Explore Downtown Living - Saturday, May 19

Free residential tours + exclusive deals from local businesses headline Explore Downtown Living on Saturday, May 19

Explore Downtown Living is this Saturday, May 19 from 10 am-5 pm, and includes the Central Business District, East Town, Loring Park, North Loop and Northeast neighborhoods.

Back for its fourth year, Explore Downtown Living is a FREE event that lets you tour Downtown Minneapolis and all it has to offer at your own pace. On May 19, visit 20 residential communities and see their roof decks, residential units, party rooms, fitness centers & more up close—all while learning about their surrounding neighborhoods and getting a sense of what the community has to offer.

New properties taking part in May’s event include East End, The M on Hennepin (atop Nye’s) and Nordhaus.

Sign up for Explore Downtown Living at www.exploredtliving.com, and use an online interactive map to help you navigate around downtown. View the full list of participating properties on the interactive map: www.exploredtliving.com/map.

Through four previous events, Explore Downtown Living showcased more than 17,000 unit tours. During May’s event, you can get there (and around downtown) for FREE courtesy of Metro Transit’s Free Ride Pass. Print the pass at www.exploredtliving.com.

Participants can also enjoy promotions, deals and freebies from approximately 20 local businesses. The full list of restaurants, retail shops, fitness organizations and more can be viewed at www.exploredtliving.com/partner-offers.

Explore Downtown Living is produced by the mpls downtown council’s Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan’s Development Committee in partnership with Target, VON91, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and the Mpls Downtown Improvement District. It’s goal is to help the 2025 plan’s efforts to double the downtown population by the year 2025.

The Essential Guide to Bicycling in the Central Riverfront Neighborhoods

Submitted article by Jane Sandwood, freelance writer

Minneapolis is one of the top five best places to bicycle in the country. There are 97 miles of off-street bikeways and 129 miles of on-street bike lanes. Much of that is right here in the Central Riverfront neighborhoods. Here is what you need to know if you want to take advantage of our bikeable city.

Register Your Bike

You likely already have a bicycle and a helmet. If you don’t have a bike, check out this guide to find one that is right for you. Once you have a bicycle, you should register it with the Minneapolis Police Department. Many of the thousands of bikes that are stolen or lost in the city each year are recovered. If the MPD has your bike on record, it will be returned to you. It is free and easy to register your bike. You can register your bike online or by calling 311. To make registration go more smoothly, make sure you have your bike’s serial number handy.

Protect Your Bike

While Minneapolis’s Finest do an excellent job of recovering stolen or lost bikes, they are not perfect. If you have invested money in your ride, it only makes sense to invest in protecting your bike from theft. In addition to choosing a top-of-the-line lock, it is also recommended to install a GPS tracker on your bike. These are affordable devices that cost around $100 upfront. There may also be monthly fees associated with the tracking service. But, it’s well worth the cost because if your bike is stolen, you can easily find its whereabouts and pass this info along to the authorities.

Join the Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee

From the West River Parkway and the Stone Arch Bridge to 3rd Avenue, there are plenty of bikeways in the Central Riverfront neighborhoods. Much of the success of the city’s bicycling community can be attributed to the work of the Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee. This group meets on a monthly basis. They exist to promote recreational and commuter bicycling through advocating for infrastructural improvements and serving as a liaison to neighborhoods, businesses, and cyclists.

You can get involved by attending meetings or joining the committee. There are spots opening up soon. With the tips above, you will be well on your way to enjoying one of the best cities in the country for bicycling. 

Hennepin County Public Health Seeks Data and Solutions

Via a May 14 e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

How healthy are we? Hennepin County Public Health seeks data and solutions

Between How healthy are we? Hennepin County Public Health seeks data and solutionsMay and September 2018, 40,000 randomly selected Hennepin County households will receive the 2018 SHAPE survey in the mail. Residents who visit Hennepin County human service centers will also be invited to take the SHAPE survey in-person. (SHAPE stands for Survey of the Health of All the Population and the Environment). The short survey will ask residents anonymous, confidential questions about their health, diet, exercise, lifestyle and ability to get health care.

For 20 years, SHAPE has improved health 

Conducted every four years by Hennepin County Public Health and now in its 20th year, SHAPE provides the most comprehensive overview available of the unique health issues facing the county’s diverse population.

SHAPE data is then used by dozens of community organizations to develop and fund programs that improve community health.

“Collecting this information from thousands of households every four years is among the best ways for us to track our progress toward becoming a health community,” said Susan Palchick, Hennepin County Public Health director. “Anyone who receives the survey in the mail, or who is invited to take the survey at a human service center, is encouraged to take the time – about 15 minutes – to respond to the questions.”

SHAPE works in your community

In past years, SHAPE data has been used to guide health initiatives:

• Identify populations disproportionately impacted by tobacco (e.g., people living in multi-unit housing) in order to shape tobacco cessation efforts and policies
• Identify Hennepin County food deserts and expand people’s access to healthy food in these areas
• Identify areas and populations within Hennepin County with high rates of chronic disease and obesity and increase opportunities for physical activity 

Learn more about SHAPE and review the results from previous surveys at www.hennepin.us/shape.

Learn more about data gathered from past surveys and get a copy of the questions.

Hennepin County Walking, Biking and Rolling Progress Report

Via an e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

Welcome to the new Hennepin County walk, bike, roll newsletter! You are receiving this mailing because you told us you wanted to hear news and updates related to walking, biking and accessibilty in the county. We hope you find the items below informative and interesting. Please send any feedback or suggestions to ride@hennepin.us.

