New Name for Downtown Community Choir

Our community choir, formerly known as the Mill City Emanuel Singers, has had a name change.  We are now the Friends of the Mill District Singers.  There had been confusion about which 'Emanuel' church we were associated with, and the board of Friends of the Mill District decided to change the name to reflect the Mill District as opposed to the Mill City, hopefully making the name and the singers reflect the  inclusion at the center of this groups' mission.

We have now had three of the six rehearsals in the first section of this season.  Our numbers have increased with every rehearsal and the enthusiasm and passion everyone brings to the Singers is wonderful. We leave rehearsal with more energy than we had at the beginning, with new friends, and a renewed sense of community and friendship.

On Sunday, September 25, the Friends of the Mill District Singers, were part of an event at International Market Square.  It was an event to End Gun Violence and was held throughout the United States.  We sang songs with two of JD Steele's other choirs in a massed choir. JD's magic and skill was evident as everyone in attendance were urged to sing along on the chorus.  It was a great experience, and only the first of many more performances to come.

It is not too late to join us.  Our next rehearsal is on Saturday, October 1st at MacPhail from 2-3:30 p.m. Please come sing with us.  You will not be disappointed.  If you have any questions, please contact Claudia Kittock at cjkittock@gmail.com.

A Handbook for the Streets of Downtown Minneapolis, and Beyond

By Claudia Kittock

Most of us spend our work lives giving very little thought to retirement.  It seems part of an amorphous future that has no connection to our present.  I assumed my post-work life would just ‘happen’. I had many false starts and stops, but I kept returning to work that involved people experiencing homelessness, particularly children and teens. The things I did not know were overwhelming and while I am much better educated today, I still have so much to learn. I began my education with people who work at St. Stephen’s.

St. Stephen’s is a 501c3 nonprofit that helps thousands of people find housing and other support. It began in the 1960s when members of the St. Stephen’s Church offered programs for the poor and homeless, initially staffed by volunteers from the parish. St. Stephen’s Church, along with ten other Minneapolis churches opened a few shelters that were believed to be temporary measures for a temporary crisis.

While many of these church-based shelters closed, St. Stephen’s remained open and created programming to assist people experiencing homelessness. The purpose of this programming was to help people access and retain permanent housing, while providing for their daily needs.

In 2002, its founding parish community determined that St. Stephen's Human Services should obtain nonprofit status independent of the church.  While the programs remain true to Catholic social justice teachings, St. Stephen’s Human Services is an independent nonprofit organization. The vision of St. Stephen’s is a community in which housing instability is rare, brief, and non-recurring, ending homelessness as we know it.

People experiencing homelessness live in every neighborhood. They are often invisible, because they ‘look like everyone else’. 80% of people experiencing homelessness have a job.  40% of those people have 2 or more jobs. Most people do not think of children when they think of people experiencing homelessness, yet children represent 35% of the overall homeless population, and young people age 24 or younger are the most likely age group to be homeless.

Homelessness can seem to be an overwhelming social problem.  However, there are ways everyone can help. St. Stephen’s has published a pamphlet titled, Handbook of the Streets.  It is a resource guide published annually for those who are homeless or living in extreme poverty, and is free is to those are homeless, and can be accessed online at:

MINNEAPOLIS: View the 2015-2016 Handbook of the Streets here!

ST. PAUL: View the 2016-2017 Handbook of the Streets here!

The Handbook has phone numbers and locations for places that provide assistance in finding a free meal, a place to sleep, public assistance, health care, education, employment, legal services, and services for immigrants. Anyone can use this resource to assist someone in need of help.

Not knowing what to do to help is as normal as it can be complicated.  However, the Handbook will help you point people in need to those who do this work and do it well.

St. Stephen’s has an outreach team that is out on the streets every day talking with and offering help to people experiencing homelessness. If you see someone in need, calling the outreach team can be a great first step. They can be reached at 612-879-7624.

Ending street homelessness is a huge job, but it can be accomplished. All of us are needed to do just that. Offering help to one person you meet is a start! Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect in a community where housing is a basic human right.

Claudia can be reached at claudia@millcitymedia.org

Crews Begin City Hall Clock Face Overhaul

Work is now taking place in the clock tower of the Minneapolis City Hall/Hennepin County Courthouse building. This work will completely remove the white clock faces and replace them with glass similar to what was originally in place when the building was constructed more than a century ago. The steel framing will also be removed and replaced with cast aluminum. With neon lights already removed, the newly installed clock faces will be back-lit.

This week, crews will start removing the southern-facing clock face. Over the next few weeks, the other three clock faces will be removed one by one. Tarps will cover the clock opening until new glass clock faces can be installed. The hands of the clock will be taken down and refurbished as well. Plans call for all four faces of the clock to be completed by the end of 2016.

