Glenwood Avenue Closing for Reconstruction on May 8

Excerpt from the City of Minneapolis May 5 e-news:

Hennepin County sent us this notification today that we are forwarding to all residents:

As part of Hennepin County's planned improvements to Glenwood Avenue (County Road 40), sections of the roadway between Aldrich Avenue North to East Lyndale Avenue North will close on May 8.  

The project enhances Glenwood Avenue’s infrastructure ahead of the construction of the Royalston Avenue Light Rail Station. New features will enhance connections to the surrounding neighborhoods and coming transit options – particularly for people walking, biking and rolling.  

Glenwood Avenue closures by section

To assist with access to the area, we will be working in different sections of Glenwood and will reopen parts of the roadway throughout the summer as work is completed. Dates are subject to change.

Between Aldrich Avenue North and West Lyndale Avenue North 

• Closes May 8
• Reopens late August 

Between West Lyndale Avenue North and East Lyndale Avenue North 

• Closes May 8
• Reopens early June

Between East Lyndale Avenue North and the light rail bridge construction site on Glenwood Avenue 

• Closes May 8
• Reopens early June 

At the intersection of Glenwood Avenue and East Lyndale Avenue North

• Closes June 7
• Closes late June

The West Lyndale Avenue intersection will remain open until work has been completed at the East Lyndale Avenue North intersection, at which point it will close for two months.

We will send a separate notification when that closure is officially scheduled. 

We expect all work to be completed by late August.

Detours

People driving are advised to use Highway 55 as their detour route. Access to local destinations will remain open. This includes the Minneapolis Farmer's Market, Farmer's Market Annex, and Unleashed Hounds and Hops, which people driving can access from Border Avenue off Highway 55. The International Market Square building will still be accessible via Glenwood from the west. Catholic Charities and Simpson Housing Services can only be accessed via East Lyndale Avenue.

People walking are advised to use Van White Boulevard and Dunwoody Avenue to cross under Highway 94. People walking may also use the Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge that connects the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden to Loring Park.

Stay Informed

For questions, please contact:

Stan Lim, construction project manager

612-596-0292

stanley.lim@hennepin.us

For more information about the planned work and to receive updates on the progress of construction, visit https://www.hennepin.us/glenwood-mpls.

FINNOVATION Fellowship Calls for Entrepreneurs Passionate About Creating Social Impact

Applications now being accepted for early-stage social entrepreneurs with bold ideas for sustainable businesses with positive impact.

FINNOVATION Institute, the nonprofit arm of FINNOVATION Lab, recently announced applications are open for the sixth consecutive immersive Fellowship Program, which helps early-stage impact entrepreneurs build leadership and business acumen as they develop innovative social business models. Up to nine fellows will join a growing community of local business leaders creating lasting impact in their communities.

Program curriculum focuses on leadership development, business strategy, and creating financially sustainable business models with a clear social impact. Each fellow will receive a $50,000 living stipend, $3,000 health care stipend, access to an ecosystem of advisors and mentors, and dedicated workspace in the FINNOVATION Lab in downtown Minneapolis.

“This is an opportunity for budding leaders to refine their skills and grow ideas into mission-driven businesses, while we take care of their living expenses. What’s more, this network provides meaningful support and connections along the way” said Connie Rutledge, CEO at FINNOVATION Institute. “Ideal candidates are lifelong learners and problem solvers who are passionate about applying the tools of business to create a lasting, scalable social or environmental impact.”

Applicants should have a strong tie to Minnesota, a growth mindset, a deep understanding of a social or environmental issue they want to solve, and an idea or method to tackle the issue through entrepreneurship. All areas of impact are welcome. Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to build their business in a community of like-minded, mission-driven peers and experienced mentors. The Fellowship Program has fostered an impressive ecosystem of sustainable social impact businesses.

Of the 31 fellows in cohorts 1-4, well over half continue to build the businesses they developed during the Fellowship Program. An additional 20% have taken leadership positions related to social impact, innovation, and entrepreneurial support. A few alumni highlights include:

● Junita Flowers (Cohort 1): Founder of Junita’s Jar, a mission-driven cookie company carried in Target stores nationwide, and a featured BIPOC brand in February 2023. Cookie purchases support creative approaches to ending relationship violence.

● Shaunie Grigsby (Cohort 2): Opened Flava Café, becoming the second Black-owned coffee shop in the Twin Cities. With a mission to build job skills and confidence in young women of color and non-binary people, Flava supplies St. Paul with delicious coffee and future leaders. Shaunie is recognized by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as a 2023 Women in Business honoree.

