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MILL CITY FARMERS MARKET
With over 100 local farmers, food makers and artists, MCFM strives to build a local, sustainable and organic food economy in a vibrant, educational marketplace.
Maximizing the visitor experience of Minneapolis for the economic benefit of our community, making Minneapolis the destination of choice among travelers.
Covering life, work, and play in the Historic Mill District and Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront neighborhoods. Have an opinion, local news or events to share? Contact us.
Izzy's 13 Days of Giving 2016 kicks off Monday, February 1. $2 from every single cup or cone purchase will go towards the non-profit of the day. Sounds like a good excuse to try 13 new flavors! :D
Location: 34 13 Avenue NE (in the Grain Belt building complex)
They showcase only Minnesota craft beers, plus two ciders at all times, and support local artists. Learn about the beers from the tap tender, sample, and pour yourself a pint. They have food, too. Yum! :D
Lead gift made to the RiverFirst Campaign at the site of General Mills’ early beginnings as a company
The Minneapolis Parks Foundation today accepted a $3 million “birthday gift to Minneapolis” from the General Mills Foundation in the form of a three-year lead corporate contribution to the RiverFirst Campaign. Ken Powell, Chairman of the Board and CEO of General Mills, presented the gift at an event in the Mill District on the Minneapolis Central Riverfront, the birthplace of General Mills 150 years ago.
RiverFirst is a Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board-led vision for regional riverfront parks and trails that will transform the Upper Mississippi into a world-class cultural and recreational destination for residents and visitors, as well as a regional economic engine for the 21st century. The Minneapolis Parks Foundation is the Park Board’s primary philanthropic partner in the public-private RiverFirst Initiative.
“We are truly honored to be playing a key role in an initiative that is so intertwined with General Mills past, present and future,” said Kim Nelson, Senior Vice President of External Relations and President of the General Mills Foundation. “Our investment, along with other funding from the private and public sectors, will enable RiverFirst projects to transform disjointed and formerly industrial stretches of the Minneapolis riverfront into a vibrant destination and community asset that can be enjoyed for the next 150 years.”
General Mills Foundation is making the RiverFirst grant in honor of the company’s 150th birthday and to commemorate the company’s community roots.
“150 years is cause for celebration and what better way to celebrate this milestone than to give a birthday gift to the very birth place of our company,” Powell said in his remarks at the event. “All that General Mills is today ties back to this very place [the river front] and is intrinsically woven into the foundation of this city. Our history is the city’s history.”
The multi-year grant will go toward three RiverFirst signature projects on both sides of the Minneapolis Central and Upper Riverfronts, including a critical trail link and pier at 26th Ave N, a future riverfront park and beach at Hall’s Island (Scherer site), and Water works, an iconic destination on the Central Riverfront.
The Water Works project is on the Central Riverfront, where General Mills was born. The area is already home to popular landmarks such as the Stone Arch Bridge, St. Anthony Falls, the Pillsbury “A” Mill and original Washburn Mill. An expansion of Mill Ruins Park, the Water Works project will result in an iconic destination for residents and visitors – including a park pavilion, historic ruins, a natural classroom and play and picnic spaces.
General Mills’ $3 million commitment to RiverFirst brings fundraising to $9 million in the first six months of the Minneapolis Park Foundation’s $15 million philanthropic fundraising campaign, with other funding coming from private individual donors. The Minneapolis Park Board is providing public sector support to RiverFirst primarily through grants from local, state and Federal sources.
RiverFirst: Unlocking the Potential of the Upper Riverfront
When the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board was founded in 1883, community leaders envisioned protecting the city’s lakes and riverfront for the public good. Already developed and heavily industrial, the 5.5 miles Upper Riverfront was the only stretch of the Mississippi River unavailable to early parks leaders, leaving North and Northeast Minneapolis scarce access to regional natural resources.
“Now we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to complete our legacy and connect North and Northeast Minneapolis with the larger Grand Rounds and all that this chain of excellence has to offer,” said Liz Wielinski, President of the Minneapolis Park Board of Commissioners. “Visionary philanthropic investment from General Mills echoes the dedication of early leaders and carries forward a tradition of true public-private partnership.”
“Through RiverFirst, the city will provide access for under-served neighborhoods, support ecological systems, and establish new parks and trails in iconic locations, including where General Mills, and Minneapolis, were born,” said Tom Evers, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. “We are grateful that a legacy company like General Mills is reaffirming its commitment to our community by investing in our parks for this generation and generations to follow.”
The Minneapolis Park Board, with philanthropic support from the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, will break ground on Water Works and Hall’s Island in late 2016.
