What can we help you find?
Popular Search
academic calendar majors & minors tuition & scholarships student clubs
What can we help you find?
Popular Search
academic calendar majors & minors tuition & scholarships student clubs
people walking on campus

Neighborhood Relations

The Neighborhood Relations office at St. Thomas connects our neighbors with the university and connects St. Thomas with all of you.

Whether you're a homeowner, student-renter, landlord, small business owner or university faculty and staff: all of us aim to work for the common good in our neighborhood. St. Thomas is here to help facilitate that engagement.

Contact Us

Our favorite community-building practice is dialogue. Email neighbors@stthomas.edu with your comments, questions, ideas or concerns.

Stay Informed

Join our email list to receive ongoing updates and neighborhood news from St. Thomas.

Parking Information

Learn more about parking around campus.
NEIGHBORHOOD BRIEFING

Lee and Penny Anderson Arena

  • Project Overview
  • 2024 EAW Update
  • Construction Updates
  • Questions from Neighbors
  • Overview - Event Management Plan
  • Sustainability at St. Thomas

    • Project Overview

    The university is excited to bring the Lee and Penny Anderson arena to campus. The proposed project will include one building to house a dual-purpose competition venue for the university's hockey and basketball programs with capacity for approximately 4,000 to 5,500 spectators. It is expected to be completed in August of 2025, just in time for the hockey and basketball seasons. The arena will also serve as a space for commencement, convocations, job fairs, and other events.

    2024 EAW Update

    A negative declaration on the need for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was issued by the City on September 26, 2023 (2023 Findings of Fact). An appeal of the negative declaration on the need for an EIS was filed in October 2023 with the Minnesota Court of Appeals. An opinion was issued by the Court of Appeals on July 8, 2024 (the COA Opinion), reversing and remanding the City’s negative declaration on the need for an EIS.

    The City, in coordination with UST, is providing a 2024 EAW Update to include the additional analysis noted in the COA Opinion: the Schoenecker Center and greenhouse gas emissions related to spectator vehicles.

    The EAW was published on October 8, 2024, which initiated the 30-day public comment period. Members of the public will have an opportunity to comment through November 7, 2024. Email your comments to the City of St. Paul at StThomasArena_EAW@ci.stpaul.mn.us

    Construction Updates

    Construction of the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena is currently underway.

    Questions from Neighbors

    Arena Conversations in the Community

    Over the past several months, the University of St. Thomas has continued to gather questions from neighbors about the development of the multipurpose Lee and Penny Anderson Arena. This list is intended to inform the public about the multipurpose arena and clarify any information that has been shared in the community.

    Read some of the questions and comments we have received, in addition to our responses, at the link below.

    Event Management Plan

    As we plan for the opening of the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena, the University of St. Thomas is developing an Event Management Plan (EMP) with the City of St. Paul Traffic Engineering Department and the St. Paul Police Dept. This was a requirement of the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) mitigation and noted in the Site Plan approval as an outstanding condition. The EMP will be finalized in the coming months.

    Sustainability at St. Thomas

    Principles of sustainability have been a key priority in the development of the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena. As such, St. Thomas is mitigating potential environmental impacts associated with the arena's construction.

    Project Overview

    Project Overview

    The university is excited to bring the Lee and Penny Anderson arena to campus. The proposed project will include one building to house a dual-purpose competition venue for the university's hockey and basketball programs with capacity for approximately 4,000 to 5,500 spectators. It is expected to be completed in August of 2025, just in time for the hockey and basketball seasons. The arena will also serve as a space for commencement, convocations, job fairs, and other events.

    2024 EAW Update

    2024 EAW Update

    A negative declaration on the need for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was issued by the City on September 26, 2023 (2023 Findings of Fact). An appeal of the negative declaration on the need for an EIS was filed in October 2023 with the Minnesota Court of Appeals. An opinion was issued by the Court of Appeals on July 8, 2024 (the COA Opinion), reversing and remanding the City’s negative declaration on the need for an EIS.

    The City, in coordination with UST, is providing a 2024 EAW Update to include the additional analysis noted in the COA Opinion: the Schoenecker Center and greenhouse gas emissions related to spectator vehicles.

