Downtown

a vender at the Nicollet Mall Farmers' Market

Always a place for urban experimentation, in the last few decades downtown Minneapolis created an innovative skyway system and a landmark pedestrian/transit street--the Nicollet Mall--and erected a clutch of skyscrapers by A-list architects. Today the jewels in downtown's crown include the Hennepin Avenue entertainment district, which hosts touring Broadway shows and major musical acts, and a new crop of boutique hotels and distinguished owner-chef restaurants. At its southern end is Loring Park, an urban oasis surrounded by trendy, gay-friendly restaurants and cafes, and the Walker Art Center, the city's internationally renowned modern-art powerhouse.

Downtown Features

A Line or Two: Downstairs at Honey

Jon Spayde Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Monday night I joined urbanist Katherine Loflin, The Line publisher Dena Alspach, colleagues from the Citizens' League, an old magazine-biz pal, and a lively audience for some informal urbanism: an improv comedian emceeing a discussion about why people love/don't love the Twin Cities--and why they stay or go. Craft beer and Asian appetizers were in the mix.

Joule: The Little Coworking Space that Could

Holly Dolezalek Wednesday, April 10, 2013

While the dynamic CoCo garners the headlines, a quiet coworking space at the edge of downtown Minneapolis welcomes solo entrepreneurs in search of a more serene scene. Owner Jackie Menne understands the needs of one-person, payroll-less microbusinesses--after all, Joule is a microbusiness itself.

Meet Our Writing Elite: A Slide Show

Bill Kelley Wednesday, March 20, 2013

On March 15, the nominees for this year's Minnesota Book Awards got together with the general public--not for the award ceremony, which isn't till April, but for some informal reading, book-buying and pressing of the flesh. Free (or mostly free) of the award-night jitters, it was a chance to celebrate our extremely vibrant literary community--and Bill Kelley was there.

Living Downtown: What's Promising, What's Missing

Agata Miszczyk Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Both St. Paul and Minneapolis have committed themselves to making their downtowns more residential, with major projects to develop the infrastructure a genuine residential neighborhood requires. But, says Minnesota 2020 fellow Agata Miszczyk, an emphasis on rental units and luxury buildings is holding back the vitality that the downtowns need.

The Google/CoCo partnership: a new era for local tech?

Elizabeth Millard Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Last Wednesday's kickoff event for the linkup between the search-engine giant and the local coworking space was full of energy, ambition, and promise for local entrepreneurs, some of whom think Silicon Prairie's ready to bloom.

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