The Municipal Building Commission has served as the steward for the historic City Hall/Courthouse building since 1904. Free tours, including audio of the building are available every third Wednesday of the month at noon or call 612-596-9512.  For more information, visit www.municipalbuildingcommission.org.

In the News - Downtown & the Riverfront Neighborhoods

TOP STORIES LAST WEEK

Mississippi River: Wildlife making a comeback, but please don't swim
A million people in the Twin Cities drink water pumped from the mighty Mississippi River, and more than 50,000 Minnesota kids play in it every year.

Mississippi River requires agriculture's help to stay healthy
If Minnesotans want to leave a river future generations can enjoy and tap for drinking water, greater contributions are needed from individual consumers and, in particular, a powerful state industry — agriculture.

Report finds a new pollutant — tiny bits of plastics and fiber — building up in the Mississippi
Microscopic fibers and pieces of plastic are accumulating at the bottom of the Mississippi River in the metro area, posing a rising threat to fish and other wildlife and reflecting changes in urban life along its banks.

In settlement, Vikings allow Wells Fargo to keep elevated signs on rooftops near stadium
Wells Fargo will be allowed to keep its signs near new stadium, as long as the lights stay off.

Bonobos showroom headed to former Sex World building
The showroom, or “guideshop” as Bonobos refers to them, will be the first of its kind in the Twin Cities and will take up about 1,000 square feet. It is expected to open later this year.

Men’s online clothing brand Bonobos to open North Loop shop
Bonobos specializes in dress pants and chinos for men, but has expanded its selection with shirts, shoes, golf apparel, wedding attire and outerwear. A Bonobos spokeswoman said the store will open by the end of the year at 123 N. Washington Ave.

New projects could aid tight condo market
The condo inventory of downtown Minneapolis remains low, realtors say, but developers have new projects on the horizon.

Real estate notebook: United adds apartments to proposed North Loop office building
The latest plan for what is being referred to as the 729 Washington Avenue North development — it's mid-block between 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue — calls for an office building that faces Washington Avenue and a residential and parking garage building that fronts 3rd Street N. That public plaza is being pitched as a public space that would provide access to connecting paths.

Bunny’s to expand into Community Keg House space
Bunny’s Bar & Grill of St. Louis Park is opening another location in the former Community Keg House space in Northeast Minneapolis.

Hewing Hotel adds rooftop dining to North Loop neighborhood (photos)
In many ways, the Hewing Hotel belongs in the North Loop, with its chef-driven restaurant, exposed brick rooms and lumber from the 1800s. But the boutique hotel also adds some things lacking or missing from the neighborhood, namely 124 hotel rooms and a rooftop bar and lounge.

Downtown Minneapolis YWCA to show off $12.5 million face-lift
Planners have reworked much of the floor plan and renovated most of the 112,500-square-foot building, to be revealed at a public open house and celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m on Oct. 2.

CoCo will expand flagship Grain Exchange space
The co-working space company will get more space for small businesses and startups.

Now open: Milkweed Books
The store got its welcome into the local literary community with a Sept. 20 grand opening celebration with “Into the Sun” author Deni Ellis Béchard and several hundred people.

Police rescue man nearly washed away near 10th Avenue Bridge
Wednesday night, a man in his early 20s with a rope hung perilously close to being washed down the Mississippi River until Minneapolis police and other emergency responders pulled him to safety.

PREVIOUS WEEK

Downtown Minneapolis gets its first 'woonerf'
The corridor will offer a bike-foot-car connection to the Mississippi River.

Nicollet Mall sidewalk designs unveiled
Crews are beginning to apply stenciled designs to the new sidewalks going in on Nicollet Mall as part of an ongoing, $50-million reconstruction project.

Sneak Peek: Cooks of Crocus Hill in North Loop
St. Paul's Cooks of Crocus Hill has finally come to Minneapolis, after skirting it for years with stores in Edina, Stillwater, and satellite operations in the Kowalski's of Woodbury and White Bear Lake.

Bigger and better, this year's Ramen Attack expected to draw 3,000 in Minneapolis
This year the event will feature a hot shot from New York (Ivan Orkin of Ivan Ramen), a mainstay in Japan (Shono Tomoharu, who owns seven ramen shops in Tokyo and one in San Francisco) and our own locals Gavin Kaysen and Chris Nye from Spoon and Stable (211 N. 1st St., Mpls., spoonandstable.com).

Nordic restaurant Tullibee to open in new North Loop hotel
Rising chef Grae Nonas will lead the upscale hotel’s restaurant.

New Nordic restaurant finds home in North Loop upscale hotel
The Hewing Hotel, in the historic Jackson Building (300 Washington Av. N., Mpls.) will be home to Tullibee when it opens later this fall, with executive chef Grae Nonas at the helm.