2017 bicycle and pedestrian progress report

Biking, walking and rolling are an important part of everyday life for many Hennepin County residents. Whether it is for transportation, recreation or physical activity, we work to create options for getting around that are safe, comfortable and efficient for more people.

Every year, we invest in our growing network of sidewalks, trails and bikeways. In 2017, the county bikeway network grew by 18 miles with 22 projects completed and three priority gaps in the network closed. We also installed or upgraded 485 sidewalk ramps and added 70 accessible pedestrian signals.

Check out the full report to learn more about how Hennepin County worked to serve people walking, biking and rolling in 2017.

May is Bike Month!

Every year in May, people of all bicycling abilities and experience levels celebrate the many benefits of bicycling. Whether you’re trying biking for the first time, or you’re a seasoned cyclist, May is the month to discover and appreciate all the reasons to ride. What are yours?

Bike month events

- Femme/Trans/Women rider day: Sunday, May 13

- Nice Ride day: Thursday, May 17

- Twin Cities bike to work day: Friday, May 18

- Family bike day: Saturday, May 26

For even more ways to celebrate bike month this May, visit mplsbikemonth.org

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Washington Avenue cycle track garners national recognition

Woman riding bike on Washington Avenue cycle track near Hennepin Avenue

Completed in 2017, the Washington Avenue cycle track project added dedicated off-street bikeways to both sides of Washington Avenue between Hennepin and 5th avenues in downtown Minneapolis.

The first cycle track of its kind in Hennepin County, this new high-comfort bikeway connects to existing bike lanes on Washington Avenue to the west, and new buffered bike lanes, also installed in 2017, to the east. The project was named one of America's 10 best new bikeways of 2017 by PeopleForBikes. The Franklin Avenue Bridge also made the list in 2016.

Washington Avenue bicycle traffic signal survey

New bicycle-specific traffic signals were also installed as part of the Washington Avenue reconstruction and cycle track project in 2017. These signals are intended to help reduce conflicts and confusion by separately controlling movements of people biking and driving.

To continue improving signal function, we invite you to take a short survey about your experience with these new signals.

Take the survey now

Biking and walking improvements underway in 2018

66th Street (County Road 53), Richfield

Several construction projects are underway in 2018 that include major improvements for people biking, walking and rolling in Hennepin County.

Three miles of new protected on-street bike lanes and shared off-street trails are coming to Richfield in 2019. These high-comfort bikeways will serve local business districts, jobs, schools and other key destinations. Other pedestrian improvements include new wider sidewalks, green boulevards, enhanced intersections with shortened crossing distances, updated signals and high-visibility crosswalks. More

Bottineau Boulevard (County Road 81), Brooklyn Park

New shared paths for biking and walking will extend the Crystal Lake Regional Trail. The segment between 63rd and West Broadway avenues is under construction. Similar improvements between West Broadway and 83rd avenues are planned for 2019. More

Douglas Drive (County Road 102), Golden Valley

New shared paths and on-street bike lanes were added between Highway 55 and Medicine Lake Road in 2017. Final work will be completed in summer 2018. More

Flying Cloud Drive (County Road 61), Eden Prairie and Chanhassen

A new shared path between Charlson Road and Highway 101 along the north side of the roadway will fill a gap in the trail network between Shakopee and Eden Prairie. More

Lake Street Connections (County Road 3), Minneapolis

As part of the MnDOT 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown project, Hennepin County is adding wider sidewalks, improved pedestrian ramps, and intersections that are easier to cross along Lake Street near I-35W. A future phase of this project will also add a trail connection from the planned transit station at I-35W and Lake Street to the Midtown Greenway. More

Pinto Drive (County Roads 115 and 116), Medina

A new shared path will be added to Pinto Drive, as well as sidewalk ramps at intersections near Highway 55. More

Planning for bike and pedestrian connections along the future Bottineau LRT route

A man and woman getting off the Light Rail Transit train with their bikes in downtown Minneapolis

Combining your bike trip with a ride on the bus or train is a great way to extend your range on two wheels. Hennepin County is planning for the future of biking and transit in the region. We're working with residents and cities along the planned Bottineau LRT (Blue Line Extension) to improve biking, walking, and rolling connections near future stations.

Show us where walking and biking improvements are needed along the corridor:

Visit the Bottineau connectivity wikimap

County bike map gets fresh look in 2018

Back side of the new 2018 county bike map                    

The Hennepin County bike map has a new look and even more helpful info and features in 2018.

They're hot off the presses and will be hitting the stands at your local county library and other locations across the county soon.

You can also grab one at any number of summer community events like Open Streets.

Scenes from the May 12 Mill City Farmers Market

How sweet is this? A warm Mill City Farmers Market welcome on a chilly May morning! :D

Below, two new vendors for the 2018 season debuted at the May 12 Market: Tempeh Tantrum and Senoras de Salsa. Look for separate posts about these vendors on our Farmers Market blog later this week.

Tom Carlson and Ryan Billig

Delores and Danielle

An abundance of spring crops are now available, including rhubarb, asparagus, radishes, herbs, greens and spring onions. You know morels aren't far behind!

Tasty baked goods are peppered throughout the Market - yum!

Northern Fires sets up on Chicago Plaza EARLY (before 6am!) to assure their wood fired oven is ready for pizza makin' when the Market opens at 8a. Question: Pizza for breakfast? Answer: You betcha!

Be sure to check out the non-edibles, too:

Milly the goat!

Chanteuse Maud Hixson Presents Doris Day

Article by Merle Minda 

Maud Hixson and Rick CarlsonMinneapolis singer Maud Hixson turns her musical chops to beloved songs from the legendary actress and singer Doris Day. Maud, accompanied by pianist Rick Carlson, will appear at The Dunsmore Room, at the Crooners Lounge and Supper Club on Tuesday, May 22nd at 7:30 pm.

