Also in transition was central St. Paul, viewed from northeast to southwest, 1985. Oversize parking ramps for automobiles from today's converging freeways occupied the riverside location (left center) of the former Union Depot train sheds-once the focus of the region's rail network. With the river dammed and dredged, and the entire frontage improved, the original landing below the Union Depot was an inconspicuous spot amid barge fleeting and pleasure craft operations. New towers rose among restored, old structures in the downtown core. Around the edges, extensive redevelopment and rehabilitation combined to change the face of "Lower-town" (lower center), the state capital area (right), and the hospital-public arena complex (above). Aerial photo by K. Bordner Consultants, Inc., Minneapolis, MN.