Development News

The first-ever Northeast Ride, which is coming up on June 2, is a chance to see Northeast Minneapolis up close and personal, on bikes.

It'll show off everything from the area's bustling arts district to its up-and-coming beer breweries.

The family-friendly event is geared for cyclists of all ages and experience levels, according to information from the Northeast Community Development Corporation (CDC), which set it up.

The bike ride’s co-presenters include Bicycle Theory, MPLS Bike Love, and Altered Esthetics, along with a number of community sponsors.

Jamie Schumacher, who leads the Northeast CDC, says via email that the nearly 12-mile bike ride came about as a creative way to highlight the Northeast area.  “You always see a neighborhood differently on a bike, and we'll be touring throughout all of awesome Northeast,” she says. "We hope people take away from it a good introduction to Northeast, and a fun and creative experience."   

The ride also takes advantage of new bike trails and bikeways, according to Northeast CDC materials.

Participants will travel the route in small groups, starting out at the Northeast Minneapolis Armory, and exploring each of the neighborhood parks. Related activities will be happening at the parks along the way, including a post-ride expo, according to Northeast CDC information.  

Throughout nine stops, cyclists will get a taste of old and new developments in Northeast. They’ll visit such neighborhood landmarks as the historic Casket Arts building, the longstanding Grain Belt Brewery, and the brand-new Indeed Brewing.

Neighborhoods such as Logan Park and local businesses such as Community Bees on Bikes, which delivers honey via bike, are among other highlights of the ride.

The ride will wrap up with a party at Altered Esthetics, which will have bike-themed art on view.

 
Source: Jamie Schumacher, executive director, Northeast CDC
Writer: Anna Pratt

This month, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation is working to raise funds to plant 400 trees throughout four neighborhoods of North Minneapolis, trees that were lost when a tornado hit last year.

The tornado took out a huge portion of urban forest when it “tore across several miles of Minneapolis, tearing roofs off homes, tumbling cars down the streets, and ripping 40-foot trees from the earth like weeds from a flowerbed,” foundation materials read.

Mary deLaittre, who leads the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, explains that the urban forest is important for many reasons. “Not only is it beautiful, but it does things like lower blood pressure, clean the air and water, provide shade in the summer,” she says, adding, “It’s critical that we replace the urban forest as quickly as possible so we can get these wonderful workhorses back to doing their job.”  

Most of the trees the foundation funds will probably go into the city’s Jordan neighborhood, she says.

The foundation’s effort is part of the larger “Northside Treecovery Program,” which the city’s park and recreation board is spearheading along with several other partners.

The park system also has a forestry department that pays attention to the urban forest on an ongoing basis, she explains.

So far, the foundation has raised money to plant 100 trees. Each one costs $120. “We’d like to raise money for the others between now and the one-year anniversary of the tornado near the end of May,” she says.  

The effort coincides with the state’s Arbor Month activities, as well, according to foundation information.

All in all, “We’re really looking at this program as creating the next generation of urban forest, deLaittre says.

Source: Mary deLaittre, Minneapolis Parks Foundation executive director
Writer: Anna Pratt

The Lake Street Council hopes to spruce up Minneapolis's Lake Street by turning its utility boxes into objets d'art.

ZoeAna Martinez, who is the council’s outreach and services manager, explains that the project will help deter graffiti while also making “ugly boxes look better," as she puts it, adding, “We want to help our street look better."

The initiative is similar to ones in the Kingfield and Corcoran neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods used different methods to cover up the utility boxes; one way was to paint right on the surface of the structures. The boxes can also be covered with colorful shrink-wrap that has designs on it, Martinez explains.

To set the project in motion on Lake Street, Martinez is reaching out to local businesses. “We’re just trying to get feedback from businesses,” she says, adding that the council is hoping that the stakeholders will pitch in by sponsoring local boxes. 

The more utility boxes it can cover up, the better, she says, adding that sponsorship means a price break for the council as well.

