Two reports for the hopeful. Here. Here.
I picked that opening image, both for the spark of life implication, and the thought that at city hall, that big main atrium could use a ceiling fresco. Presumably federal stimulus money might be available for public art projects, as was the case via WPA during the last depression. They could perhaps get stimulus money to move the Old City Hall from St. Francis Blvd, to the atrium at the new place - I am certain the open space is there for the relocation, and perhaps add an espresso cart, a bread rack, other vendor options.
Wall murals also represent a beautification possibility if suitably chosen; e.g., here, here, here, here or here. The possibilities are endless, although stimulus money mignt not be. Also, suitably chosen is subjective, in the eye of the beholder. For example, you tell me, is "architecture" in this satellite image suitably chosen? Scaled to its surroundings?
_________UPDATE________
Adjacency to the rail tracks suggests a phase of public art appropriate for Town Center, as well as livening up the Northstar commuter express designs, railcar art; e.g., here, here, here, and here. There's an outside to the Norman Castle city hall building, just waiting there for the avant garde artist, (perhaps starting away from the Ramsey police anchor side is best).
Rather than sneak about in the dark of night, apply instead for a livable communities Met Council grant. They give them away like prizes in a Cracker Jacks box, deadline extensions included, as with the one of $363,756 to Ramsey for ditch-level amphitheater work and other RTC park amenities, so, no joke, why not take a chance on their giving yet more, for other silly stuff, or rolling new silly stuff into the original silly grant. After all, it's possible that amphitheater creative painting might be floated past the amphitheater folks as work under the existing grant. It's another amenity, isn't it?
___________FURTHER UPDATE__________
Two city documents are online and worth a look - and I hope City of Ramsey keeps both available, for comparison and for preserving historical authenticity.
The older seems to predate the purchase by the city of land in bank foreclosure; and shows an older proposed land use diagram. The newer shows a revised and simplified approach, suggesting a larger dedication of land for commercial-retail services - something for the rest of us, for longtime Ramsey residents, besides designing for more of those newbies in ultra dense housing fit only for those wanting the walkable Met Council gig, in the burbs.
It makes more sense, the newer thinking, however, that's exceptionally faint praise, (let John Feges and his promoter buddies with their "Creating a Genuine Town Center" spiel have hurt feelings over that hostile an opinion of their work product -- genuine indeed, their terminology that way insults the word "genuine," it being artificial from the get-go; on a vacant cornfield after all).
Faint praise is better than none at all. The new layout is less offensive than the Feges-folks' stuff.