in the Timeline section. We launched this website to share information and gather additional feedback from community members. 

We launched this website to share information and gather additional feedback from community members. We understand not everyone is able to attend meetings and we want to make the process as accessible and inclusive as possible. 

2. How can I get involved?

Click subscribe at the top of the page to receive email updates directly from the project team! We will be sharing information about upcoming meetings and events. You can also provide feedback here.