Yoga Center of Minneapolis is relocating to Velo Apartments
The Yoga Center of Minneapolis is relocating its offices and studio spaces from the Colonial Warehouse building to the corner of Velo Apartments a couple blocks away.

Empire Coffee & Pastry has opened its second location in the Highlight Center of Northeast Minneapolis
The cafe is located at 807 Broadway St. NE in the Logan Park neighborhood near Broadway & Central.

Mill City Nights music club in downtown Minneapolis to close on Nov. 30
Did the downtown Minneapolis club known as Mill City Nights ever recover from its disastrous opening night after which every Jane’s Addiction customer was given a full refund?

Interstate 35W bridge to glow blue for Jacob Wetterling
The Interstate 35W bridge across the Mississippi River will glow blue for 11 days until Jacob Wetterling’s remains are laid to rest.

Minneapolis house previously slated for black history museum to become apartments
The plan for Coe Mansion Apartments won initial approval Tuesday from the city's Heritage Preservation Commission.

Hennepin Theatre Trust adds mosaic garden to Solera building
The nonprofit arts organization recently finished installing a 25-foot vertical mosaic garden on the Hennepin Avenue side of the building in downtown Minneapolis.

PREVIOUS WEEK

The Armory: Remains of Minnesota sporting glory
Heading through the small reception hall into the chilly seating of the Minneapolis Armory for a 1959-60 NBA regular season game, fans know that a lot is missing. After winning five championships in its first six years (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954), the Minneapolis Lakers franchise is decaying alongside the bodies of its original stars.

Protected bicycle lanes on 3rd Avenue officially open
New lanes will be improved and expanded next year, mayor announced.

Why Milkweed, other indie publishers are opening bookstores
Milkweed Editions' new bookstore in Minneapolis is just the latest in a national trend, as indie presses launch their own brick-and-mortar shops.

Empire Coffee expands with Highlight Center café
The Northeast-based coffee shop will open a second location next month.

Three shot early Monday morning in downtown Minneapolis
Off-duty officers who were working nearby witnessed the shooting, and one chased the suspect on foot to a nearby parking lot. Officials said the suspect, who was armed, was attempting to get away in a vehicle before he was arrested. Police recovered a gun from the scene.

Pregame party venues welcome Vikings fans
As Vikings fans return Downtown, neighborhood bars are throwing parties in the parking lots, creating new drink specials and adding brunch service to meet the crowds.

The Week Ahead in Mill City

Each week we provide an easy to reference list of events and activities for the week ahead in the Historic Mill District and Minneapolis Riverfront Neighborhoods.  Have an event to share?  Submit your events here...

Monday, September 26

• September 26, 2016, Monday - Namaste & Chardonnay at YogaFit Northeast Minneapolis
• September 26, 2016, Monday - Alchemy's A10 Class at Target Field Station
• September 26, 2016, Monday - An Evening with Pat Metheny at the Guthrie

Tuesday, September 27

• September 27, 2016, Tuesday - Neighborhood Night at Day Block Brewing

Wednesday, September 28

• September 28, 2016, Wednesday - Minneapolis Park and Rec Board Meeting
• September 28, 2016, Wednesday - Capella Tower Indoor Market
• September 28, 2016, Wednesday - Mill District Smartphone Photo Tour
• September 28, 2016, Wednesday - The Soap Factory's Haunted Basement "Crash Test Shows"

Thursday, September 29

• September 29, 2016, Thursday - Night Out North Loop
• September 29, 2016, Thursday - Upper Harbor Terminal Phase 1 Public Site Tour and Meeting
• September 29, 2016, Thursday - East Town Business Partnership Networking Event
• September 29, 2016, Thursday - Pillsbury A Mill Tour
• September 29, 2016, Thursday - Shoma - A Storytelling Dance Theater Journey at The Lab Theater (thru Oct 2)
• September 29, 2016, Thursday - Public Forum: Samatar Crossing (5th Street Reconnection)
• September 29, 2016, Thursday – Twin Cities Arab Film Festival at St. Anthony Main Theatre (4 days)

Friday, September 30

• September 30, 2016, Friday - As Curated By: Finding Your Bones at the Loft
• September 30, 2016, Friday - The Haunted Basement Opens at Soap Factory
• September 30, 2016, Friday - Live Music at Aster Cafe
• September 30, 2016, Friday - Stone Arch Trio Live at The Depot
• September 30, 2016, Friday - Twin Cities Food Tours' Historic Northeast Minneapolis Food Tour