General Mills and its Foundation contributed more than $150 million to charitable causes in fiscal year 2015. The General Mills Foundation partners with remarkable nonprofits across the globe to strengthen communities and nourish lives through grantmaking and employee volunteerism focused on our hometown communities. To learn more about our philanthropy and community engagement, join us on Facebook at Facebook.com/GeneralMillsGives or visit us at http://www.generalmills.com/en/Responsibility/general-mills-foundation.
About the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is an independent, semi-autonomous body responsible for the Minneapolis park system. With 179 park properties totaling 6,801 acres of land and water, the Park Board provides places and recreation opportunities for all people to gather and engage in activities that promote health, wellbeing, community and the environment. More than 21 million annual visits are made to the nationally acclaimed park system. Its Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, neighborhood parks, recreation centers and diversified programming have made the park system an important component of what makes Minneapolis a great place to live, play and work. Visit www.minneapolisparks.org for details.
About the Minneapolis Parks Foundation
The Minneapolis Parks Foundation is an independent, donor-supported nonprofit that brings visionary leadership, philanthropic investment and private sector expertise to support innovation and equity throughout the Minneapolis park system. It co-leads the RiverFirst Initiative with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and is responsible for private fundraising and implementation of the Water Works and 26th Ave N to Ole Olson projects. It also supports innovative projects for Minneapolis parks through equity funding and champions world-class design through its Next Generation of Parks™ Lecture Series. Get involved at MplsParksFoundation.org.
Land sits in between North Mississippi Regional Park and Upper Harbor Terminal
At its Jan. 20, 2016 meeting, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) of Commissioners authorized a purchase agreement for the acquisition of 4022 ½ Washington Ave. N and 4050 ½ Washington Ave. N.
The 4022 ½ Washington Ave. N property covers approximately 3.88 acres of land containing more than 500 linear feet of shoreline. Someday that land will become part of the continuous network of parks and trails along Minneapolis’ Upper Riverfront envisioned the Above the Falls Master Plan and RiverFirst Initiative.
“This purchase is a big step forward as we work with our partners to accomplish the exciting vision laid out for the Upper Riverfront,” said MPRB Assistant Superintendent for Planning Michael Schroeder. “In the short-term we can use the land for our own operational needs and help pay down the acquisition cost by renting it to existing private businesses, while working toward the long-term plan of creating dynamic park land and river connections in North Minneapolis. It’s win now, win later.”
Acquiring this piece of North Minneapolis riverfront real estate is vital to developing Above the Falls Regional Park, which covers both sides of Minneapolis’ Upper Riverfront from the Plymouth Avenue Bridge to the Camden Bridge [MAP].
It’s important to distinguish Minneapolis’ regional parks from its network of 160 neighborhood parks. Regional parks like Above the Falls, Minneapolis Chain of Lakes, Minnehaha and Theodore Wirth serve many people from outside Minneapolis and rely on funds from the state, Met Council and other public agencies with broad constituencies to develop and maintain park amenities. Neighborhood parks are smaller, primarily funded by local tax dollars and predominantly serve nearby residents.
The 4022 ½ Washington Ave. N property is a key link in redeveloping the Minneapolis’ Upper Riverfront. The Upper Harbor Terminal site – 48 acres of city-owned land the MPRB and City of Minneapolis are jointly redeveloping – sits one block south, and the southern boundary of North Mississippi Regional Park sits directly north.
The 4050 ½ Washington Ave. N property is not within the Above the Falls Regional Park boundary, but the seller refuses to separate it from the sale of the riverfront parcel. MPRB staff recommends reselling the approximately half-acre parcel of land.
Join the Minneapolis St. Paul Film Society January 27 and 28 as they celebrate one of the most influential artists of our time: David Bowie. For two nights the Film Society will screen Bowie’s striking first leading role in a film, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and the cult-classic fantasy adventure Labyrinth, back-to-back.
The Man Who Fell to Earth Wednesday, January 27, 7:00pm | Thursday, January 28, 9:30pm Visiting from a distant planet that’s slowly dying from drought, Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie) has left his wife and two children in the hope of finding a solution on Earth. Tickets
Labyrinth Wednesday, January 27, 9:45pm | Thursday, January 28, 7:00pm Frustrated by her little brother’s crying, Sarah secretly imagines the Goblins from her favorite book, LABYRINTH, carrying Toby away. When her fantasy comes true, a distraught Sarah must enter a maze of illusion to bring Toby back from a kingdom inhabited by mystical creatures and governed by the wicked Goblin King (Bowie). Tickets
Andrea Jones, Alchemy Chief Marketing Officer, invites you to the Grand Opening of their new Northeast location from 9:00am-1:00pm Saturday, January 30. Try a free class to see (and feel) what all the buzz is about! :)
We learned about a new digital journal,Open Rivers, via a recent edition of the River Current. Open Riversis produced by the staff at the University of Minnesota’s RiverLife program, and brings community and academic knowledge together to examine issues associated with water, sense of place and urban community and identity.
