Mayor Melvin Carter took aim at downtown St. Paul's largest landlord this week, accusing Madison Equities of allowing a 134-unit apartment building to fall dangerously into disrepair.

Why it matters: Conditions at the Lowry Apartments have not only created a humanitarian crisis, but also highlighted the financial struggles of the prominent property owner in a precarious downtown real estate market.

• The firm is trying to sell off its entire downtown portfolio, which includes landmark office buildings such as the First National Bank Building.

Driving the news: With the Lowry Apartments already in foreclosure proceedings, St. Paul officials filed an emergency motion yesterday asking the court to immediately move the building into receivership, which would force necessary repairs.

• City officials have already taken the extraordinary step of revoking the building's fire certificate of occupancy, saying parts of it are uninhabitable.

Threat level: Half of the residents receive government help paying rent, Carter told reporters this week. Many tenants worry they'd face homelessness if the building were forced to close, the Pioneer Press has reported.

What they're saying: The condition of the building, where at least 100 people live, is "one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen in my entire life," Carter said Monday evening after a tour.

• Carter said he saw rodents, feces, and trash, and noted that the 11-story building didn't have a working elevator.

The other side: "Lowry is yet another casualty of increased crime and empty buildings in downtown St. Paul," Madison Equities attorney Kelly Hadac wrote in a statement to Axios.

• Madison Equities doesn't oppose a court's intervention, but Hadac said, "The receiver will most likely struggle mightily to maintain the building."
• Two maintenance technicians and security guards are on site.

Context: Downtown crime reports have decreased from a 2022 peak, but Lowry residents have expressed fears about crime in the building's hallways.

• Hadac said vandals "ransacked" it last weekend.

Flashback: It's a far cry from the 1928 building's history as a posh hotel visited by the likes of Charles Lindbergh, Bing Crosby, and Benny Goodman in its early years.

Parting shot: Living at the building has been "hell," resident Daryll Sims told Axios. He is suing his landlords for a year's worth of rent.

• "I shouldn't have to live with rats and roaches … I'm not a nasty person."

Even Mother Nature can't stop the Minnesota State Fair.

State of play: The second wave of storms that moved through the metro yesterday morning delayed the fair's opening by two hours to give staff and vendors time to assess the situation and clean up.

• It may have been the first daily opening delay in State Fair history, officials told reporters.

Yes, but: Damage was minimal — think fallen branches and toppled booths — and normal activity resumed across much of the fairgrounds by mid-morning, though some features were forced to close for longer.

⚡️ What we're watching: Xcel Energy crews have been working to restore power to more than 100,000 homes hit with outages caused by the storms.

• About 30,000 customers remain in the dark as of this morning. A spokesperson said power should be restored to most of them by tomorrow.

🌈 Go deeper: See photos of the storm (and the skies that followed) via our Axios Twin Cities Instagram.

📺 CNN secured the first joint interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz. It will air Thursday at 8pm. (Axios)

• Between the lines: Harris has faced criticism for taking virtually no questions since launching her campaign. It's also Walz's first formal news interview since joining the ticket.

🌊 The Blue Earth County Board of Commissioners voted to tear down the Rapidan Dam, which experienced a partial failure amid heavy rains in June, and look into replacing a damaged highway bridge upstream. (KAAL-TV)

The University of Minnesota's Board of Regents rejected calls to divest from Israel, passing a resolution pledging to maintain political "neutrality" and consider only financial factors when deciding how to invest its endowment. (MPR News)

• What we're watching: Whether campus protests pick up as students return for the fall semester.

🥵 Attendance at the Star Fair dipped to about 80,000 amid the high heat and humidity on Monday. (Full numbers)

👯‍♀️ Patrons at the Rogers Muni Tap Room are used to seeing double, thanks to the dad-and-son duo behind the bar who are "basically" twins. (KARE 11)

• "I brought the right baby home from the hospital. There's no question about that," Deb Karls, wife of Joe Karls and mom of Jake Karls, told the station.

📡Get these events on your radar

First Annual Twin Cities Bike Tour at Wabun Picnic Area in Minnehaha Falls Park on September 15: The tour starts and ends at Wabun Park. Check-in times vary depending on routes/registration. Courses are designed to offer the safest, most scenic, and most fun routes. Riders enjoy food and drink at rest stops on each course. $46.

Promoting your event? Email [email protected].

Bloomington leaders' "Shark Tank"-style competition for entrepreneurs is now in its final stage.

At stake: A $100,000 city-backed prize to open a business in Bloomington.

The latest: One last round of online voting that closes at 11:59pm tomorrow will help determine which of the three finalists wins the money from the Hatch Bloomington competition:

• Kalsoni, a combination gym and retail store that would offer modest activewear designed for Muslim women.
• Nunaa, a restaurant that would specialize in Togolese and West African cuisine.
• Scramblin' Egg, a proposed brick-and-mortar space for an existing food truck already serving breakfast burritos, sandwiches, and bowls.

Go deeper: View the finalists' pitches and cast your vote

St. Paul Parks and Recreation director Andy Rodriguez snapped this pic of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter crossing paths yesterday at the State Fair.

🤪 Weigh in: We'd love to hear your totally-made-up captions for the encounter. Just hit reply!