Saturday, October 1

• October 1, 2016, Saturday - Mill City Farmers Market
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - TCO Vikings 5K
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - The Paranormal Art Project Opening Reception at The Soap Factory
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - Bands That Brew at Day Block Brewing
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - Mill City Emanuel Singers Rehearsal at MacPhail
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - Oak Savanna Buckthorn Bust & Haul along the Minneapolis Riverfront
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - The Parchment Hour opens at the Gurthrie
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - Neighborhood Arts Day at Elliot Rec Center
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - Open Streets University of MN
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - 7 SINS Opening Reception at Gamut Gallery
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - 13th Annual Historic Riverfront 5K Run/Walk
• October 1, 2016, Saturday - Hydro-Illuminata: Playing with Fire on the Mississippi

Sunday, October 2 

• October 2, 2016, Sunday - Live Music at Aster Cafe
• October 2, 2016, Sunday - Autism Speaks Walk – Minnesota 2016

Scenes from the September 24 Mill City Farmers Market

September 24 was Oktoberfest at the Mill City Farmers Market (in conjunction with the Mill City Museum) which included beer samples from Day Block Brewing, Hops ice cream from Sweet Science Ice Cream, information from local hops grower Mighty Axe Hops, and of course polka music from the Elk River German Band.

Silly boys - they called this a bobble head cabbage...

A group of kids from Phillips Elementary made a stop at the MCFM the highlight of their bike excursion.

Don't forget - next Saturday (October 1) is the annual Bread Festival!

My first encounter with watermelon radishes was at the Sanctuary restaraunt - Chef Patrick had shaved them into delicate spirals for a salad. They can be eaten raw or cooked - I'm going to experiment with grilling some this week.

The meat artisans at Red Table Meats Co let nothing go to waste.  For example, pig ears and tails become dog treats at Barkley's Bistro.

You know cooler weather is on the way when you see Ruth of The Abbey Alpacas at the market.  Her alpaca wool items are soft and super warm.

Milly the goat! :)

Road Closures for Saturday, September 24

The following roads will be closed 8:30am-1:00pm on Saturday, September 24, for Dave Ryan’s Special Olympics 5K and 10K:

- Main Street - From Hennepin Ave to 6th Ave SE
- West River Parkway - From Plymouth Ave to S 4th Street
- Plymouth Bridge and Stone Arch Bridge 

Minneapolis Central Library 10 Year Anniversary Party - November 5

The library party of the decade! On a bright spring day in 2006, the new Minneapolis Central Library opened its doors to an awe-inspired public. A decade later, it's become a beacon of culture, hope, and learning, enjoying over 1.2 million visits per year.

Saturday, November 5, 2016
5:30pm | VIP Reception
6:00pm | Doors Open
6:45pm | Program Begins

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Hennepin County Library - Minneapolis Central
300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Parking is available in the ramp under the library - Access from 4th St.

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Celebrating our storied library...and turning a page after 10 extraordinary years!
- Literary host Marlon James, local author and winner of The Man Booker Prize
- Opening remarks by Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin and Library Director Lois Langer Thompson
- A special appearance from the world-renowned architect of Minneapolis Central Library, César Pelli
- Moving performances from the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus, legendary soprano Maria Jette, and famed pianist Dan Chouinard
- An honorary tribute to Minneapolis Central champions David Doty and Arvonne Fraser

Purchase your tickets by Saturday, October 28.
Click here or call 612-543-8104
All proceeds will support vital library initiatives. 

Washington Avenue Reconstruction Update

Via a September 22 e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

Curbs and gutters going in this week

The first fresh cement of the project is down. New curbs are already in place from Hennepin Avenue to Second Street. Crews will continue east in the coming days. Sometime in the next couple weeks, the first layer of pavement can go down in this area.

There is plenty more work ahead, but this is an important milestone for the first stage of reconstruction.

New catch basin being installed with curbs and gutters on Washington Avenue

Other activities planned for this week include:
• Replacing underground utilities at Fifth Avenue
• Upgrading storm and sanitary sewer between Second and Third avenues
• Other utility work throughout the project
• Replacing old storm sewer pipe under the northbound side of Second Avenue
• Grading and compacting the new road base to prepare for paving

Progress continues on intersection work

Marquette Avenue
Last week, crews finished work on the Marquette Avenue intersection and reopened it to traffic in both directions with a gravel surface. It will be paved with other parts of Washington Avenue in the next couple weeks.

Second Avenue
Crews also completed work on the southbound lanes of Second Avenue this week. All traffic has now shifted to that side of the road, as they begin reconstructing the northbound lanes. Crews will continue to maintain one lane of through traffic in both directions. Northbound lanes south of Washington remain bus only. This work is expected to be complete by the end of next week, when the intersection will fully reopened.

Fifth Avenue
The full closure of the northern half of the Fifth Avenue intersection continues, as crews make progress towards reopening it next month. Please continue to use the marked detour that follows Washington Avenue, Portland Avenue and Second Street.

Crews remove old sewer pipe at the Fifth Avenue intersection.