Right now, the project's budget is still being determined. It’ll be based on how many boxes the council decides to do. “We’re still at the beginning of the process,” she says.  

The council is also working with the city on a project that’s titled Minneapolis Art Wrap, whose purpose is to make the process smoother for others who want to decorate their local utility boxes.

“In the last two years, the City of Minneapolis has seen increased interest by community groups in wrapping City-owned utility boxes with artistic designs,” council materials state.

Soon the city will be sending out a request for proposals to artists to design 12 pre-approved wrap covers to go on utility boxes all over the city.

It'll help streamline the city process, in that applicants won’t have to go through the art-related city committee to get designs approved. They can simply choose from one of the pre-approved designs, she says. “It makes it easier for groups to get city-owned utility boxes wrapped."   

Although the details are still up in the air at this point, the council hopes to complete it this year, Martinez says.

Source: ZoeAna Martinez, outreach and services manager, Lake Street Council
Writer: Anna Pratt

Lately, a number of community members in St. Paul’s West Seventh neighborhood have been contemplating the future of the historic Fire Hall.

The 1872 building, which is considered to be the oldest fire station in the city, has been vacant for a couple of years, according to architect John Yust.

The building, which was previously known as Hope Engine Company No. 3, has unique features, including the remains of a bell tower on the second floor, he says.

To start spurring possible redevelopment plans, a design class at the University of Minnesota came up with plans for a restaurant to go into the space.

Yust provided original drawings of the building along with other reference material to the students, who worked in 11 teams of three as a part of Prof. Abimbola O. Asojo’s “Lighting Design and Life Safety Issues” class.

As a part of the assignment, students paid special attention to lighting needs in the brick building, but they also thought more broadly. Many of the students had plans that involved family-friendly restaurants in the daytime that would transition into more romantic settings at night, according to Yust, who attended the class critique last month.

Students came up with everything from sushi to New Orleans-style cooking. “It was fun. There was a huge variation and lots of great ideas,” Yust says, adding, “My hope is that somebody might find this an amazing opportunity [to redevelop].”

“We want the city to know how important it is to the community,” he says. “It would be appropriate to save this site as a part of the historic fabric.”

Source: John Yust, architect
Writer: Anna Pratt

CPM Property Management in Minneapolis has a student-housing complex in the works for the Stadium Village area near the University of Minnesota campus.

Although design plans are still coming together, part of the project involves a 12-story tower, according to Daniel Oberpriller of CPM.

About two-thirds of the building runs six stories, he says. The development will also have 36,000 square feet of retail space.

CPM worked with the Prospect Park East River Road Improvement Association (PPERRIA) to put together a task force with neighborhood representatives to fine-tine the details. “We’re getting to a place where the design is headed in the right direction,” he says. “It has a lot of moving components. We want it to look right.”

Oberpriller describes the two-acre parcel as a “gateway site” that’s highly visible from the nearby TCF Bank Stadium and the coming Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line. “We want to make sure it’s a quality building that’s appealing from all angles,” he says.  

To take advantage of that, CPM is collaborating with the university to landscape the building’s entryway.

The existing Arby’s restaurant, CSL Plasma location, and commercial space on the property would be torn down to make way for the building, according to Finance and Commerce.

Oberpriller says it’ll bring much-needed improvement to the area by adding density and contributing to a vibrant streetscape. “It brings students closer to the university and adds more retail that’s needed there,” he says.

The development, which is close to several other student housing projects that are under construction, hopes to break ground in December, according to Finance and Commerce.

Source: Daniel Oberpriller, CPM
Writer: Anna Pratt

St. Paul’s District Councils Collaborative (DCC) is kicking off a “walkability survey” for the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit stations on May 6.

It involves group walks from various neighborhood spots to coming light rail stations in St. Paul and Minneapolis. The walks will take about 20 minutes or so; combined with the survey, it's less than an hour-long commitment, according to DCC staffer Anne White.

