Dave Higgins will lead newly formed subsidiary focused on catalyzing downtown redevelopment
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Feb. 18, 2025 – The Saint Paul Downtown Alliance has hired real estate development expert Dave Higgins to serve as president of Saint Paul Downtown Development Corporation, a new subsidiary nonprofit focused on advancing redevelopment initiatives in downtown.
The Alliance established Saint Paul Downtown Development Corporation in February as the next step in advancing its Downtown Investment Strategy. The strategy – launched in March 2024 – has a multifaceted focus on increasing density, vitality and desirability in downtown Saint Paul, including advancing the most strategic redevelopment opportunities. This new organization’s mission is to invest in, develop and redevelop catalyst properties in downtown Saint Paul. Higgins will work in close partnership with the Alliance, public and private stakeholders, developers, and investors that prioritize urban development and revitalization.
“As we’ve advanced efforts to revitalize downtown Saint Paul, it’s become clear we need a centralized resource to lead conversations with potential developers and investors, as well as prepare key sites for redevelopment,” said Joe Spencer, president of the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance. “Saint Paul Downtown Development Corporation will be that resource, and we’re thrilled to welcome Dave as president of the new initiative. His broad real estate expertise will be a tremendous asset as we work to accelerate the next chapter of Minnesota’s capital city.”
With more than two decades of experience, Higgins has expertise across the life cycle of real estate development and investment. He previously worked on large-scale urban redevelopment and public-private partnership initiatives in Boston and New York City, including four years with both the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the real estate group of global law firm DLA Piper. Other prior roles include chief operating officer of Business Technology Partners in New York and vice president of development for both McGough and Roers Companies in Minnesota. Higgins holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Colby College in Maine, and a JD from the University of Maine School of Law.
“I have great confidence that downtown Saint Paul is poised for a significant transformation,” said Higgins. “I’m excited to join the Alliance in launching Downtown Development Corporation and serving as a vital connector between the broader development and investor communities and our local public and private partners. It’s undeniable that the past several years have been hard on downtown Saint Paul – not unlike many cities across the country. But the silver lining of this challenge is twofold: First, we have a large-scale opportunity to reimagine downtown into a modern, thriving environment that will benefit our region for decades to come. Second, we can embrace proven tools that have successfully revitalized other downtowns and put them to work in Saint Paul.”
In his role, Higgins will initially focus on capacity building and advocacy for redevelopment initiatives in alignment with the Downtown Investment Strategy. This will include working closely with public and private stakeholders to align interests and clear a path for development opportunities, partnering with developers and investors, and connecting qualified and interested participants to local resources and support for project success.
Last fall, the Alliance released the findings of an office-to-residential conversion study of 20 downtown commercial buildings. Conducted by architecture and design firm Gensler, the study found half of the properties studied meet preliminary key criteria for a successful conversion and warrant further exploration.