Marlee James● Marlee (Dorsey) James (Cohort 3): Founder of Reviving Roots Therapy & Wellness, a Black-centered wellness center expected to open in Minneapolis this year.

● Ashleyn Przedwiecki (Cohort 4): Founder of LUUM Collective, a sustainable event design agency launched in 2022. LUUM has brought together hundreds of wedding and event professionals at educational events, built an online directory of audited vendors, and developed a food recovery program for venues and caterers.

● Jennifer Glickstein (Cohort 5): Founder of Dress Up to Calm Down, which has launched pre-orders for a new line of weighted clothing for children with sensory disorder and anxiety.

“Now, more than ever, entrepreneurs can make a huge impact through business. We’re helping them to lead the way.” said Jacquie Berglund, founder of FINNEGANS Brew Co. and FINNOVATION Lab. “The Fellowship Program was founded with the goal of harnessing entrepreneurial spirit, providing educational opportunities to build practical skills and logistics, and turning ideas into functioning businesses. It’s been incredible to see our fellows succeed – and the next cohort will add even more ingenuity to this evolving community.”

Applications will be accepted through May 14 and the program runs September 2023 through June 2024. The sixth cohort will be selected by a group of community leaders and alumni of the Fellowship Program. The program is operated by the FINNOVATION Institute, a 501c3 funded by a grant from the Bush Foundation, which is known for its commitment to innovation and creative problem solving.

Interested applicants are encouraged to attend one of the following information sessions and the FINNale event to learn more:

May 8 – 12-1pm / Virtual

June 15 – 5-7pm / In Person

More details about FINNOVATION Lab and the Institute’s Fellowship Program, including application information, eligibility requirements and frequently asked questions, are available at finnovationinstitute.org.

The 2023 Mill City Farmers Market Season Opens May 6, and it's Going to be a Glorious Year!

The Mill City Farmers Market (MCFM) will open its 2023 outdoor season this Saturday, May 6th from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Look forward to 115 rotating small local businesses, including a record number of new vendors. Enjoy a wide variety of local and sustainable businesses including farmers, food makers, textile and ceramic artists, jewelers, bakers, skin and body care, prepared food vendors and more.

The list of May 6th vendors is posted online, including the following new vendors Morning Glory Farm and Gardens, TunTum BlackHill Farm, Yummitizers, Krishna's Delight, For They Skincare & Wellness, Get Bentz Farm, Minneapolis Mehndi & Henna, Primitiva Collective, Spoon and Theory Handmade, Tare Market, and WAAM Industries. Find more info on new vendors here.

Programming at the Market will be back in full force this season after scaling down in previous years due to the pandemic. Mill City Cooks (MCC) will be on the first and third Saturdays of each month for chef-led cooking demos with market ingredients. Power of Produce (PoP) Club, a food access program that gives children the opportunity to try a new fruit or vegetable in exchange for a $2 market token, will be held on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month.

Mill City Cooks returns in 2023! Look for these demos twice per month. Nettie Colón kicks it off May 6th, with Jenny Breen and Beth Jones also returning to share their vast knowledge. View the 2023 line up: https://millcityfarmersmarket.org/cooks/PoP Club (Power Of Produce) will be paired with Story Time with the Guthrie on the second Saturdays of each month for Mill City Kids Day. In addition to Story Time and PoP, on second Saturdays the Market will welcome Babycake’s Book Stack, a mobile bookstore that carries a highly curated inventory of books designed to include the culture and/or languages of the indigenous, immigrants, refugees, African American and many other backgrounds from our community.

MCFM has championed for the local food movement and put farmers first since its founding in 2006 by farm-to-table pioneer and James Beard nominated restauranteur Brenda Langton. While not all of its vendors are USDA Certified Organic, they all adhere to the Market’s Sustainability Statement, which, in addition to a 25% Local Sourcing Standard, supports healthy soils, sustainable water use, humane treatment of livestock, honorable workplace practices and rejects synthetic inputs and GMO seed.

MCFM is also the first zero-waste market in Minnesota, with over 90% of market waste being diverted from the landfill each season.

Adventurama 2023 Happens June 4! Compete in an Urban Adventure While Benefiting Hennepin Healthcare Foundation

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

You’ve all seen the Amazing Race television show where teams of two race around the world and compete to win $1 million. Here’s your chance to experience the same fun two-person team competition here in Minneapolis and raise money to support Hennepin Healthcare Foundation during Adventurama 2023. We spoke to Paula Wilhelm, Annual Giving & Engagement Manager for the Hennepin Healthcare Foundation, about what you’ll experience at the event, getting a team together and volunteer opportunities.