The walks will also have a cultural component; urban activist Charles Landry, who is an advocate for walking, will be taking part in the event on Sunday, she says.

Landry will also have a number of speaking engagements around town on the theme of "Creating 21st Century Intercultural and Creative Cities," as a part of a week-long residency with the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative through May 11. (For a full schedule of events, go here.)

Walkability surveys can be turned in any time until May 28 at the DCC website, which also has a map for making notations. The DCC is hoping to collect 1,500 surveys, or 100 for each of the 15 stops.

The survey will look at “both the physical environment and at how people feel, which isn’t strictly physical. Do they feel safe and comfortable walking?”

For that reason, the feedback will be valuable on many different levels. “It highlights the importance of a good walking environment,” she says, adding, “We’re also getting people looking forward,” in terms of getting used to the idea of taking the train.

Additionally, the walks will help identify areas in need of repair or in bad condition, as well as zones that aren't pedestrian-friendly, she says. “We’ll be helping identify priorities. Where are the greatest needs? Where should they put limited funding to work?”

Part of the survey will also include ensuring accessibility along the way for people with disabilities.  

Hopefully, related streetscape improvements can be made before the light rail is up and running because “It has potential to boost light rail ridership,” White says.

Source: Anne White, District Councils Collaborative
Writer: Anna Pratt

The Healthy West 7th Initiative in St. Paul is launching a couple of new community gardens in the neighborhood this spring.

The launch began as a volunteer effort from resident physicians at the local United Family Medicine clinic.

The idea is to increase nutrition in the area, according to Kate Vickery, previously a resident working on the project. The residents sought to “outline areas the clinic could work on to improve neighborhood health,”  an effort that builds on the clinic’s longstanding community volunteer work in the area.

After gathering feedback from community members through numerous focus groups, interviews, and surveys, the residents found that the area lacks access to healthy, fresh foods, and “information about how to prepare and preserve healthy food,” she says.

In fact, an existing community garden at Victoria and Jackson streets is so popular that it’s had a waiting list for several years, she says.

To expand on that, the residents teamed up with the West Seventh Community Center, Mississippi Market, St. Paul Public Library, Ramsey County Master Gardeners, Sholom Home, St. Paul Department of Public Health, and Allina Health/United Hospital.

With funding and supplies from its partners, one of the community gardens will be temporarily located at Sholom Home’s east campus, and will open this spring. In the future, Sholom could develop the land for senior apartments, she says.

As for the garden, “We’re hoping it’ll be intergenerational, with seniors working with youth,” she says.

Separately, a demonstration garden will go in at the West 7th Community Center. It’ll serve the center’s programming, Vickery says.  

In general, “We’re just trying to meet the need expressed by the neighborhood, and ultimately to improve health, but also to build relationships,” she says.

Right now, the group is preparing both garden sites for planting organic vegetables in the coming months. People can sign up to volunteer on its website.

The group is also encouraging more backyard gardens and container gardens in public places, as well as gardening classes. “We’re hoping the gardens will be an opportunity for people to come together and learn new skills and learn how to be healthier,” she says.


Source: Kate Vickery
Writer: Anna Pratt

A $4.3 million apartment complex that has plenty of green features is in the works for 35th and Grand Avenue South in Minneapolis.

Minneapolis-based CPM Property Management has a proposal for a 30-unit building that incorporates various organic wood products, cork floors, low-flow water fixtures, rain gardens, permeable pavers, and more, according to CPM’s Daniel Oberpriller.

Inside the building, CPM plans to work with a local cabinetmaker, he adds.

The Lyndale Neighborhood Association (LNA) is supportive of the project, which will soon go before the Minneapolis Planning Commission.   

CPM decided to make the building, which has yet to be named, as green as possible, because “It was important to people in the community,” he says.

It also works well for a building of this scale. “We’re excited about it,” he says.

Among its other amenities, the building will have 28 underground parking spots, along with a couple of above-ground spaces.