Some notes about Doris Day: Beginning in 1939, Doris began as a dancer, but turned to singing after a car accident left her with a severely injured leg. She was a hit almost from the start, joining Les Brown and his Band of Renown. Her first big recorded hit during WWII was Sentimental Journey, remember that one?

Doris sang like an angel and was an adorable blonde, to boot. She became a huge movie star and was a top-ten movie attraction for a decade in films like Pillow Talk, Lullaby of Broadway, The Thrill of it All and many more. She worked with an incredible stable of handsome leading men in these films, including Rock Hudson, Cary Grant, James Garner, Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, David Niven and Kirk Douglas. Her musical films were huge hits but she also did serious drama, including The Man Who Knew Too Much, directed by Alfred Hitchcock; Young Man with a Horn with Kirk Douglas and Midnight Lace, where she starred with Rex Harrison. Later she went on to star in The Doris Day Show on TV. She sang Que Sera Sera in the Hitchcock movie, which has become an all-time hit still sung often. She is alive and well today at 96; a new collection of her songs was just released for streaming this past week.

Doris DayUnfortunately, her life was not as sunny as the personality she projected. She had a raft of personal financial problems from husbands and ultimately lost her only child to cancer, just a few months after she had been presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 by President George Bush. Maud and pianist Rick Carlson will explore some of her darker personal struggles through Doris’ music. One role she played during this period was Love Me or Leave Me with James Cagney. One can understand her life at this time through this dramatic film and its soulful musical presentations.

Maud Hixson

Singer Maud Hixson is devoted to songs from the Great American Songbook, presenting shows in the Twin Cities at such places as The Dunsmore Room, the Dakota, Vieux Carré and Lourdes Church, where she sang a concert of songs all in French. She has presented a revue of Noel Coward songs at the Guthrie Theater; and has also appeared in The Soul of Gershwin at Park Square Theater. She has released several CDs and continues to sing in New York City and Chicago clubs. Musician and historian Michael Feinstein observed: “Her vocal style is so warm, compelling and intimate – it’s clear she cares about the words and telling the story, with clarity and without artifice – almost a lost art these days.” Maud is married to virtuoso pianist/accompanist Rick Carlson and together they make quite a duo.

Tickets for Tuesday, May 22, “What Would Doris Do?” are just $15 and available by phone at 763-760-0062 or on online. The Dunsmore Room, with its nine-foot Steinway concert grand piano, is the perfect intimate setting for this concert. The venue address is 6161 Highway 65 Northeast, Minneapolis. It is easy to get to by driving straight out Central Avenue NE; free parking is available onsite.

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About Merle Minda

Journalist and free-lance writer Merle Minda writes about travel, business, people profiles and other subjects for a number of national and regional publications, including Delta SKY, Mpls/St. Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Business, Star Tribune, Twin Cities Statement, Minnesota Monthly, and now Mill City Times. She can be reached at mminda@earthlink.net or TravelOverEasy.com on the web.

Make Homes Happen Minneapolis

Article by Claudia Kittock

Joe Kreisman, head of Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness, is a tireless advocate. His creative approach to making sure everyone in Minneapolis has a place to sleep has given the city many innovative programs. The latest is Make Homes Happen, a grassroots coalition of organizations mobilizing for production and preservation of affordable housing and protection of tenants’ rights in the city of Minneapolis through education, advocacy, and public policy reform. This campaign builds on similar ones in cities across the country which include Washington D.C., Seattle, Denver, and many others. They have created or expanded local housing trust funds out of a growing concern that federal resources are limited and becoming unreliable.

As we all know, Minneapolis is growing, but that growth has not seen a concurrent growth in affordable housing stock which has decreased considerably since 2000. Make Homes Happen strives to provide choice and opportunity with a range of housing types and affordability across the full housing continuum. This will require various investments and tools from the City and its community partners.

Make Homes Happen proposes the City commit $50 million annually for ten years in new, local, dedicated revenue to produce and preserve affordable rental and ownership housing. These investments would be made with input from a community advisory committee that will include residents from low-wealth communities, communities of color, and other stakeholders.

We are a city with more renters than owners, and tenant protection and support are crucial for the future of affordable housing here. The city of Minneapolis plays an important role in influencing tenants’ rights, and needs to develop new legal protections to support renters while making investments in housing code enforcement. In addition to specific policies to prevent involuntary displacement and improve fair access to housing, the City needs to center tenant-focused improvements and investments in housing inspections as advocated by affected renters themselves.

Affordable housing is critical for the entire city, and we need your help to make sure it is a priority for the City Council and Mayor. We need to live in a city where everyone has a place to sleep at night. By signing on to the Make Homes Happen coalition, you are joining a city-wide coalition that’s working to ensure housing stability for all Minneapolis residents.

How can you help?

• Join Make Homes Happen

• Contact Rose Teng with the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers at rteng@mccdmn.org or 612-843-3270.

• Talk with your City Council representative and learn more about their stance.

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About Claudia Kittock

Claudia is a resident of the Mill District. In addition to writing for Mill City Times, she is a founding Board Member of Friends of the Mill District. Claudia is the author of Health Through Chaos, mentors young adults at YouthLink, and has served on the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA).

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Contact: claudia@millcitymedia.org

What You'll Find Along Nicollet at Northern Spark (hint - there's a lot!)

Baptism, photo by Adja Gildersleve. 

