St. Paul's Midway Marketplace could be poised for a comeback

After years of mounting vacancies, a shopping complex in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood appears poised for a comeback.

Driving the news: A banner announcing an 80,000 square-foot indoor playground "coming soon" to the Midway Marketplace appeared last week on the former Herberger's store, which has sat empty since 2018.

• Axios' messages to Lululand Adventure Park have yet to be returned, but the banner promises an arcade, augmented reality (AR) games and trampolines.

Catch up quick: A company with ties to the grocery chain H Mart recently bought other parts of the shopping complex that, until recently, housed a Cub Foods and an At Home store.

• It's yet not clear whether the popular Asian grocer is actually moving in.

Friction points: Vacancies at the Midway Marketplace have fueled neighborhood concerns about crime and trash.

• Conditions there have also invited deeper questions about whether a car-centric, suburban-style shopping complex is a good fit for an urban transit corridor.

Zoom out: Construction is progressing on an office building and hotel near neighboring Allianz Field.

• Minnesota United FC owner Bill McGuire is also now leading redevelopment of the now-bulldozed Midway CVS lot.