The complex will be one of the newest in an area where there’s not room for a lot of development, he points out.

Lyndale is characterized mainly by older construction from the 1940s through the 1970s, he says. For this project, CPM tried to match the brick façade to others in the neighborhood. “We wanted to be consistent with the fabric of the neighborhood,” he says.

Although the design is still coming together, he says that “It should fit in nicely.”

Further, 20 percent of the apartments will also be officially ‘affordable,’ according to a recent Southwest Journal story.

CPM hopes to break ground on the development in September.

All in all, “We think it’s a positive impact,” Oberpriller says.  


Source: Daniel Oberpriller, CPM
Writer: Anna Pratt

In the 1950s, the city of Minneapolis dismantled its streetcar system. Today, the city is studying the possibility of bringing it back.

As a part of a 2008 feasibility study, the city identified seven corridors for such a system, according to Anna Flintoft, a transportation planner with the city.

Right now, the city is looking to hire a consultant to examine the impact of streetcars on Nicollet and Central avenues. That project will likely start this summer and go through 2013.   

Minneapolis also hopes to do a similar assessment of West Broadway Avenue in North Minneapolis, she says.

Separately, Metro Transit is trying to get a handle on the streetcar scenario for the Midtown corridor and other parts of Lake Street.

The next phase is a much more detailed “alternatives analysis,” which involves weighing streetcar and enhanced bus alternatives, which, she adds, run in mixed traffic, not separated from traffic like the light rail.  

The idea is to find a “locally preferred alternative,” or the most ideal option for the city.

“There’s a lot of interest in streetcars because of the experience that Minneapolis and other cities have had with light rail,” she says. “It’s had great ridership performance.”

Light rail has been able to attract new riders and catalyze economic development around itself, she says. “Streetcar is a mode that doesn’t have as big of a footprint as light rail and it can fit in for less cost.”

Further, while light rail needs its own track, streetcar and enhanced bus systems don’t displace car traffic, she explains.

In Minneapolis, the space between one building face and another tends to be narrow, so there are few places where light rail can fit. “That’s the reason people are asking the questions--to figure out if it is a good investment to be making in these corridors.”

It’s a conversation that goes way beyond Minneapolis. Streetcar lines have started popping up once again in cities all over the country, including Portland, Seattle, and Atlanta. The federal government has been supportive of these systems, she says.

Source: Anna Flintoft, transportation planner, city of Minneapolis
Writer: Anna Pratt

In the last six years, the student body at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) has grown by leaps and bounds.
 
MCTC responded by expanding the Helland Student Center and its Fine Arts Lobby, which will have its grand opening on May 3.
 
The modern structure is defined by plenty of natural light, open space, and vibrant colors, according to Dawn Skelly, a spokesperson for the school. “We wanted a place that students could call their own, that’s dedicated to student services and student life,” she says.
 
With more than 40 student groups on campus, MCTC needed a centralized gathering location. Previously, “There was no single space for students to gather,” she says. “The only quiet place was the library and it’s always full.”   
 
At the same time, the school’s Boynton Health Service, which opened in 2010, was also looking for more room. That was something that students repeatedly said they wanted, she says.  
 
Today, the revamped student center houses an expanded health clinic, a recreation center where sports equipment and games can be checked out, a convenience store, a juice/snack bar, and lots of space for studying, meeting, and hanging out, says Skelly.
 
Study spaces are meant to be comfortable and they’re equipped with computers and electrical outlets to accommodate people’s technology needs, she adds. Community members are able to rent the meeting spaces in the three-level student center.
 
Another part of the project involved remodeling the theater lobby, which now opens onto Loring Park. One of the school’s goals was to reconnect the campus to the park, and the whole building is oriented toward that area, she says.
 
MCTC also wanted to “have the building flow seamlessly from the neighboring building,” she says. “We wanted it to be an open space that would provide the opportunity to bring our various communities together."
 