Paula WilhelmQ:  Adventurama 2023? Please tell us what the participants will experience on June 4th.

A:  FOMO is real! You do NOT want to miss out on the fun at this event. Register for Adventurama – an amazing urban adventure for you and a friend or family member to experience together. Participants of Adventurama are going to have so much fun being outside on Sunday June 4th to see downtown architecture and parks in a new way. They will meet other teams for friendly competitions at 12 pit stops.

With the help of more than 80 high energy and helpful volunteers, the day will be fun, interactive and highly engaging (sign up to volunteer here). You might be rolling a barrel, building something, climbing a staircase, or solving a puzzle AND for sure you will be walking, creating memories, smiling, posing for photos and more!

The first 15 teams to return with a fully stamped passport will win a Hennepin Healthcare cinch bag and bragging rights. All teams will receive a token to redeem one free beverage at Finnegans.

The after party at Finnegans Brew Co. is open to teams, spectators, volunteers and sponsors. Share the highlights of the day, enjoy the music and food trucks, and relax on the patio until 5pm.

You can put the FUN in FUNdraising for $60 per team of two! That’s a great price for priceless bonding time and memories. Join us!

Q:  What if I'm out of town on June 4 - may I participate in the event virtually?

A:  The event does NOT have a virtual option, BUT anyone anywhere can make a donation at online. Event proceeds will benefit patient comfort and care at Hennepin Healthcare. This includes out-of-town family lodging, two emergency clothing closets, music and art therapy, immediate food support, appointment transportation, spiritual care, Child Life in pediatrics and more.

Q:  Do you have sponsors? Do you need more sponsors?

A:  We so appreciate companies and organizations who reach out to sponsor our events. At time of publishing, Sherman Associates and Medica are committed pit stop sponsors, and KARE 11 is our media partner. Sponsors wanting to be recognized on event day signage must commit by May 12. Visit www.hennepinhealthcare.org/rama23 to see the full list of event sponsors or sign up to sponsor.

Q:  Please give us a brief history of the Hennepin Healthcare Foundation. 

A: The magic of Hennepin Healthcare is who we serve. As our state’s largest safety-net hospital by a wide-margin, our mission keeps our doors and hearts open to all. With over 75% of our patient population on financial assistance, our revenue does not always cover the services that enhance the care and comfort of those we are so honored to serve. This fundraiser will directly impact patients.

While the hospital is 130 years old, the Foundation is less than 15 years old. Hennepin Healthcare Foundation has the honor of connecting the generosity of the community to the mission of Hennepin Healthcare. Caring for anyone at any time with any condition takes resources and a team of exceptional staff. The Foundation team inspires donor generosity. That generosity removes barriers to healthcare access, enhances the patient and family experience, and advances efforts in medical education, clinical research, and community health. Learn more at hennepinhealthcare.org/foundation.

Q:  What a fantastic organization! How may we follow your news?

A:  Updates about Adventurama will be on social media (@HennepinHC) and our event website.

Counterpoint: 600 Main Street SE a Tale of Competing Needs and Visions….

By Steve Minn

In her April 24 commentary, Cordelia Pierson offered her perspective on a privately held piece of land near the river that my partners and I have owned for the last 21 years. Ms. Pierson suggest that this small parcel is critical to implementing the Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park (“CMRRP”) Master Plan, adopted by the Park Board in 2016. We have a different vision – providing 80 units of affordable family housing that the city desperately needs.  We are in the middle of the most confounding housing crisis of a generation, and action must be taken.  Can these two competing plans co-exist?  We believe they can.

The CMRRP Master Plan does not prohibit commercial or residential uses within the area it designates as “regional park.” In fact, as Ms. Pierson was a member of the same rulemaking working groups that I participated in, I know she is aware that the plan encompasses a number of permissive development zones, including residential.

The very same 2040 Comprehensive Plan that guides our parcel as future park also sounds a clarion call for affordable housing. 2040 Plan Policy # 33 directs the city to embrace opportunities to create affordable housing – particularly affordable family housing.  Production of 80 units of affordable family housing at this location, comports with Policy 33 - Action Items: a, b, e, h & k.

