Architect Paul Ormseth wanted a project, and the bluff of St. Paul felt like the perfect place.

Between overgrown bushes and shrubs, right in the middle of 77 steep steps connecting pedestrian traffic between St. Paul’s Grand Avenue and Lawton Street, Ormseth discovered the foundation from an old house. Standing on the lot with views of the Mississippi River valley and High Bridge, Ormseth decided to build.

Today, the home spans 1,410 square feet and is on the market for the first time. Current owner — former editor of the Growler Magazine Joseph Alton — is selling the beloved property he spent more than a decade in to focus on his Wisconsin farm full time. Built in 2008, it’s much newer than the historic mansions surrounding it and a fraction of the price at $489,500.

The two-bedroom, one-bathroom house in the Summit Hill neighborhood is one of a kind, said listing agent Anna Garnaas-Halvorson.

“People are either going to love it and want it and be willing to pay for it. Or they don’t want to carry their groceries down the steps to the house,” Garnaas-Halvorson said. “It’s probably the most unique house ever. I almost feel like I’m in a tree house in there, and I love how it’s so cozy in its spaces.”

While the new owner will have to trek up and down the stairs regularly, the city actually maintains the stairs, including shoveling in winter. But some potential drawbacks are because of the home’s location, there is no street address (70 Lawton Steps is what goes on mail), no garage and only street parking available, the closest being at the top of the stairs along South Lawton Street.

That’s also where the mailbox is, though Amazon delivery drivers seem to always brave the steps to drop packages right at the front door. DoorDashers, however, often have a hard time finding the place.

But with an open floor plan and plenty of seating available in the courtyard, the home has been a host’s dream, Alton said.

“The personnel changes resulted in having no trans, nonbinary, gender non-conforming employees on the planning team,” she said. “This process (was) led by the cis gender team and the REIB department, and people weren’t comfortable with that at all.”

A spokesperson for the city, Jess Olstad, said in an email that the summit will be rescheduled in the next few months as the city works with community leaders to “ensure it is a meaningful, productive and inclusive experience for attendees.”

“The decision to postpone the meeting was a product of significant outreach from LGBTQ+ organizations from across the region and productive discussions with internal and external stakeholders,” Olstad said. “The event is designed for trans and gender non-conforming community members, and we are committed to centering those voices in the event planning and production in the 10th Trans Equity Summit.”

The letter from advocacy groups urged the city to continue to invest in work to support the LGBTQ+ community, specifically trans communities, “who are under policy, rhetorical, and physical attack in our present moment.”

The letter was signed by OutFront Minnesota, Transforming Families Minnesota, QUEERSPACE collective, RECLAIM, Twin Cities Pride, PFund Foundation, Twin Cities Quorum, Gender Justice, Family Tree Clinic and MN POC Pride.

Jenkins had helped planned the summit for the past decade, but has taken a step back now that the city has a REIB department. She said it’s frustrating to have the event postponed because it was supposed to be the 10th annual event, but last year it was postponed, too.

A driver who hit and killed a man who ran into a busy Minneapolis street has been spared prison and was sentenced on the lesser of two charges.

Camoreay L. Prowell, 38, of St. Paul, was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty in Hennepin County District Court to failing to stop for a traffic collision in connection with the death of Wilson G. Chinchilla, 26, of Minneapolis, on Oct. 19, 2022, on West Broadway near N. Logan Avenue.

Judge Hilary Caligiuri set aside a 13-month term and placed Prowell on probation for three years. He has about 3½ weeks left to serve in jail. As called for in the plea agreement, the more serious charge of criminal vehicular homicide was dismissed.

When asked about dropping the higher charge, the County Attorney’s Office said in a statement, “This office weighs the specific facts of each case to determine the appropriate resolution. In this instance, the charge for which Mr. Prowell was sentenced [Thursday] is correct and appropriate.”

The complaint said that Prowell was driving at the time after his license had been canceled. Court records in Minnesota revealed he’s been convicted three times for drunken driving and at least twice for driving after his license had been revoked.

According to the criminal complaint:

Police found Chinchilla’s body in the left lane of westbound West Broadway. Video surveillance showed that he ran out of a nearby home moments earlier toward the street.

Witnesses told police that a speeding SUV hit Chinchilla, slowed briefly as it continued west, then made a U-turn and returned to the scene of the crash. Prowell stopped, looked at the body and left.