Saint Paul on the Mississippi Design Center The Saint Paul on the Mississippi Design Center is a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team whose mission is to enhance the quality of life in Saint Paul through high-quality urban design, based on principles contained in, or consistent with, the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework. The Design Center was created as a unique collaboration between the Riverfront Corporation and the City of Saint Paul to be the steward of the Framework and its ten guiding principles; and to provide the leadership and expertise to ensure each development project grows in harmony with the greater vision and enhances the City’s ability to attract future investment.

Chris Coleman Mayor, City of Saint Paul "The Design Center doesn't build buildings, but they make buildings better; they don't build communities, but they make the communities that we build better. They ask how we can go from a project that's nice to one that's fantastic."

The Design Center has influenced every major project of Saint Paul’s downtown renaissance. Its success is drawn from the power of the unifying community vision of the Framework and the influence of its working partnerships, not from regulatory authority.

Since its inception, the Design Center has been involved with more than 100 projects including the North Quadrant urban village, the current expansion of Minnesota Public Radio, Lawson’s new corporate headquarters and Landmark Plaza.