Here are the links to reports guiding action on affordable housing:

https://minneapolis2040.com/goals/affordable-and-accessible-housing/

https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/media/content-assets/www2-documents/departments/The-Way-Home-Progress-Report.pdf

https://itascaproject.org/wp-content/uploads/Itasca-Housing_Affordability_Report_September_2020.pdf

It is true that the MPRB and others opposed the rezoning of 600 Main in 2009 when we proposed luxury housing. At the time, there was no housing crisis, no Unified City Housing Plan, no “The Way Home” Progress report, no Inclusionary Zoning Policy and no 2040 Comprehensive Plan with a complete Affordable Housing program. The Metropolitan Council had not yet called for the creation of 180,000 units of housing in the Metropolitan region by 2030, and Minneapolis had not yet committed $50 MM in its Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) to expedite affordable housing production. Welcome 2023.

Ms. Pierson suggests that our parcel is one of the few selected for regional park protection.  That is not quite the whole story, either.  An objective reading of the CMRRP Master Plan is that our parcel is one of many private inholdings the Park Board might like to acquire from a willing seller, but by no means the critical piece. 600 Main Street is not riverfront property and has no riparian access to the river. It sits behind the University Steam plant and has only been identified as “additional gathering” space to the existing Father Hennepin Bluffs Park in the CMRRP. There are several other large commercial properties on the river side of Main Street within the CMRRP boundary that are called out for acquisition in the CMRRP Master Plan.  And what pray tell are these other parcels?  Why none other than:  De LaSalle High School, Xcel Energy St. Anthony Falls Hydroelectric Plant, and the University of Minnesota Steam Plant. It is highly doubtful the MPRB will be acquiring those other private properties any time in the next century. 

Nor is our parcel intended to be trail property. The CMRRP Master Plan instead identified the University Steam Plant Coal Haul Road as the most logical route connecting the East River Road to Main Street. Our parcel would not facilitate either trail or riverfront lands.

The Park Board offers they “…will continue… policy of negotiating with willing sellers for acquisition of land within the regional park boundary… where it is not possible to acquire land, the MPRB will work to create partnerships with landowners with the goal of obtaining easements as necessary to promote trail connectivity throughout the park and along the riverfront…”

We emphatically state that we are NOT willing sellers.  The parcel provides critical resident and visitor parking for our existing 221-unit apartment complex at 601-701 Main Street SE. If not for the ability to include supplemental parking below grade as part of our proposed new project, we could not otherwise develop or part with this land or devalue our huge residential investment. This has been our position for the 21 years.  

Consistent with other stated MPRB policies, we are not opposed to cooperating on easements to facilitate trails or other public uses in conjunction with housing development. It is important to point out that we have partnered with the MPRB on two other sites to provide: “…users with unencumbered and protected access to park spaces…” (page 8-4). We therefore believe the MPRB’s goals can be achieved by means other than blocking affordable housing called for in the city’s 2040 Plan.    As noted in the recent Greater MSP Partnership/Itasca Project Housing Innovation Report, Innovation 1L is to: “…unlock land supply by selling or leasing strategically-located public or private land for affordable housing development...”  Releasing this parcel from future park guidance meets that criterion.

Fourteen Years is a long time and circumstances are certainly different than 2009. However, let me point out that in those 14 years, the Park Board has never once made an offer to purchase this property, never once set aside a single dollar for acquisition in any Capital Improvement Plan and did not program any acquisition dollars in their 2020 budgeting for the Father Hennepin Bluffs Park renovation now in progress.

Actions speak louder than words. Weighing the ambiguous against the specific, and the possible against the improbable – our housing project is a realistic, near and long-term achievement.  Given how unlikely it is that the University or Xcel will give up their power generation properties on the riverfront – the “inholdings” that are truly key to expanding the regional park – that improbable vision should not be allowed to stand in the way of creating 80 new, affordable homes for families in the near term. If an easement is needed to help make a trail… we are ready to cooperate.

Sincerely,

Steven M. Minn, on behalf of

Bluff Street Development, Llc

Sustainable Design: Guthrie Theater Summer Camp for Middle Schoolers

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Photo: Eric Melzer

Art to Change the World, in partnership with the Guthrie Theater, invites students entering grades 6–8 to attend Sustainable Design — a new Guthrie summer camp about making art from recycled and found materials.

Do you know young people interested in theater or saving the environment? That may seem like an odd combination, but keep reading. The Guthrie Theater has a new offering in their summer camp line-up this year – Sustainable Design. Over a one-week period from July 10-14, the students will collect materials from the Guthrie’s backyard along the Mississippi River that would otherwise end up in a landfill or compromise our clean drinking water, and use them to create costumes, props and scenery. We spoke to Alli St. John, Education Program Manager at the Guthrie, and Barbara Bridges, Founder and Director of Art to Change the World, about this innovative summer program.

Q:  What was the impetus to create the Sustainable Design summer camp?

