South St. Paul’s nearly century-old brick library at 106 Third Ave. N. may soon trade hush-hush stacks for squeals and climbing walls. The city has agreed to transfer the vacant building to the Economic Development Authority so it can be sold for an indoor playground and family recreation center. A development group led by local investor Peter Corniea and the owners of Minneapolis Gymnastics is reviewing purchase and development agreements, and officials say the reuse could begin later this year if all approvals line up. City leaders say the deal would move an underused historic building into private hands and back onto the tax rolls.
Old Building, Fresh Idea
The two-story brick structure, built in 1927 and expanded in the 1960s, comes in at roughly…..