For many, Northern Spark is about wandering and finding uncommon art in surprising places. As you perambulate down Nicollet on June 15 & 16, here’s what you will find:

• a projected mandala for a peace embedded within the Mall’s Light Walk
• a compliment sung to you or a member of your roving crew
• a building-sized projection weaving together immigrant histories of the city
• a bicycle wheel inspired build-your-own poem station
• pianos for playing! 

If you’re a planner, make room in your wandering schedule for these timed events:

• a walking tour of Weird Nicollet  (10 pm & 12 midnight)
• jams of all kinds featuring Street Showcase musicians (10 pm & 11 pm)
• Midnight dance class! Perfect if you need a pick me up mid-way through the night.

Also on Nicollet is the tall, glass-paned Minneapolis Central Library. For the first time ever, hang out in the Library after hours at Northern Spark! You'll find:  

• a bank where you can withdraw or deposit empathy
• a radical, immersive, dance and sound experience
• 3-D projections of common edible plants flickering on the ceiling
• video works by MN artists that splice together the commonalities of oppressed peoples
• stations to add your protest story of Minneapolis
• a collection of books disapproved to appear in prisons, open and available for perusal
• an exhibition of lending art
• a multimedia a environment honoring the Boundary Waters 
• singing, singing, singing until 2 am
• a  workshop led by trans youth where you can make or collaborate on a zine
• a  dance that is a cheerful re-contextualization of the physical exchanges that will meet us all someday when we grow old
• The Night Library takes over the actual Library’s 3rd floor. 

Third Annual Preservation Photo Contest to Celebrate National Historic Preservation Month

May is National Historic Preservation Month, and the City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) department invites you to participate in a photo contest to celebrate the historic resources that make our city special. Contest link

Minneapolis has 177 locally designated landmarks and 18 historic districts, and CPED encourages individuals to share their best photos of them to celebrate the contributions these old buildings and places make to our city.

To enter the contest, snap a photo and post it on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook with the hashtag #MPLSpreservation by May 31, 2018.

Examples of past winners:

Minneapolis Post Office, Photo by Brian Lenk 

Minneapolis Grain Exchange, Photo by Rachel Ewell

Hollywood Theater, Photo by Ray Schoch

2018 Minneapolis Music and Movies in the Parks

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has announced its 2018 Minneapolis Music and Movies in the Parks schedule, which starts May 28. These events are free - just bring a blanket, sunblock and bug spray, and a picnic basket for a relaxing evening in the park.

Check out the schedules and follow Minneapolis Music and Movies in the Parks using the following links:

Music Schedule  Movie Schedule  Facebook

Parkway Closure for May 10 Medtronic 1 Mile Races

West River Parkway (from Portland Avenue to 22nd Avenue S) will be closed from 5:30pm-7:30pm on Thursday, May 10, for the Medtronic 1 Mile races.

Event Info

Wave times:

6:30pm – Corporate Team Challenge
6:45pm – First Timer’s
7:00pm – Recreational
7:30pm – Competitive
7:40pm – USATF Minnesota Team Circuit, Invitation Only (USATF Members)
7:52pm – Women’s Professional, Invitation Only
8:01pm – Men’s Professional, Invitation Only

EDITORS NOTE - The Parkway closure info from MPRB stated the road is closed until 7:30p, but the last wave takes off at 8:01pm, so the road may be closed until shortly after 8pm.

Spring Migrating Birds on the Minneapolis Riverfront

Excerpts from a May 8 article by Chee Xiong, published on the Minneapolis Parks Foundation (MPF) website:

Spring migrating birds on the Minneapolis Riverfront

One perk of being next to the Mississippi River, a major flyway, is we get to witness the incredible mass movement of our feathered friends. Here are some recommended places from Matt Karl and the Minnesota Audubon Society:

Coldwater Spring
Best to visit in the A.M.
One of the top birding sites in Minneapolis, Coldwater Spring is located south of Minnehaha Creek on the Mississippi River. The diverse fauna of this shrubby wetland offers a great sighting of waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans) and warblers. It is one of the favorite local sites for birding enthusiasts.

Minnehaha Creek, Minnehaha Regional Park
Best to visit in the A.M.
Take an early morning hike down Minnehaha Creek, starting from the falls and walking toward the Mississippi River. You might find a family of mallards, see falcons dancing in the sky, or Great Egrets glide gracefully above the water, as they seek out their morning breakfast.

Winchell Trail
Visit any time of the day
Hike on the 2.5-mile-long hidden trail between Franklin Avenue and 44th Street, off of West River Parkway.  Stop by White Sand Beach, located on the path to observe sparrows and eagles as they fly over.

Heron Rookery, North Minneapolis
Visit any time of the day
If you have access to a kayak or canoe and the Mississippi River is safe to be on, float down river from the Soo Avenue North boat ramp and see the Heron Rookery. The island is south of the mouth of Shingle Creek. There, you will locate Great Blue Herons and their nest. The island is off limits to anchor or human activities.

Click here for the full article.

Scenes from the May 5 Mill City Farmers Market

May 5 was opening day at the 2018 Mill City Farmers Market, now in it's 13th year. Two MCFM sponsors were on hand to kick off the season: Cynthia Froid Group treated customers to herb plants, and Lakewinds Food Co-op handed out shopping totes.

Emily, Lynn and Cindy taking a quick breather from handing out herb plants.

Carota, a carrot dip, from new vendor Caldo Foods.

The Pure Maple Sugar from Horner's Corner is a key ingredient for killer cookies. Also, it doesn't get the hard clumps that occur with regular brown sugar. Try it!

Milly the goat!