Source: Dawn Skelly, Minneapolis Community and Technical College
Writer: Anna Pratt
 
 
 
 
 

In its second year, Boneshaker Books in South Minneapolis is already raising money to enhance its store.

Boneshaker is a volunteer-run radical and progressive bookstore that has a mission to promote books, education, and activism in the Twin Cities, according to Boneshaker information.

It plans to expand its offerings, including adding a children’s section, according to Amanda Luker, who is a spokesperson for the bookstore. The store has the space for it. “With a little money, we could turn it into a kids’ nook, with story time,” she says.

Right now, the bookstore has a Kickstarter campaign going to help fund the $10,000 project, for which it’s raised $3,000 by other means.

“The main thing would be shelving and the initial cash flow for inventory, and then getting some comfortable furniture,” she says.

The bookstore also wants to “make the reading room more useful” for all kinds of meetings and events, with audio/visual equipment including a projector, gallery lighting, furniture, and more, she says. “We just want to make it a nice, warm place for events and meetings.” This includes a space for gallery shows along with a “nano-cinema.”

Although the bookstore provides book delivery via bicycle, it doesn’t have a bike rack on hand, so that’s something on the shopping list as well, she says.

With custom-built bookshelves and a handmade display table, along with paper globes hanging from the ceiling and books that are suspended from the window, the space has a unique, creative feel.

“Most people get a good vibe when they come. I have so many people comment on that,” says Luker. It's something that she hopes the project will be able to build on.

Source: Amanda Luker, Boneshaker Books
Writer: Anna Pratt

A group of community members from St. Paul’s East Side are making progress on a plan to set up a new food coop in the neighborhood.

(See The Line’s earlier story on the effort here.)

In recent months, the Gateway Food Initiative, which is doing the legwork to establish the coop, has formally incorporated as a nonprofit, according to Stephanie Harr, a spokesperson for the organization.

She explains that Gateway is the umbrella organization for the for-profit coop. Members can pledge $90 for a lifetime membership; they're buying shares in the business and they split the profits. "A lot of people don't understand that it's a for-profit, but that's what a coop is. It's owned by the members," Harr says. 

Right now the coop is in what’s known as the “organizing phase,” she explains.

In this early stage, Gateway needs to fund a feasibility study. This involves bringing in a consultant to evaluate the market, including scoping out possible locations for a coop. “It’s a necessary piece of the puzzle,” and also a “normal part of the process for coops that are starting up.”  

This Thursday, the coop will host a kickoff celebration at 7 p.m. at the Water and Oil Gallery in St. Paul. It’s a way to help spread the word and get community input, Harr says.

So far, the coop has raised $3,000 toward its goal of $10,000. It also hopes to draw 300 members before it opens. “It’s important it be driven by the community,” Harr says.   

Besides filling a void on the East Side in terms of fresh fruits and vegetables, the coop will be an economic engine for the community. The fact that it’ll be member-owned is also a way to bring the community together, she says. “The vision is for a place not only to buy food but to meet others,” including through educational programs.   

“A lot of people are excited about having it,” she says. As it is, “Many people prefer to leave the neighborhood to shop at a coop.”  

It takes between two and five years to get a coop off the ground. “We’re still in the first year, so there’s a way to go,” she says.  

Source: Stephanie Harr, Gateway Food Initiative
Writer: Anna Pratt

Soon, the Dangerous Man Brewing Company will be a destination brewery and tap house in Northeast Minneapolis.

It recently found a home in a warehouse-style brick building that dates back to 1927, according to owner Rob Miller. “We love the area,” he says. “This was the dream, to be in this neighborhood.”

Dangerous Man will fill the ground floor of the two-story building that Spinario Design and Gallery previously used for storage purposes.  

Right now, the place is an empty shell, which has its advantages. “It’s nice to start fresh and clean,” Miller says, adding, “We can build it the way we want it.”

