St. Paul Port Authority head stepping down

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St. Paul Port Authority President Louis Jambois will retire in February after seven years in the organization’s top slot.

The move comes amid a wide-reaching push to set developers’ sights on St. Paul, which over the past few years has seen a slew of residential and commercial interest. Jambois will continue his work on a variety of projects until he officially steps down Feb. 29, the agency said.

Under Jambois’ watch, the Port Authority has spearheaded the $60 million redevelopment of a shuttered downtown Macy’s, the transformation of the former Midway Stadium into a 190,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and bringing Viking Cruise Lines to the city via the Mississippi River.

He also was a key part of leading the cleanup and redevelopment of the former 3M Co. industrial campus on the east side of St. Paul. The Port Authority reshaped the 46-acre site to include a 144,000-square-foot bakery and office space, among other uses.

More recently, Jambois has also been at the table for high-profile negotiations to build a Major League Soccer stadium in St. Paul, near Snelling and University avenues. The league has so far stopped short of committing to St. Paul, but the city’s plan appears poised for approval — a coup after team owners initially pitched a Minneapolis facility.

“Louie has been integral to the revitalization and continued momentum and growth we are experiencing in St. Paul,” Mayor Chris Coleman said in a statement. “His dedication and partnership on key redevelopment projects such as the former Macy’s site have been invaluable to the city of St. Paul.”

Jambois is leaving the Port Authority to spend more time with his family. His wife Carol also plans to retire in February.

“It’s been a great ride and I’m very proud of the organization,” Jambois said in a statement.

The Port Authority’s board of commissioners will begin mapping out a plan to replace Jambois at its Oct. 14 meeting.