May 4 E-Newsletter from 3rd Ward Council Member Steve Fletcher

100% Renewable Energy Resolution

Last Friday, April 27 was a historic day in Minneapolis! The City Council unanimously approved a resolution that commits our city to achieve 100% renewable electricity: for municipal facilities and operations by 2022 and citywide by 2030. These goals serve as a strategy to meet the City’s aggressive greenhouse gas emission reduction and climate change goals by moving away from fossil fuels. The resolution responds to overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is a real and existential threat to human civilization and is caused primarily by the combustion of fossil fuels. The City opposes the rollback of climate policy at the federal level and reaffirms its ongoing commitment to the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

In addition to being the right thing to do for the planet, investing in renewable energy also allows us to keep more energy generation revenue in the city and create jobs for Minneapolis people of color who have been historically excluded from the old energy economy.

Thank you to my colleagues and our staff that represent the City on the Clean Energy Partnership (where I serve as an alternate) - Mayor Jacob Frey, Council Member Cam Gordon, and Council Member Jeremy Schroeder - as well as the city's wonderful sustainability staff, the Sierra Club North Star Chapter, iMatter Minneapolis, and many others for their work to get this passed.

This will take a lot of work to accomplish, but it is an essential step for our city. This has been a priority of mine since day one and I'm proud that we are taking this step!

Hennepin Avenue Reconstruction Project

The City of Minneapolis wants to hear from you about the design for the Hennepin Downtown Street Reconstruction Project, which will include major street improvements for the corridor between Washington Avenue and 12th Street.

People who live, work and travel along Hennepin Avenue are invited to comment on options for the overall aesthetic vision for the corridor between the Walker Art Center and the Mississippi River. An engagement process is underway in preparation for Minneapolis City Council review of the proposed roadway layout in July 2018.

The reconstructed Hennepin will continue to accommodate many different travel modes, including wider sidewalk areas, one-way protected bikeways behind the curb, enhanced transit stops, and four vehicle lanes with Hennepin remaining a two-way street.

This stretch of Hennepin, one of the city’s most celebrated cultural corridors, was last rebuilt in 1986 and the pavement needs to be replaced. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2019 and be completed by 2022. For more information about the project, visit Hennepin Downtown or call 844-887-833.

City Council Approves Pilot Program for Apartment Building Property Tax Breaks in Exchange for Affordable Rents

On April 27, the City Council also approved a pilot program to help encourage Minneapolis apartment owners to use a State provision that provides a 40 percent reduction in property taxes for having naturally occurring affordable housing (often referred to as NOAH). The "4d" pilot program adds incentives to properties that have not previously qualified.

As a result of this pilot, owners of naturally occurring affordable housing can apply to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for low-income rent classification status, otherwise known as 4d status. This results in a 40 percent reduction in property taxes on the restricted units. To qualify, the property must receive financial assistance offered by the City and restrict at least 20 percent of the building’s units to be affordable to and occupied by households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median income.

There is no singular solution to our affordable housing crisis, and we know that we are losing these NOAH units faster than we are building new ones, so we need to do everything we can to preserve their affordability whenever and wherever we can. Council Member Lisa Goodman, Council Member Cam Gordon, and Mayor Jacob Frey all did great work to bring forward a solution that will make a positive difference. I was glad to be able to cast a vote for it.

Small Business Team Community Office Hours

The City's Small Business Team works to help people start and grow small businesses in Minneapolis. They recently launched the Minneapolis Business Portal, which provides entrepreneurs and business owners with valuable information and resources to plan, launch, and grow a business.

In addition, the Small Business Team holds regular community office hours for consultations around the City:

• Central Library, 2nd Floor: every other Tuesday from 10am-1pm; the next one is May 8th
• North Regional Library: every 4th Thursday, 1pm-3pm.
• Hosmer Library: every 3rd Wednesday, 3pm-6pm.

If you are looking to start or grow a small business, come to a community office hour or contact the Small Business Team at 612-673-2499 or smallbusiness@minneapolismn.gov.

It's Farmers Market Season!

Farmers markets are opening for the season, and the City of Minneapolis now has an online interactive map that makes it easy to find farmers markets all over the city, showing the address, season dates and opening times for each market. The map will be updated as information becomes available on 2018 schedules.

The first market of the season – the Minneapolis Farmers Market on Lyndale Avenue North – opened April 21. The Thursday Nicollet Mall farmers market will return this year to Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis.

Other Ward 3 markets include the Mill City Farmers Market at 750 S 2nd St, which opens this weekend, and the Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market at 629 2nd St NE, opening May 19.

Nearly 30 farmers markets and mini markets will operate in Minneapolis this year. In 2016 they collectively represented more than $12 million in vendor sales with about 800 vendors. In 2017, market vendors supported approximately 5,000 employees and welcomed an estimated 1.2 million annual visitors to the markets in Minneapolis.

Clean City Minneapolis

The Clean City Minneapolis program, operated through the Minneapolis Public Works Division of Solid Waste and Recycling, offers multiple ways to get involved in keeping our city clean for all. Whether you’re working alone or as part of a group, it’s easy, and it all adds up to enhance our neighborhoods.

Visit the Clean City Minneapolis page for more information on these opportunities to get involved, or contact the Solid Waste and Recycling Division’s Clean City Coordinator at (612) 673-2789:

• Adopt-A-Street/Highway
• Adopt-A-Block
• Adopt-A-Litter Container
• Adopt-An-Ash Receptacle
• Adopt-A-Drain
• Graffiti Paint-Over
• Neighborhood Clean Up
• Request Litter Clean-Up Supplies

Ward 3 Resident Receives Park Board Volunteer of the Year Award

Congratulations Ward 3 resident Robert Buck on receiving the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s Volunteer of the Year Award!