Options for traveling north out of Downtown

In addition to the Third Street and Hennepin Avenue bridges across the river, the recently constructed ramp from Fourth Street South to I-35W North is another option for travelling north out of the downtown area.

Hennepin County recently completed the Fourth Street South ramp in coordination with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the City of Minneapolis to help relieve congestion on Washington Avenue and at the University/Fourth Street Southeast interchange during peak times.

Contact us

Project website: www.hennepin.us/washingtonavenue
Project email: washingtonave@hennepin.us
Project phone: 612-543-3722
 
Project engineer:
Stanley Lim, P.E
stanley.lim@hennepin.us
612-596-0292
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See active projects on our interactive road construction map.

Learn more about how transportation is connecting people to places.

‘State of the River Report’ Reveals Progress

MINNEAPOLIS (Sept. 21, 2016) — Over forty years after the passage of the Clean Water Act, a new report on the health of the Mississippi River shows that while progress has been made we must maintain our vigilance and explore new solutions to preserve the health of the river.

The State of the River Report, which was just released by Friends of the Mississippi River and the National Park Service Mississippi National River and Recreation Area unit examines the status and trends of 14 key indicators of the river’s health, including bacteria, phosphorus, nitrate and sediment levels, as well as the river’s viability for recreation and wildlife. It also addresses new or emerging contaminants of concern, such as microplastic fibers and chloride.

“The Mississippi River is a complex natural system, with many factors affecting its overall health and vitality,” said Whitney Clark, executive director of the Friends of the Mississippi River. “‘State of the River’ serves as a report card, helping us determine how the river is doing compared to the past, and which efforts have been effective at improving its health. In short, this report reveals that there has been a great deal of progress, but we must maintain our vigilance and push for new solutions — particularly in regard to agricultural pollution — to adequately conserve and protect the river for generations to come.”

Among the positive trends, bald eagle, mussel and fish populations are increasing, which are signs of a restored river that is home to healthy and abundant wildlife. However, there are also disturbing trends in lead levels for eaglets, and fish consumption advisories are in place throughout the river due to elevated levels of contaminants like PFOS and mercury.

Recreation and aquatic habitat on the river is being increasingly degraded by excess sediments and phosphorus, and some portions of the river are impaired with excess bacteria. Much of this can be attributed to agricultural sources.

Several indicators show disturbing trends and are causes for serious concern moving forward, according to the scientific advisors who helped compile the report: 

1.     River flows have multiplied to worrisome levels (24% increase since 1976). This leads to destabilization and also flushes large amounts of pollution into the river.

2.     Nitrate concentrations have increased substantially (44% increase since 1976), potentially expanding the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

3.     Invasive Asian carp continue to move upstream, threatening aquatic life and recreation throughout much of the state.

4.     A number of additional contaminants, such as triclosan, pharmaceuticals and microplastics  — tiny pieces of plastic shed from everything from car tires to washing our polyester and synthetic clothing — present risks to the river that, while not yet fully understood, are cause for concern due to their potential impacts on human and aquatic health.

“To solve these problems, we need to better understand their causes and consequences,” said John Anfinson, Superintendent, National Park Service, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. “This report provides a solid base from which to spur a public conversation about how to preserve and improve the river, and develop strategies for doing so.”

Three companion guides have been published with the report, 1) a Stewardship Guide that provides practical steps for individuals to take in their homes, yards and communities to improve the health of the Mississippi River, 2) a brand-new Teacher’s Guide to help teachers and students carry the lessons of the report into the classroom, and 3) Friends of the Mississippi River’s Policy Guide that offers priority actions that federal, state and local leaders can take for the river. The State of the River Report and companion guides are available at www.stateoftheriver.com.

The "State of the River Report" was funded by the McKnight Foundation, the Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation, the Mortenson Family Foundation, the Capitol Region Watershed District, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, and Mississippi Park Connection.

Full report and all guides available to download at www.stateoftheriver.com
About Friends of the Mississippi River: www.fmr.org
About the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area: www.nps.gov.miss

Hennepin Gallery Exhibit: Fusing and Faces - The Quilts of Carol Hancuh on display September 20 - November 27

Carol Hancuh traded paints for fabric five years ago and hasn’t looked back. She uses no kits or patterns; her quilts are original in design, piecing and quilting. Hancuh’s work is influenced by Esterita Austin, who introduced her to the art of fusing. “My first fused quilt was a wall hanging – a face named ‘Bruce’.” The next, “Feed My People,” was of the homeless hungry in America.  It won the President's Award at the Minnesota Quilters 2015 show, was shown at the Houston Festival of Quilts 2015 and published in Quilters Newsletter Magazine in 2016. In September of 2014, she made the 50th anniversary quilt for her church. “Helping Hands” portrays three priests who have served at Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville, where the quilt hangs in the sanctuary.