Wide ceilings, open spaces, and big columns characterize the space. Inside, the mechanical and electrical systems will be updated, while plumbing needs to be installed as well.

Basement floors will be reinforced to withstand the load and the walls will get a fresh coat of paint.

The idea is to make it a comfortable hangout, with a fireplace, farm-style tables, couches and chairs, a pool table and darts, TV, and more, he says.

The brewery will have a custom-built bar that features the work of a local artist, while the concrete floor will be polished, with the brewery's logo stained into it.

Further, the brewing tanks and other equipment will be visible from the bar. “We want to make it feel like the building was meant to house a brewery,” he says.

He says the business won’t compete with others in the area. “I hope it brings more traffic to them and is a unique meeting place.”

Dangerous Man will probably be ready to open its doors in October.

All in all, “It’s an exciting time for the beer movement in Minneapolis and Northeast,” he says.

Source: Rob Miller, owner, Dangerous Man Brewing Co.
Writer: Anna Pratt

The 24th Street Urban Farm Coalition in Minneapolis’s Phillips neighborhood will have its first official workday in its “communal” garden on May 19.

Phillips resident Sammie Ardito Rivera, who is the outreach and education coordinator at Dream of Wild Health, a 10-acre native farm in Hugo, belongs to the volunteer-driven coalition.   

The coalition is a joint effort of a number of community organizations including the following: Ventura Village Neighborhood Association, Indigenous Peoples Taskforce, Women’s Environmental Institute, Waite House, Indian Health Board, and Native American Community Clinic, along with Dream of Wild Health.  

It’s an opportunity for these organizations to do a demonstration farm that will help community members, especially American Indians, learn how to grow food, she says. That education is needed in the native community, which has high rates of heart disease and diabetes, Rivera adds.   

People will work in the “communal” garden collectively. “It’s not a community garden in the plot sense,” she says. “It’s more of a teaching opportunity for people who aren’t ready to grow their own food but want access.”

Nearby, a couple of other "communal" gardens are also in the works (see The Line's story here).

Planning for the 24th Street garden began last year, involving some minimal plantings last growing season. “This summer we hope to expand and have a more solid presence there,” she says.

The undeveloped piece of land, which the Indian Health Board owns, will be farmed temporarily. The Indian organization may have plans for the lot further down the line, she explains.

At the same time, the gardeners are also hoping to expand the farm in the future into a nearby lot that the city owns.

Right now, the farm is still fleshing out the details, she says, adding that for now, it’s on the lookout for rain barrels.

Source: Sammie Ardito Rivera, member of the 24th Street Urban Farm Coalition
Writer: Anna Pratt

In recognition of the unique Asian businesses and other cultural institutions along University Avenue in St. Paul from Galtier to Mackubin streets, the area is being branded as Little Mekong.

It’s an initiative that the local Asian Economic Development Association (AEDA) launched on Feb. 25.

The name references the Mekong River, which is a major river in Southeast Asia, according to Va-Megn Thoj, who heads the AEDA. “Most businesses in the area have a connection to the river,” he explains.

In his view, “By giving a name to a destination which has existed for a long time, we can draw more people into the area.” This is especially needed during Central Corridor light rail construction, he says.  

Already, as a result of construction obstacles, many of the businesses are seeing less foot traffic, he says.

With the Little Mekong branding, “We want to build on what we have,” which he describes as “an attractive destination for people to get introduced to Asian cultures and cuisine.” Although the district has been around informally for a long time, not too many people are familiar with it, he says.

Besides improving the streetscape and putting up district-related signage, Little Mekong will host a number of events, including family-friendly festivals.

AEDA is also working with businesses to create incentive programs to bring in more customers, including coupons and other deals, and to handle increased traffic. “We’re working with businesses to strengthen their operations and customer service,” he says.

The coming Central Corridor represents “a tremendous opportunity to create something of benefit to the neighborhoods and city and region," he adds.

Source: Va-Megn Thoj
Writer: Anna Pratt