From the Park Board:

“Robert Buck has been generously donating is time and expertise to the Forestry Department since 2013. A professional PhD. statistician by trade, Robert offered to assist with the scientific analysis of tree survival rates in Minneapolis. In collaboration with Park Board Forestry Staff and the University of Minnesota, Robert designed an ongoing study to track the establishment of newly plant trees over a five-year period.

The study includes multiple steps throughout the year to facilitate ongoing quality control analysis. The work is extremely technical and includes pulling a survey sample set from the seasonal planting population, working to find and correct data discrepancies and sourcing additional data sets, writing an annual scientific report, and annually presenting the study results to the Forestry Department and Minneapolis Tree Advisory Commission.

The benefits of this study to the Park Board are immense. Until the study, most, if not all, tree establishment survivability rates have been case by case and anecdotal. Robert’s findings and analysis to date have and will continue to impact Forestry operations and tree care for years to come.”

MPRB Announces 2017 Volunteer of the Year Awards

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

CenterPoint Energy Utility Work Along E. Hennepin Ave.

CenterPoint Energy began work on Monday, April 16 to replace natural gas mains and connect natural gas service lines to the installed mains in Minneapolis along E. Hennepin Ave. from Nicollet Island to 5th Street SE, and other nearby streets.

This work is scheduled to end in early July, and it will be done in coordination with Hennepin County concrete rehabilitation work on E. Hennepin Ave., which will begin after July 4; and with the City’s paving project on 5th Street NE.

Access on E. Hennepin Avenue will be maintained for the duration of the project, local businesses will have access to their properties at all times, and pedestrian traffic will be maintained.

Construction will occur in segments along the construction route, rather than all at once. Lane restrictions are anticipated in areas where active construction is occurring and are necessary to keep both the public and construction personnel safe.

If the crews need to perform work on the weekends, they may need to place partial closures on the side streets.

For more info on this project or to sign up for project updates from CenterPoint, visit their project web page.

University Ave. NE Closure North of Lowry Ave.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is resurfacing University Avenue from Lowry Avenue to 44th Avenue in Columbia Heights. Work began on Monday, April 30th and the project should take less than two months.

Please be aware that there will be construction noise in the area and some occasional work that will start before 7 a.m. and continue past 8 p.m.

The recommended detour route is Central Avenue.

Check this web page for more details.

Boom Island - Nicollet Island Bridge Closing for Repairs

via the Minneapolis Park Board:

The Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge rehabilitation project is scheduled to begin on Monday, May 21, 2018. Work is expected to be complete by early September. 

During construction, the pedestrian and bicycle trail bridge connecting Boom Island/BF Nelson Park to Nicollet Island will be closed to all traffic. A pedestrian and bicycle detour will be posted for the duration of the project.

The City of Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission granted a Certificate of Appropriateness to allow rehabilitation of and alterations to the existing Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge on April 17, 2018 and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board of Commissioners approved a construction contract on April 18, 2018.

In late 2013, the bridge was closed to emergency and maintenance vehicles after an inspection discovered significant deterioration. Emergency repairs were completed in July 2015 to replace the bearings on the north abutment and modify the ends of the stringers. The bridge was then reopened to emergency and maintenance vehicle traffic.

Please read the Discussion Item submitted to the Heritage Preservation Commission last spring for more information on the updated design of the bridge rehabilitation.

To learn more about this project and others, visit www.minneapolisparks.org/planning.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Open Houses about the City’s Draft Comprehensive Plan

We want to hear from you about the City's draft comprehensive plan! When finalized, Minneapolis 2040 will serve as a framework of interdependent policies, action steps, and maps intended to drive a citywide conversation about how the city will grow and change over the next two decades so all residents benefit.

The public can learn more about the draft plan and provide comments by attending one of the upcoming open houses:

Northeast: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12

Northeast Recreation Center, 1530 Johnson St. NE

Downtown: 5:30- 8 p.m. Thursday, May 17

Dayton YMCA at Gaviidae, 651 Nicollet Mall #300

These open houses will have family-friendly activities and free food from local businesses. You can view and comment on draft policies and maps, or give us your feedback online at minneapolis2040.com. Public feedback on the draft plan is being collected until July 22.

Good Morning Ward 3 at Kramarczuk's

Join us for our next Good Morning Ward 3 on May 16 with special guest Joy Marsh Stephens from the City Coordinator’s Office Division of Race & Equity to discuss the City's past, present, and future efforts to address racial inequities in Minneapolis.

Good Morning Ward 3

Wednesday, May 16 from 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.

Kramarczuk's Sausage Company, 215 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414

This is a timely topic: racial justice leaders and historians joined members of the City Council’s Committee of the Whole for a first-ever meeting of the Race Equity Subcommittee on Wednesday, April 25.

The subcommittee meeting, which took place during the Committee of the Whole meeting, had presentations on the history of racial harm, the current landscape of racial inequity and the future of racial justice within the city of Minneapolis.

The subcommittee meeting also included an update on the City’s own enterprise-wide work toward race equity and the approval of appointments to the Racial Equity Community Advisory Committee.

Coffee With Your Council Member

Council Member Fletcher will hold regular open community office hours at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays at a rotating neighborhood coffee shop in Ward 3 for constituents to drop by, get to know him, ask questions, and raise any issues you see in the community.

All are welcome! RSVP on Facebook or just show up. If you want to discuss a specific issue or project, email laura.dorle@minneapolismn.gov and we'll add you to the agenda.

