Albert Park & Plaza and Officer Patrick Memorial

Project Background

In 2025, the City of West St. Paul completed a project to improve the safety and design of the intersection of Smith, Dodd, and Bernard streets. This project, in partnership with MnDOT and supported by a federal grant, dramatically reconfigured the streets to create new spaces for expanding Albert Park and a new memorial for Officer Scott Patrick. 

Step 1: Visioning

The city's Comprehensive Plan and the Smith-Dodd Small Area Plan call for pedestrian-centered economic development/redevelopment of the area. The draft Parks System Plan calls for the reimagining of Albert Park. Early conversations with stakeholders, including the community, neighborhood and businesses, Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, Environmental Committee and city staff helped to guide development of early concepts.

Step 2: Early Concepts

Project consultants initially developed four concepts. Those concepts were reviewed by the project team and narrowed down to two options (concepts 2 and 4). The owners of the Doddway Shopping Center had indicated they might redevelop their site as a mixed-use building. The potential redevelopment could have presented an opportunity to further expand Albert Park. Given the various scenarios at play, we developed design alternatives that include and do not include the potential redevelopment. These park alternatives do not indicate a formally proposed or approved Doddway redevelopment project.

• Albert Concept 2A 3D Renderings
• Albert Concept 2B 3D Renderings
• Albert Concept 4A 3D Renderings
• Albert Concept 4B 3D Renderings

Input from the community, neighborhood and businesses, Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, Environmental Committee and city staff narrowed down identified a preference for Concept 2A.

Step 3: Concept Plan

The concept plan serves as a high-level blueprint for the park, plaza, and memorial. The Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) reviewed concept plans at its September 2025 meeting. PRAC unanimously recommended approval of the concept plans to the City Council. The City Council formally adopted the concept plan at its meeting on September 22, 2025. 

The concept plan for Albert Park & Plaza calls for a central lawn, surrounded by seating, gardens, shade trees, sidewalk, and the Albert obelisk. To keep with the site's history (or supposed history), Albert Park will be designated as the gateway entry sign (WSP for West St. Paul and World's Smallest Park), while the rest of the site will be designated as Albert Plaza. 

With no active redevelopment proposal for the Doddway Shopping Center, the Albert Park & Plaza concept plan reflects the anticipated public space improvements. The city and owner of the Doddway Shopping Center are in the process of negotiating a long-term agreement that would grant the expansion of Albert Plaza to the east (shown as open lawn in the concept plans). 

Step 4: Detailed Design (we are here)

The project team is working to refine details, materials, design, and budget. Throughout the fall and winter of 2025-26, the team will progress through the schematic design (30%), detailed design (60%), and construction design (90%) phases. We anticipate project bidding in late winter.

Step 5: Construction

Project Background

In the summer of 2014, during a routine traffic stop, Officer Scott Patrick was tragically shot and killed near the Smith-Dodd intersection. As part of the roadway reconstruction, we will build a permanent memorial to honor Officer Patrick. The project team has met with Officer Patrick's family, who have requested that the memorial be a welcoming space that gives back to the community, supports the environment, incorporates art, and celebrates his life and legacy. 

Step 1 - Visioning

For a decade, friends, family, and colleagues of Officer Patrick have advocated for a permanent memorial space. Officer Patrick's family laid out a vision for a space that honors community stewards, provides a space for community building, and benefits the environment.

Step 2 - Early Concept Sketches

With the family's input, an initial slate of four concepts was pared down to two options. While Officer Patrick's family guided much of the design, the community's perspectives were also taken into consideration. 

Step 3 - Preferred Concept 

Plans were further refined from Step 2 to provide additional respite, comfort, and safety for memorial visitors. The preferred concept plan offers a memorial space, plaques, art, gardens, a bench swing, and seating.

At its September meeting, the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee unanimously recommended approval of the concept plan to the City Council. At its meeting on September 22, 2025, the City Council formally adopted the concept plan. 

Step 4 - Detailed Design (we are here)

The project team is working to refine details, materials, design, and budget. Throughout the fall and winter of 2025-26, the team will progress through the schematic design (30%), detailed design (60%), and construction design (90%) phases. We anticipate project bidding in late winter.

Step 5 - Construction

Efforts to reimagine and revitalize the Smith-Dodd district started in 2011 with the development of a small area plan. Subsequent planning documents have supported that early vision. 

The securing of a federal grant helped spur efforts to reconfigure the streets and parks. Street and utility work will begin in spring/summer of 2025. 

Park planning began in the summer of 2024. In the fall of 2025, the City Council selected a preferred concept plan and design, at which point the design team began developing detailed construction plans. Our goal is to construct park and memorial improvements in 2026, following substantial completion of street and utility work. The proposed timeline is subject to change due to several variables.

Anticipated Schedule:

• October 2025: Detailed Design Refinement
• Winter 2025-2026: Construction and Bidding Documents Completed
• Late Winter 2026: Project Bidding
• Spring 2026: Construction Begins

Community engagement was central to the development of the preferred concept plan. The initial vision for corridor improvements stems from several planning initiatives, including the Smith Avenue Revitalization Plan, the Smith-Dodd Small Area Plan, the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, and the draft Parks System Plan. A Smith-Dodd project advisory committee and the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee have helped guide detailed implementation plans with the support of city staff and project consultants. 

Community Survey #1 helped to refine early design alternatives.

Additional community feedback will help strengthen and refine the selection of a preferred design alternative. 

The family of Officer Scott Patrick has been instrumental in developing plans for the memorial space.

Funding for this project will likely come from a variety of sources. A Federal grant secured by Rep. Angie Craig will support much of the roadway and public improvement work. Additional funding sources are being explored, including grants and donations.

Do you have questions about this project or another aspect of the larger Smith-Dodd renovations? If so, please Email 

• Parks and Public Space: Eric Weiss, Director of Parks and Recreation, eweiss@wspmn.gov.
• Streets and Utilities: Ross Beckwith, City Engineer/Public Works Director, rbeckwith@wspmn.gov
• Planning and Development: Ben Boike, Community Development Director, bboike@wspmn.gov