Hancuh, a member of Minnesota Quilters, has done abstracts, one original patterned quilt and several landscapes. Some quilts went to her church's Prayer Shawl ministry, others to silent auctions for non-profit organizations, visiting nurses, safe houses, and dignity quilts for a nursing home. Her quilts can be seen at http://chancuhquilts.com/.

This collection is presented by Minnesota Quilters, Inc. Minnesota Quilters celebrates the art of quilting in all its forms, educates about this time-honored craft, and promotes the work of newly emerging quilt artists at its annual show and other events each year.

The Hennepin Gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Hennepin County Government Center, A Level, 300. S. Sixth St., Minneapolis. The exhibit is sponsored by Hennepin County Communications.

The Gallery is a project of Hennepin County Communications.

Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID) Announces 2016 Greening & Public Realm Award Winners

MINNEAPOLIS (September 20, 2016) — The Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID) announced today its 7^th annual Greening & Public Realm Award winners, a group that included four new winners among the 12 categories decided by an interactive public vote.

The Greening Awards aim to showcase greening efforts by organizations and companies that help beautify the downtown area through enhancing the public realm. Among the 12 award winners [full list below] in this year’s categories are first-time winners The Living Bus Shelter (Small Green Space Activation), The Times They Are A-Changin’ — Mural by Eduardo Kobra (Public Art), Wells Fargo Towers (Streetscape Green Infrastructure) and The Commons (Public Realm Improvement).

This year’s winners also includes Loring Greenway in the Best Large Green Space category—its seventh consecutive year earning a Greening Award. Target Plaza South Entry (Small Green Space) won its sixth Greening Award, and The Local (Outdoor Café) won its fifth.

“Each year the Greening Awards offer a chance for us to recognize and showcase organizations that truly help take the vibrancy of our downtown to a new level,” said Steve Cramer, President & CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council & Downtown Improvement District. “We congratulate all who were nominated and selected as finalists, and we look forward to seeing what enhanced green spaces will be part of next year’s vote.”

Winners will receive a commemorative Greening Award created by Wood from the Hood, a Minneapolis-based company that reclaims discarded trees from urban neighborhoods and creates high-quality wood products. Each award will display the year the award was issued.

The Minneapolis DID accepted public nominations for green spaces through the middle of August, and finalists were announced on August 25. Voting for finalists remained open from August 25 through September 14.

The finalists, nominated by the public, were selected by members of the Minneapolis DID staff based on criteria including overall year-over-year enhancements as well as continued excellence in adding vibrancy to the public realm.

This year’s results include the following winners:

Small Green Space Activation
• The Living Bus Shelter* — 30.78%
• The Loon Street Café* — 28.11%
• Parklet at 13th & Hennepin (Espresso Royale & Salon Rouge) * — 27.41%
• Living Room Station* —13.7%

Small Green Space
• Target Plaza South Entry — 41.28%
• Federal Courthouse Plaza — 36.58%
• American Academy of Neurology — 22.13%

Large Green Space Activation
• Target Field Station — 43.12%
• Hennepin County Government Center South Plaza — 28.94%
• Convention Center Plaza — 27.93%

Large Green Space
• Loring Greenway — 36.92%
• The Commons* — 34.99%
• Triangle Park — 28.09%

Façade Greening
• Kenosha Building — 40.73%
• JB Hudson — 26.88%
• MSFA Parking Ramp* — 19.72%
• 4Marq Apartments* — 12.68%

Public Art
• The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Mural by Eduardo Kobra* — 63.62%
• Gold Medal Park — 20.14%
• The Horn (Medtronic Plaza Sculpture)* —10.98%
• Greg Gossel Mural* — 5.26%

Outdoor Café
• The Local — 40.16%
• Bachelor Farmer* — 32.22%
• 8th Street Grill — 18.53%
• Mason’s Restaurant Barre — 9.09%

Streetscape Greening
• Target Plaza Commons — 49.14%
• Central Lutheran Church — 38.51%
• The Carlyle — 12.34%

Streetscape Green Infrastructure
• Wells Fargo Towers* — 42.84%
• 1st Street North Streetscape Improvements — 37.99%
• Boulevard Gardens at 4th & Hennepin* — 19.17%

Entryway Greening
• City Hall — 60.84%
• Textile Building* —  23.33%
• Lindsay Lofts* — 15.83%

Public Realm Improvement
• The Commons* — 41.37%
• The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Mural by Eduardo Kobra* — 29.2%
• Bachelor Farmer Outdoor Café* — 7.92%
• Wells Fargo Towers Streetscapes* — 7.09%
• The Horn (Medtronic Plaza Sculpture)* — 4.26%
• Boulevard Gardens at 4th & Hennepin* —  4.02%
• 4Marq Apartments Façade Greening* — 3.43%
• Greg Gossel Mural* — 1.89%
• MSFA Parking Ramp* — 0.83%