• May 9 – Moose and Sadie’s, 212 3rd Ave N #107, 55401
• May 16 – Maeve’s Café, 300 13th Ave NE, 55413
• May 23 – NO OFFICE HOURS THIS WEEK
• May 30 – Chatime, 1315 4th St SE, 55414
• June 6 – The Commons, 425 Portland Ave S, table in the NE corner on Portland Ave and 4th St, 55415 (weather permitting)
• June 13 – In the Loop Coffee Co., 708 N 1st St, 55401 (dog friendly)
• June 20 – Glam Doll Donuts, 519 Central Ave NE, 55413
• June 27 – The Purple Onion Café, 1301 University Ave SE #1, 55414

Keep an eye on our Facebook Page for all the details on future scheduled events, or contact our office at 612-673-2203.

McKinney Roe Hosts Friends of the Mill District Donor Event

Article by Claudia Kittock, photo by Rick Kittock:

The Friends of the Mill District, a neighborhood charity only 3 years old, is blessed by a community response that has been extraordinary. April 30, 2018, was a perfect example. We had long wanted to have an event to thank all of our donors for their generosity, and when we approached McKinney Roe, the response was that they would donate the event! So, on this past Monday evening, we were able to thank many of our donors with a wonderful event on the second floor of McKinney Roe.

It was a great party! We were able to share drinks and food while discussing the work of the Friends. The discussion about the beginning of the charity was not a story everyone knew, and while most were aware of the Mill City Singers, the Mill City Players, and Yoga in the Park, many were unaware of our plans for the future. It was fun to talk about our hopes for a boxing program, a writing program, a photography program, and a book club.

It is clear that more heads are always better than one, and that goes for parties and for ideas. While sharing a fun evening, we heard many suggestions and questions that we happily answered and are eager to incorporate.

Friends of the Mill District board members, left to right: Dave Tinjum, Claudia Kittock, Ken Searl, Jan Mershon and Cindy Froid

Thank you to McKinney Roe for their generosity and neighborliness! Our donors are the best. They ‘jumped off the cliff’ with us, and we hope that belief in our mission is bearing fruit. We are just getting started, thanks to each and every person who has donated to us. It is always wonderful to remember how lucky we are to live where we live. If you are interested in getting involved with the Friends or would like more information, go to the website or follow us on Facebook. You can also email Claudia Kittock at cjkittock@gmail.com. We are stronger together!

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About Claudia Kittock

Claudia is a resident of the Mill District. In addition to writing for Mill City Times, she is a founding Board Member of Friends of the Mill District. Claudia is the author of Health Through Chaos, mentors young adults at YouthLink, and has served on the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA).

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Contact: claudia@millcitymedia.org

Count Basie Jazz at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, May 21: Get the Mill City Times Discount!

by Merle Minda

World-class JazzMN Orchestra will be performing Basie Straight Ahead – A Tribute to the Count on the main stage at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Monday, May 21. Dinner at 5:30pm; Concert 7:30 PM. Mill City Times readers can realize a $5.00 discount off dinner and show or show-only tickets. Valid online or at the box office. Discount Promo Code is: JAZZMN5.

Said jazz reviewer Pam Espeland, “This is pure jazz in all its glory.” The jazz orchestra features many top Twin Cities jazz artists, and faithfully recreates the “Basie Sound.” JazzMN is Minnesota’s premiere big band, so this should be a treat.

Preserve Minneapolis Debuts 2018 Summer Tour Schedule

Via a News Release from Preserve Minneapolis:

Explore Minneapolis history with 27 unique outings to famous and lesser-known city landmarks & communities

Preserve Minneapolis is excited to announce its 2018 summer walking and bus tour schedule. This is the local non-profit organization’s seventh year exploring the city’s architectural and cultural resources with the public.

Join experienced architects and historians as Preserve Minneapolis visits diverse corners of the city’s historic neighborhoods, buildings and landmarks. These guided tours reveal stories of the past that have shaped Minneapolis from its earliest days to the present.

Most tickets are $10 and tours begin Saturday, May 12. Learn more about the tours and reserve a spot at https://www.preserveminneapolis.org/summer-walking-tours/. Please contact tours@preserveminneapolis.org for additional information.

May
Saturday 5/12 Healy Block Residential Historic District
Saturday 5/19 Red Cedar Lane and Environs

June
Saturday 6/2 Minneapolis Skyways
Sunday 6/3  Prince’s Side of the Street: North Minneapolis Landmarks
Tuesday 6/5  Lakewood Cemetery: Creating a Landscape of Memory
Tuesday 6/12  Old Highland
Saturday 6/16  Park Ave Part I: Age of Opulence Along the Golden Mile
Saturday, 6/16 Park Ave Part II: Queen Annes, Classical Revivals & the Stories of Their People
Saturday 6/23  Hennepin Avenue Theater District
Sunday 6/24  Como-Harriet Streetcar Line
Monday 6/25  Tangletown and Minnehaha Creek

July
Saturday 7/14  North Side Former Synagogues and Neighborhood
Sunday 7/15  Historic East Hennepin
Thursday 7/19  Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront
Saturday 7/21  Housing Discrimination Revealed: A History of Race and Real Estate in Minneapolis (Bus Tour)

August
Tuesday 8/7  Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
Saturday 8/11 Brew Houses of Lowry Hill East
Sunday 8/12  Old Minneapolis
Saturday 8/18  Warehouse District
Wednesday 8/22  Minnehaha Falls: More than Just a Little Laugh
Saturday 8/25  Welcome to North Minneapolis: Explorations of a Rich Heritage & History (Bus Tour)

September
Friday 9/7  Downtown Public Art
Saturday 9/8  Milwaukee Avenue Historic District
Sunday 9/9  North Side Crossings: Alleys of the Minneapolis Warehouse Historic District
Sunday 9/16  Prince’s Side of the Street: North Minneapolis Landmarks
Sunday 9/23  Murder and Mayhem: Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery
Saturday 9/29  Nicollet Island

Learn more and register for any tour at https://www.preserveminneapolis.org/summer-walking-tours/.