    The EAW was published on October 8, 2024, which initiated the 30-day public comment period. Members of the public will have an opportunity to comment through November 7, 2024. Email your comments to the City of St. Paul at StThomasArena_EAW@ci.stpaul.mn.us

    Construction Updates

    Construction Updates

    Construction of the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena is currently underway.

    Questions from Neighbors

    Questions from Neighbors

    Arena Conversations in the Community

    Over the past several months, the University of St. Thomas has continued to gather questions from neighbors about the development of the multipurpose Lee and Penny Anderson Arena. This list is intended to inform the public about the multipurpose arena and clarify any information that has been shared in the community.

    Read some of the questions and comments we have received, in addition to our responses, at the link below.

    Overview - Event Management Plan

    Event Management Plan

    As we plan for the opening of the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena, the University of St. Thomas is developing an Event Management Plan (EMP) with the City of St. Paul Traffic Engineering Department and the St. Paul Police Dept. This was a requirement of the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) mitigation and noted in the Site Plan approval as an outstanding condition. The EMP will be finalized in the coming months.

    Sustainability at St. Thomas

    Sustainability at St. Thomas

    Principles of sustainability have been a key priority in the development of the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena. As such, St. Thomas is mitigating potential environmental impacts associated with the arena's construction.

    Upcoming Events Happening On Campus

    The Tommie Sports ticketing website lists all of the athletics events happening on campus each month.

    Review the calendar to learn when the neighborhood may see an increase in activity.

    Resources and Contacts

    Find campus and community contacts, resources and benefits available to neighbors of St. Thomas neighbors.

    Resources and Contacts

    Our Staff

    Jerome Benner Headshot

    Jerome Benner

    Jerome is the Director of Neighborhood and Community Relations for St. Thomas. He manages our relationships with neighbors and our partnerships in the community. Jerome will be your best resource for any questions or concerns related to activities happening on campus.

    Contact Us

    University News

    December 12, 2025

    Training Ethical, Technologically Fluent Lawyers for an AI-Driven Legal World

    Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping nearly every profession, including law. To explore its evolving impact, the University of St. Thomas School of Law hosted a panel discussion titled Training Tomorrow’s Lawyers: AI and the New Apprenticeship. The panel brought together local judges, attorneys and technologists to discuss how AI is changing the legal profession,… The post Training Ethical, Technologically Fluent Lawyers for an AI-Driven Legal World appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.

    • December 12, 2025

      St. Thomas AI Officer Selected for Global SheBuilds Competition

      Jena Zangs, chief data and AI officer at the University of St. Thomas and lead of the research and development working group of the Institute for AI for the Common Good, has been selected to participate in SheBuilds, a global 48-hour AI hackathon hosted by Lovable, an AI-powered software development platform. She and her partner… The post St. Thomas AI Officer Selected for Global SheBuilds Competition appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.

    • December 12, 2025

      In the News: Buffy Smith on Responding to Food Insecurity During the SNAP Uncertainty

      Dougherty Family College Dean Buffy Smith spoke with Sheletta Brundidge on WCCO Radio about the college’s swift response to the recent federal government shutdown and its potential disruption of SNAP benefits. Smith detailed how DFC mobilized resources to ensure students had reliable access to food, reflecting the college’s mission to support scholars facing financial and… The post In the News: Buffy Smith on Responding to Food Insecurity During the SNAP Uncertainty appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.

    • December 12, 2025

      In the News: Tyler Schipper on What Really Drives Today’s Affordability Challenges

      Tyler Schipper, associate professor of economics at the University of St. Thomas, spoke with CNN about why neither President Donald Trump nor former President Joe Biden is solely responsible for the affordability challenges facing Americans. Schipper noted that broader market forces, global disruptions, and long-term structural issues play a far greater role in shaping prices… The post In the News: Tyler Schipper on What Really Drives Today’s Affordability Challenges appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.

    • December 12, 2025

      In the News: Rob Vischer on What Makes a Catholic University Catholic

      University of St. Thomas President Rob Vischer participated in a Religion News Service panel exploring how Catholic universities navigate questions of mission, identity and relevance amid shifting student demographics and financial pressures. The discussion, titled “What Makes a University Catholic?,” brought together national voices in higher education to examine how institutions can uphold a distinctly Catholic mission… The post In the News: Rob Vischer on What Makes a Catholic University Catholic appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.

    Also of Interest