Open Rivers will gather multiple voices in one place, focusing on issues, ideas and trends that inform how we might collectively think about the future of the Mississippi River, its watershed and the communities that depend on it. It will feature a variety of academic perspectives, as well as insights from scientists, planners and agency staff. It will be a priority to include a diverse range of voices, particularly from native people. You will also see perspectives and reporting on people and places outside the Mississippi watershed; we can and must learn from voices and practices everywhere.
Stay informed on the Upper Harbor Terminal redevelopment process by subscribing to email updates
At its Jan. 20 meeting, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) of Commissioners will discuss a collaborative process with the City of Minneapolis to jointly plan park development on the Upper Harbor Terminal property in North Minneapolis. At the Jan. 20 meeting -- held at MPRB headquarters, 2117 West River Road -- MPRB staff will present an overview of the planning process to MPRB commissioners.
The easiest way to stay informed on the Upper Harbor Terminal redevelopment process is to subscribe to email updates. To subscribe, go to minneapolisparks.org/subscribe and add “Upper Harbor Terminal” to your list of subscriptions, or visit the Upper Harbor Terminal Site project page and enter an email address into the box below “Subscribe to Email Updates.”
Day Block Brewing Company to Celebrate 2 Years in Business
Minneapolis, MN, January 19th, 2015—Day Block Brewing will be hosting a Two Year Anniversary party at their property located off Washington Avenue and 11th Avenue in the Downtown Minneapolis Mill District, starting Monday, January 25th. The brewery will host a variety of different events throughout the week, including a Bacon Raffle, Beer Bingo, and live music from Michael Warren Jazz and Trench Size Trio. On Wednesday, January 27th they will host their popular Bands That Brew event, an event which invites local bands to brew local beer. This month will feature local band, Gentlemen’s Anti Temperance League and their special release Double IPA.
Day Block Brewing opened its doors in January of 2014. A year and a half later, it is a go-to Mill District neighborhood hangout for those who value quality craft beer, a menu with a focus on local ingredients and cutting edge live music several nights a week.
To learn more and see a detailed schedule of events, please visit the Day Block Brewing website or call them at 612.617.7793.
Winter Cycling Congress 2016 Minneapolis Saint Paul
The fourth annual Winter Cycling Congress, Winter Cycling Congress 2016 Minneapolis Saint Paul, is taking place February 2 - 5, 2016, with events in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. It's a three-day professional development event uniting a diverse and international group of people with a shared vision of increasing mass bicycling and walking among people of all ages and abilities through the winter. This will be the first time a US city hosts the event.
The Minneapolis & Saint Paul Home Tour, April 30-May 1, 2016, is accepting nominations at www.MSPHomeTour.com, click on “submit a home” for the option to apply online. Or, request an application by calling Margo Ashmore at 612-867-4874.
For 11 hours, homeowners and contractors open their doors to share ideas with other home enthusiasts, based on their remodeling experience.
Visitors are particularly interested in period-accurate restoration and expansions sensitive to the surroundings. Being on the tour gives homeowners great feedback as well as the incentive to finish those last few projects. If you or someone you know needs more information, contact coordinator Margo Ashmore at mfashmore@aol.com. Organizers want to have visited nominated homes by early February, so inquire “today.” Later nominations will be considered if they help reach tour goals.
(Via a January 13 e-newsletter from the Office of Governor Mark Dayton & Lt. Governor Tina Smith.)
Yesterday, ahead of President Obama’s final State of the Union Address, Politico released its third annual analysis on “The States of our Union.” For the third straight year, Politico ranked Minnesota one of the two strongest states in the nation.
Politico’s annual analysis is based on 15 separate categories that demonstrate the educational attainment, quality of life, and economic health of each of the 50 states. Ranking overall as the 2nd-strongest state in the nation, here is how Minnesota scored in each category, according to Politico.
Annual Per Capita Income – At $31,642, Minnesota’s per capita income is the 10th-highest in the nation. Median household income in Minnesota is $61,481, which is also the 10th-highest in the nation.
Percent Unemployed – At 3.5 percent, Minnesota’s statewide unemployment rate is the 7th-lowest in the nation. But communities of color and some other pockets of Minnesota’s workforce are still experiencing higher levels of unemployment.
