As downtown St. Paul struggles to recover from the pandemic, there’s one long-underutilized landmark that has really rebounded. Union Depot is now fully leased, and that’s thanks to the vision of Lindsay Boyd. Named marketing manager two years ago, she got her real estate license and became Union Depot’s general manager. Boyd’s vision for the property balances services for Amtrak and transit passengers with destination attractions for locals. She brought in Lake Elmo Inn to operate the building’s restaurant, plus specialty retailers Story Line Books and Choo Choo Bob’s train shop. She’s added monthly author events and music nights, and the European Christmas Market now draws 250,000 annually. Next year will be about daily activations: “We need more reasons for people to come here,” she says.