Best Neighborhood
• Loring Park — 33.18%
• Mill District — 32.83%
• North Loop — 16.99%
• Elliot Park — 16.99%

* = New Nominee in this category

Update on Gold Medal Park - Tonight's Movie Canceled

Note from the Gold Medal Park management company:

Last week the park started showing a number of areas of brown grass. This is highly unusual considering the amount of rain we have along with a pretty good watering system. After examination we found that the park lawn was inundated with beetle grub worms. These grubs eat the roots of the grass and without controlling them the park lawn would greatly diminish convert to weeds quickly. We have been proud that the majority of products used to keep the park in pristine condition are organic products. The park foundation has accepted the fact that the process of organic is substantially more expensive then normal chemical but defiantly worth it not only because it is environmentally the right thing but also for the consideration of all the people and the pets that use the park. We have hit one ugly issue of not being able to find a very effective way to stop the grub damage without using a chemical application. That is what took place today and why the caution tape is around the park. The chemical will be washed into the soil with the watering and will quickly dissipate within 24 hours. It is possible that another application will need to be applied next spring to completely eradicate the grubs.

Although immediate treatment was optimum we thought that closing down the park over the weekend when the highest park use takes place was not in the best interest. We pushed treatment off to Monday without remembering the park movie schedule. With that chemical treatment it is not advisable to  have heavy grass activity.  Hopefully the continual result of a great lawn will mitigate any inconvenience this may have caused. 

Making Connections, Building Community

By Claudia Kittock

In the fall of 2013, I was asked to run for the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA).  I had taken early retirement from my full-time job as a college professor, and while I was still teaching part-time, I was looking for something new.  I knew nothing about DMNA, but was excited to learn more about our neighborhood, and to find ways to give back.

I spent the first few months of my tenure at DMNA listening, reading, and learning. The more I learned, the more I looked for ways I could contribute and knew it had to be some way that used my education and expertise. 

There were many false starts on the way to finding my niche. Everyone who worked with me over the decades knows of my horror of meetings, and now I was voluntarily going to meetings.  What I discovered was that I enjoyed meetings when things were actually accomplished!  Who knew???  It became very easy for me to ‘sort’ meetings according to purpose.

I also became a volunteer for an organization called Mile in My Shoes at the same time.  Mile in My Shoes is a group of volunteers who run with people who are experiencing homelessness and are living in either a shelter or supportive housing. It was a life changing decision.

The first day I arrived at the shelter at 5:45 a.m. for a 6:00 run.  A very tall young man came up to me immediately, introduced himself and said, “Just remember, I always have your back.” . . . .and he did.  It wasn’t until I had been running with the group for several months that I found out this young man was also experiencing homelessness.  I assumed he was a volunteer, because he seemed to be just like me!!

After a few months of running with Mile in My Shoes, the decision was made to start a cohort of runners at Emanuel Housing, just 3 blocks from my home at the Bridgewater. I was thrilled and excited. When I was asked to take over the leadership of the group, I happily volunteered. Within a few weeks, we had become a group of tight knit runners.

Emanuel Housing serves economically disadvantaged single men and women. The program includes specialized housing that serves 11 homeless veterans through the VASH Program, 54 units of housing that prefers GRH eligible homeless disabled adults, 14 units of housing that serve Chronically Homeless Disabled (CHD) adults through the Shelter + Care Program, 11 Affordable units, and 6 project based Section 8 subsidized units.

Running with a partner is a unique experience. Everyone is fueled by the desire to run and the difficulty of the task. When you run, you talk freely and complain just as freely. As one runner said, “This is the only time all day I just get to be me.  No demands, no meetings, no one wanting anything from me. Just a run with people doing the same thing.”

On one of those runs, a friend remarked that we needed more music in the neighborhood.  I agreed.  His suggestion was to talk to someone from MacPhail, so I did. When I broached the subject with people at MacPhail, the answer was, “What would you think about having JD Steele as your director?” I was stunned!

We now have a community choir with over 115 names on the roster.  JD and his brother Fred, who is the accompanist, lead us in joyful music on Saturday afternoons. Neighborhood businesses happily donate rehearsal space and we practice in Guthrie rehearsal spaces, at the American Academy of Neurology, MacPhail, and the Mill City Museum.

When I stop and think about how this all happened, it comes back to one word, connections. This story is about the first and most powerful lesson I learned and continue to learn.  Listen . . . . ask . . .  .and be prepared to be stunned by the responses of the good and kind people in our community.  Change can only happen person to person, and that is the essence of the work we all need to do. Connections matter.  Not the connections that lead to power, but the human connections that build us all up. I am better and stronger because of the people I know and count as my friend.

