St. Cloud's Avivo Village to remain at First Street despite local business concerns

ST. CLOUD — St. Cloud’s incoming Avivo Village homeless shelter will maintain its location at 3100 First St. S., despite some initial conflicts with local businesses.

Following the St. Cloud City Council’s approval in March, there was a brief period of reconsideration during which the organization explored alternative sites. These efforts were unsuccessful, and the organization is moving forward as originally planned.

“There was significant pushback and concern from local business leaders about the location,” said Kelly Matter, president and CEO of Avivo. “We worked with a local broker and some business leaders to find a different site. However, after months of searching, we were unable to identify an alternative location.”

Matter noted that although Avivo found one potential site, another buyer secured it before Avivo could proceed.

With the shelter now confirmed to stay at the approved site, the organization is enhancing its design. Matter said the St. Cloud Avivo location will feature 48 to 56 units, each designed to accommodate one adult.

Local businesses had voiced concerns about the shelter’s impact, particularly regarding safety and potential loitering.

“We surveyed our members to gather their opinions on the project. We encouraged them to participate in the democratic process, whether they supported or opposed the project,” Meggan Schwirtz, chief experience officer at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union, previously said. “Our members overwhelmingly shared their thoughts, with 64% expressing opposition to the proposed location.”

However, Matter assured businesses that Avivo’s approach differs from traditional shelters and addresses these concerns. Residents will have access to their individual units at all times, eliminating the need for lines and reducing the risk of individuals roaming the streets during the day.

This model has proven successful in Minneapolis, where Avivo operates a shelter in the affluent North Loop neighborhood. Former Councilmember Lisa Goodman, who represented the North Loop for about 25 years, initially had reservations but noted that the approach addressed the concerns of local businesses and contributed to the shelter's success.

City Council's approval: St. Cloud approves Avivo Village site and funds

“The business community didn’t want people being turned out at seven in the morning, which created problems for commuters,” Goodman said. “They wanted to avoid lines outside and ensure that people had a safe place to go during the day, protecting their possessions and personal documents.”

Matter emphasized that St. Cloud’s shelter will adopt a similar structure, upholding the same community values as the Minneapolis North Loop location.

Corey Schmidt covers local government for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: St. Cloud's Avivo Village to remain at First Street despite local business concerns