Percent Below Poverty Level – Minnesota ranks 8th-lowest for the percent of those living below the poverty level. According to Politico’s analysis, 11.2 percent of Minnesotans are living below the poverty level – which is still far too many Minnesotans.
Homeownership Rate – With 71.7 percent of Minnesotans owning their own homes, Minnesota ranks 2nd in this category.
High School Graduation Rate – Minnesota ranks 2nd, only behind Alaska, for the percent of our students (92.6 percent) who graduate from high school.
Life Expectancy at Birth – Minnesotans live longer than almost anyone else in the country. With a life expectancy of 81.1 at birth, Minnesota ranks 2nd in the nation in this category. Hawaiians live just three months longer, on average, than Minnesotans.
Infant Mortality – Minnesota ranked 15th-lowest in the number of infant deaths per 1,000 births. Read what the Minnesota Department of Health is doing to improve the health of mothers and babies, and reduce the incidence of infant mortality in our state.
Wellbeing – Minnesota has a wellbeing score of 62.8, ranking us 9th in this category.
Average Math Scores in 8th Grade – Minnesota 8th Graders have the 6th-highest math scores in the country.
Average Reading Scores in 8th Grade – Minnesota 8th Graders have the 6th-highest reading scores in the country.
Income Inequality – According to the GINI Index, which measures the income distribution of a state’s residents, Minnesota ranks 13th in the country in income inequality. Given the economic disparities facing Minnesotans of color in particular, Governor Dayton and his administration are working hard to secure economic opportunity for all Minnesotans.
Violent Crime Rate – Minnesotans are the 10th-safest from violent crime, according to Politico’s analysis, and records provided by the FBI.
Jobs in Science, Engineering, and Math – Minnesota has the 7th-highest percentage of our workforce employed in jobs involving science, engineering, and math.
H.L. Mencken’s 1931 Rankings – As a benchmark, Politico lists the rankings of each individual state from a 1931 study by H.L. Mencken and Charles Angoff. According to that study, Minnesota was the 6th-strongest state in the nation in 1931.
We're looking for a Summer Waking Tours coordinator!
Preserve Minneapolis plans and executes a series of summer walking tours that explore some of the city’s most unique historic places. The Tour Coordinator will be responsible for developing and executing the 2016 program, consisting of 25-27 tours (typically a mix of returning tours and new ones).
Compensation: This is a contract position, with pay of $6,000
How to apply: Please send resume, letter of interest (maximum 400 words), and list three references to the email address listed below. Include one brief article (maximum 400 words) that you have written; this article shall best represent your written communication skills. Please list past projects that you have executed or supervised, and describe the scope of work and skill needed for these projects.
United Properties and partner Greystar submitted a new design yesterday for a mixed-use project on the city-owned site in downtown Minneapolis known as the Nicollet Hotel Block.
The project is on the agenda of the City Council's Community Development and Regulatory Services committee scheduled to meet Jan. 5:
- Purchase price: $10.4 million.
- A mixed use tower with at least 30 stories to include a hotel, residential, commercial and/or office uses with a façade, a portion of which includes a mullion pattern reflecting the topography of the Mississippi River.
- Active street-level retail space.
- All parking shall be underground.
- A design to accommodate a skyway crossing Third Street South to connect the Tower to the Hennepin County Central Library (the “Third Street Skyway Bridge”).
- A public plaza including a staircase connecting the plaza to the skyway level and lobby, interactive feature, sidewalk café seating, and an activated year round common space.
- Public artwork in the plaza area mutually acceptable to the City and Developer.
- LEED certification or equivalent for building shell and core and incorporation of sustainable design features.
We've been looking through our 2015 website and Facebook posts and are overwhelmed with everything that happened in our downtown and riverfront neighborhoods. Construction, new businesses, goodbyes, the river...
Grab a cup of coffee, and let's take a stroll down memory lane!
I'm sure a lot of people can relate to this - you buy a spendy pair of shoes or boots that quickly become a favorite, only to have the heels wear down quickly (or some other issue that makes you put them on the shelf).
That recently happened to me, so I did a Google search for "shoe repair Minneapolis" and found Fast Eddie's, 1316 SE 4th Street in Dinkytown.
The owner is Jim, who apprenticed under Fast Eddie for 15 years prior to Eddie's retirement at age 85. Jim is a genuinely sweet guy who does excellent work.
If you have footwear collecting dust because they've lost their luster, but you don't want to part with them, I highly recommend taking them to Fast Eddie's. :)