Claudia can be reached at claudia@millcitymedia.org

Update From Friends of the Mill District

The second rehearsal of this season of the Mill City Emanuel Singers was held at the MacPhail Music Center.  We continue to attract more singers and are becoming a truly diverse choir, representing our community in the truest sense.  Today's rehearsal was about sharing individual stories and getting to know each other better as we continue to form our musical identity.

The Singers will be part of a massed choir on Sunday, September 25 at International Market Square. We will be singing at the Concert Across America to End Gun Violence. There will be similar events going on all over the country at the same time with the same goal, ending the violence that has so plagued our city and our country.  For more details, go to https://www.facebook.com/events/281769912173312/

Please feel free to join the singers.  Our next rehearsal is on September 24th at 2:00-3:30 at the Mill City Museum.  The only requirement is a love of singing and a desire to be part of a community.  All are welcome.  Please contact Claudia Kittock at cjkittock@gmail.com with any questions.

Scenes from the September 17 Mill City Farmers Market

That cute little bee manning the Great River Coalition booth at the September 17 Mill City Farmers Market is none other than former Minneapolis City Council Member Diane Hofstede. This member-supported nonprofit organization works collaboratively within the community to enhance the vitality of the river environment and create pollinator pathways.

It was a music-filled Market, featuring the Orange Mighty Trio as the main attraction. Prior to their arrival, guests were greeted by two fiddlers and there was a sweet little piano onsite available for anyone to play.

Vegetable humor - compliments of Urban Roots:

Keepin' it clean!

The Market was one of the stops for the Mill City Running The Fast and the Curious scavenger hunt.  (I resisted the urge to help them find what they were looking for.)

Milly the goat! :)

Sept 18 Traffic Alert/Street Closures for Vikings-Packers 7:30p Game

Minneapolis closing streets near U.S. Bank Stadium for Sunday’s Vikings game

The City of Minneapolis will close streets around U.S. Bank Stadium for Sunday’s 7:30pm Vikings game. 

Beginning at 1:00pm Sunday, the City will close:
• Chicago Avenue, from Fourth Street to Sixth Street.

Beginning at 4:30pm Sunday, the City will close:
• Fourth Street from Park Avenue to Interstate 35W.
• Norm McGrew Place from Third Street to Fourth Street.

These street closings are for traffic safety and security needs related to a large stadium event. All streets will reopen about one hour after the completion of the game.

Community Corner – News from Local Neighborhood Associations

News & resources from the Downtown & Riverfront Neighborhood Associations

Loring Park | Pedestrian Hit By Car, Seeking Witnesses. A woman was hit by a car while crossing Spruce Place on Friday, 9/9/2016. More details…

St. Anthony West | Your Neighborhood Needs You. Volunteer for the 13th Annual Historic Riverfront 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, Oct. 1. More details…

Downtown Minneapolis | Read the Latest Newsletter…

North Loop | Planning+Zoning Committee Meeting September 21. More details…

Marcy-Holmes | Board Meeting September 20. More details…

Nicollet Island/East Bank | NIEBNA Board Meeting Schedule…

Elliot Park | Free Arts Day. More details…

Enneagram Cafe with Becky Gorman at The Loft

Enneagram Cafe with Becky Gorman

Would you like to improve your relationships?  Feel more "in tune" with who you are?  Then you're invited to Becky's Enneagram Cafe.  During these sessions, identify your Enneagram type, learn how it impacts nearly everything you do, and help you find ways to harness the strength of your type.  The Enneagram is used around the world and is a tool proven to improve lives.

4 Saturdays October 1, 8, 22 and 29,   9:00am to Noon

Oct 1:  Your 3 Centers of Intelligence:  Head, Heart, Body

Oct 8:  How the 9 Enneagram Styles Function and Impact You

Oct 22:  Bringing the Enneagram Alive in Your Day-to-Day Life

Oct 29:  How to Optimize Self Care Based on Your Enneagram Type

Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge Repairs Open House, October 6

Originally built as a railroad bridge in 1890, the Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge was acquired by the MPRB in the 1970s and installed in its current location in the early 1980s.

Via a September 16 e-newsletter from Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

Public invited to review plan to repair bridge between Boom Island Park and Nicollet Island

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) will host an Open House for the Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge Repairs project on Thursday, Oct. 6, 6-7:30 pm at MPRB headquarters, 2117 West River Road.

The public is encouraged to attend to learn more and provide input regarding bridge repairs and improvements planned as part of the project, which will provide structural stability for the 126-year-old bridge and improve its overall usability.

At the meeting, closure and detour information and decking and railing options for bridge repairs will be available for public review. All are welcome to attend this public meeting to ask questions and share ideas, comments and concerns.
 
Public Meeting
Date: Oct. 6, 2016
Time: 6-7:30 pm
Location: MPRB Headquarters
Address: 2117 West River Road
Topic: Overview of a project that will repair the Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge.

Project Website