Maintenance Work Begins on 5 Hennepin County Road Bridges Over the Mississippi River

Via a May 3 e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

Bridge maintenance work begins next week

Starting Monday, May 7, crews will begin bridge maintenance work on five county road bridges over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.

The bridges, listed in anticipated order of work, are:

- Lake Street Bridge (County Road 3)
- Franklin Avenue Bridge (County Road 5)
- Hennepin Avenue Bridge (County Road 52)
- Broadway Avenue Bridge (County Road 66)
- Lowry Avenue Bridge (County Road 153)

Maintenance work will involve flushing the bridge deck and other critical components underneath the bridge.

Dirt and debris, which hold moisture and chlorides, build up inside joints and crevices over time. Flushing the bridge of dirt and debris helps extend the life of the bridge.

Timing and access

Maintenance work on each bridge is expected to take four to five days to complete. To minimize impacts to traffic, work will be completed on weekdays at off-peak hours.

People driving should expect short-term lane closures, and people walking should expect sidewalk closures. However, we will keep at least one lane for each direction of traffic and one side of the sidewalks open at all times. Signage, cones, barricades and flashing arrow boards will be on site to guide you around the work areas.

Expect delays when traveling through the area. For your safety and the safety of our crews, please exercise caution and slow down as you travel through the area

Third Annual 'Share the River Nordeast' Scheduled for June 27

Public invited to experience the Mississippi River in an evening of community, canoeing and cookies.

The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization invites community members to a family-friendly evening of cookies and canoeing on the Mississippi River on Wednesday, June 27, 2018, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The third annual Share the River Nordeast event offers visitors the chance to take a free introductory canoe ride on the Mississippi River with experienced guides. Attendees can also enjoy a complimentary cookie from North Minneapolis nonprofit bakery Cookie Cart and tour indoor and outdoor exhibits at the MWMO’s Stormwater Park and Learning Center in Northeast Minneapolis. 

“Paddling the Mississippi River is an amazing experience, and Share the River Nordeast offers a fun, safe, and family-friendly way to connect with this natural wonder,” said MWMO Executive Director Doug Snyder. “The river is an extremely valuable resource, and we want people to see that it is something worth protecting.”

Canoe trips will be led by National Park Service rangers and staff from the Mississippi Park Connection and Wilderness Inquiry. In addition to learning how to paddle on the river, participants will have opportunities to learn about the river’s history, water quality, plants, animals and more.

The event is open to kids and adults of all ages. Visitors who wish to take a canoe ride must be at least 30 pounds in order to fit the provided life jackets.

Attendees are advised to use on-street parking, as the MWMO’s parking lot will be off-limits for the event. Bike parking, a Nice Ride station and bus transit options are also available in the area.

Guild of Book Workers Formation Exhibition Begins Two Year National Tour at Minnesota Center for Book Arts

Via a May 1 Press Release from Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA):

Formation: A Juried Exhibition of the Guild of Book Workers, featuring 51 works from 46 Guild members, is set to begin its U.S. tour at Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA) this June. The jury-selected artists were asked to consider how the act of formation, defined by Merriam-Webster as “an act of giving form or shape to something,” informs their artistic process. The resulting exhibition both honors the Guild’s legacy and celebrates contemporary forms of book art. Works presented in the exhibition include artist’s books, fine bindings, fine press printing, calligraphy, and sculptural books. Formation will run from June 15-October 21 in MCBA’s main gallery, with an opening reception on June 22 from 6-8 pm.

In-Between by Denise Carbone (Stratford, NJ)

A printed exhibition catalog will accompany Formation, which doubles as the Guild’s triennial members’ exhibition. The catalog, published as a special edition of the Guild of Book Workers’ Journal, includes color photographs and descriptions of each piece, information about the artists, remarks from Guild president Bexx Caswell, and more. Formation’s jury is comprised of book artists and Guild members Coleen Curry, Graham Patten, and Sarah Smith. It was curated by Jackie Scott, who also serves as the Guild’s Exhibitions Chair.

Formation’s tour at MCBA coincides with the Guild of Book Workers’ Standards of Excellence Seminar, which will take place in Minneapolis in October 2018. Following the seminar’s conclusion, the exhibition will then embark on a nationwide tour. Among other institutions, it will stop at the Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum in Atlanta, GA; UCLA’s Charles E. Young Research Library; the North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. A complete schedule is available online at guildofbookworkers.org.

The Guild of Book Workers was founded in 1906 with the hopes of fostering a community of book artists and craftspeople. Some of its founding members include Edith Diehl, W.A. Dwiggins, and Frederic W. Goudy. Today, the Guild has over 900 members, ranging from amateur to professional book artists, conservators, printers, papermakers, librarians, and collectors. It continues to work toward its initial goal of preserving and sustaining the craft of bookmaking through sponsoring exhibitions, organizing educational opportunities, and cultivating a roster of talented artists and craftspeople to carry on the tradition.

As the largest and most comprehensive center of its kind in the nation, Minnesota Center for Book Arts celebrates the book as a vibrant contemporary art form that takes many shapes. From the traditional crafts of papermaking, letterpress printing, and hand bookbinding to experimental artmaking and self-publishing techniques, MCBA supports the limitless creative evolution of book arts through book arts workshops and programming for adults, youth, families, K-12 students, and teachers. MCBA is located in the Open Book building in downtown Minneapolis, alongside partner organizations The Loft Literary Center and Milkweed Editions. To learn more, visit mnbookarts.org.