The St. Paul Downtown Development Corporation is asking the city for public assistance to restore the long-vacant Endicott Arcade building, a one-story retail building located along Fifth Street.

The corporation, a nonprofit subsidiary of the St. Paul Downtown Alliance, is asking for $800,000 to complete roof repairs, as well as interior and facade improvements. Some funds would also be dedicated toward property management.

The building, which spans about 13,000 square feet, is located at 134 Fifth St. E. and previously housed the Hat Trick bar and a convenience store, both of which closed by the early days of the pandemic.

In late 2025, the Downtown Development Corporation acquired the vacant Endicott Arcade and the seven-story Empire Building next door together for $745,000, using private funds.

Dave Higgins, president of the Downtown Development Corporation, said the $800,000 would come from a $5 million Downtown Vitality Fund created by the city council from funding set aside by the previous mayoral administration. The funds would stabilize the property rather than fully outfit it for new tenants.

“We’re taking care of some immediate needs that will absolutely contribute to a return to the market, for sure, but it’s a step one,” Higgins said.

“We envision it staying commercial,” he added. “We’ve talked to a few different groups about a few different ideas. It really invites a mix of uses, but all of them conventional ground-floor retail. There’s a lot of potential to it.”

Higgins said the Endicott Arcade and the adjoining Empire Building would eventually qualify for historic tax credits and a more thorough commercial remodel.

The Endicott Arcade was built in 1910 as an addition to the neighboring 1890 Endicott Building, which was designed by Cass Gilbert, the St. Paul architect of the Minnesota State Capitol, and currently houses the Minnesota Museum of American Art.