Alli St. JohnAlli:  As we began planning our 2023 summer youth experiences, we wanted to expand our offerings from last year. Our performance camps for middle schoolers are very popular, but we didn’t offer any non-performance-based camps for the age group. After meeting with Barbara Bridges and Kelly Frankenberg from Art to Change the World (ACW) to learning about their goals and values, we identified a summer camp as an opportunity to serve both organizations’ goals. Our inspiration came from the original Broadway production of Peter and the Starcatcher, which won multiple Tony Awards for its sustainable design work in its costumes, props and scenery. Our Sustainable Design camp will run in tandem with a middle school musical theater camp, creating production elements for those students to utilize in their final sharing at the end of camp. We know there are many young people passionate about climate change solutions, so we are excited to offer an opportunity to merge that initiative with the Guthrie’s mission to create exceptional theater with a commitment to our home in Minnesota.

Q:  Can you please tell us more about Green Theater? Will the Minneapolis Green Theater Alliance participate in the summer camp?

A:  Our lead teaching artist for the camp, Sadie Ward, is the Executive Director of the Minneapolis Green Theatre Alliance (as well as a member of ACW). While the alliance itself is not directly involved in the camp, Sadie brings with her invaluable experience as a theater designer and community organizer around the Green Theatre movement. Green Theatre, as a practice, prioritizes sustainable efforts to limit the creation of waste in the theater-making process. The goal is to use found or recycled objects or to provide a second life to previously used theater materials which would otherwise been thrown away

Sadie WardQ:  Do students need any background in theater or environmentalism to participate?

A:  All of our summer youth experiences are accessible for first-time theater-makers! While no experience is necessary to participate in Sustainable Design, we hope students will come with an interest in learning more about how to be cognizant of our individual and collective impact on our environment while gaining experience in theatre design fundamentals.

Q:  How will the week be structured?

A: Barbara and Kelly from ACW will join us the first day of camp to facilitate a workshop about their previous sustainable art projects. This will give students inspiration for what is possible before they go down to the Guthrie’s backyard which features the Mississippi River. Students will learn how to safely collect items from the river and riverbank that will be cleaned and used as crafting material for the week. The rest of the week will invite students to think creatively about how “trash” can become art. Another middle school camp, Making a Musical, will run in tandem with Sustainable Design. These camps will collaborate with each other, and by the end of the week, our design students will see their creations on the Guthrie stage in the final performance of the musical theatre camp.

Q:  What is your desired outcome of the week?

A:  Our hope for this camp is that students will feel empowered to make sustainable choices as artists and citizens of the planet. I also feel that it’s valuable to offer technical theater education opportunities. I hope that our students find an appreciation for the technical elements of the theater-making process- it takes more than actors to make theatre!

Q:  How do students register for the program?

Students can register by visiting the Summer Camps page on the Guthrie website. We also offer the option to add on a boxed lunch, as well as scholarships. I’m also happy to help families register directly if they need assistance or have any questions. Email me at alli.stjohn@guthrietheater.org.

Barbara BridgesWe also wanted to hear from Barbara Bridges on the project.

Q:  Congratulations on partnering with the Guthrie on Sustainable Design! When I read the program name, I knew that Art to Change the World must be involved. Please tell us how ACW will be involved in the summer camp.

Barbara: The Mississippi Watershed and Management Organization Stewardship Fund Community grant supported 10 people selected from the larger MWMO neighborhood population, to meet, collect trash along the Mississippi and participate in an immersive curriculum unit which was collaboratively developed by me and the participants themselves. So, we have experience in this type of creative, sustainable activity.

ACW will join the Sustainable Design Guthrie summer camp and talk about the making of the Mississippi River Pearl. Kelly Frankenberg will lead a Land Message in a Bottle activity and a river pick up. The middle school participants will collect objects to incorporate in their stage and costume camp during the week of July 10-14.  

Q:  Will these students be the youngest you’ve worked with at ACW? 

Barbara:  Yes, the Sustainability Design project will be ACW’s first programming project with middle schoolers. I was a K-12 art teacher for 20 years, and Kelly was also a teacher. We are excited to discover sustainable design possibilities with the Guthrie summer camp students.

Q:  Do you have other partnerships on the horizon?

Barbara:  Oh yes, ACW is a collective. We currently have partnership projects in motion with Haven Housing, Harriet Tubman and Emma Norton Transformational Housing facilities, Solar Arts Studios, Grand Hand Gallery, the Mississippi Watershed and Management Organization (MWMO), and are in design stage discussions with several others. Follow our calendar of events at Art to Change the World.