Sherman Associates Begins $30 Million Historic Redevelopment on its Minneapolis Headquarters, Now Known as the J. I. Case Building

Sherman Associates begins a $30 million historic redevelopment of the building that has been home to its corporate headquarters since 1999, located at 233 Park Avenue. The building has been named the J. I. Case Building and was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company built and occupied the building for over 50 years as a branch house, distributing and marketing its farming equipment across the Midwest and now its 63,000 sq. ft. renovation is the latest of Sherman’s noteworthy historic redevelopment projects.

Building exterior at the corner of Washington and Park

The first floor is 15,000 sq. ft. of restaurant space that will attract a large user or could be subdivided among multiple small users (formerly the location of the Old Spaghetti Factory that operated there for 25 years). The historic allure will be maintained with features like prominent floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking South Washington Avenue with 16 ft. high ceilings that are present on the first floor.

Sherman will relocate its office of over 90 employees from the second floor and basement to the third floor which boasts 14,500 sq. ft. The second floor will be 11,000 sq. ft. coworking space utilized by Sherman, with 3,700 sq. ft. space available for sublease. A new feature staircase will connect the second and third floors. Sherman’s amenities will include a fitness center, bike storage, and a new rooftop patio.

The most significant alteration of the building will be the addition of a 7,500 sq. ft. rooftop patio. The patio will be divided into three spaces: 4,500 sq. ft. for a tenant-operated rooftop bar/restaurant, 1,100 sq. ft. for Sherman headquarters, and 2,000 sq. ft. for a spa pool, sauna, and guest lounge subleased by Canopy by Hilton Minneapolis Mill District located next door.

The basement level will be completely renovated and include a 4,000 sq. ft. speakeasy concept operated by a local restauranteur.

A new elevator for handicap accessibility will be installed and run from the basement level to the rooftop level. The current elevator at the building’s main entrance will be upgraded. Existing underground parking will remain as is.

“The J. I. Case building has been the home to the Sherman corporate office for over 20 years. And it has become the epicenter of our mixed-use and mixed-income housing and hospitality investments across Minneapolis, the Twin Cities, and the Midwest over the decades. Our vision for this historic redevelopment at Washington & Park Avenue is to reposition our corporate office space for the future working environment and our long-term growth, while also adding tremendous amenities in the form of restaurants, rooftop space, and unique design features that bring people in not just locally, but nationally. We will put all 63,000 square feet to the highest and best use,” said Chris Sherman, president of Sherman Associates.

Sherman has received an allocation of federal and state historic tax credits to finance the project that is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023. Blumentals Architecture is the architect and Gardner Builders is the general contractor. During the redevelopment, Sherman’s corporate employees are working from the nearby coworking space, Fueled Collective.

The J. I. Case Building renovation is the final piece of Sherman’s redevelopment of the ‘Sherman block’ made up of three buildings that are bordered by South Washington Avenue, Park Avenue, South 3rd Street, and Chicago Avenue and includes the following, owned and operated by Sherman: East End Apartments, Starbucks, Canopy by Hilton hotel, and Umbra restaurant as well as commercial tenants, Trader Joe’s and Jimmy John’s.

Sherman has other developments under construction in the area. Moment, to be completed in late 2022, is located at 500 South 7th Street and is a 10-story mixed-use tower with 222 market-rate apartments, 15,000 sq. ft. for the Firefighters For Healing Transitional Healing Center, 17,000 sq. ft. commercial space, 90 underground parking spaces for residential, and 13 ground level parking spaces. A new Fire Station 1 for the City of Minneapolis is under construction at 275 5th Avenue South. The facility will be 20,300 sq. ft. and completed in mid-2022.

The Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA) has installed two plaques on the J. I. Case Building’s exterior to highlight its historical relevance as part of its Historic Sign Project to enhance a sense of community in the neighborhood.

Sherman is leasing the spaces available in the building and has attracted attention from a variety of potential tenants including a high-end restaurant concept. It also has a relationship with a food hall operator in Colorado that has shown interest in the space.

Betsy Ruth Byers: Scaffold: A Kolman & Pryor Gallery Project Space Exhibition, March 19 – May 7

Via a recent e-announcemcent:

Betsy Ruth Byers: Scaffold: A Kolman & Pryor Gallery Project Space Exhibition

March 19 – May 7

Artist Reception: Saturday, March 19, 7:00 – 9:00pm

Kolman & Pryor Gallery is pleased to present Project Space grantee Betsy Ruth Byers’ new exhibition, Scaffold. Kolman & Pryor Gallery’s Project Space is an initiative launched by gallery co-founders, Anita Sue Kolman and Patrick Pryor in 2021, to further support visual artists. Scaffold runs March 19 - May 7, 2022, with a public opening reception on Saturday, March 19, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., during Northrup King Building’s March Northrup King Nights. The exhibition is a multi-sensory, multi-media manifestation of Byers’ alpine and equatorial glacial experiences and the global realities related to climate change.

“Receiving the Project Space grant from Kolman & Pryor gave me the resources and funds to move from two-dimensional painting to installation-based work,” Byers says. For several years, Byers has accompanied scientists on trips to various glaciers, hiked the Aletsch Glacier in the Swiss Alps, and observed how glacier tourism now requires bridges and ladders to reach receding and melting glaciers.

“Many people’s experiences of arctic, alpine, and tropical glaciers (often located on equatorial volcanoes) are through screens, and through the speed of social media,” Byers says. “In this exhibition, through which I’ve been processing my experiences, I hope to create contemplative, sensory spaces people can step into and come to an embodied understanding of what’s happening in our world.”

The work within Scaffold, Byers says, “is visually anchored in the aesthetic of survival gear—colors like bright orange and metallic reflectives—and the language of temporary solutions and adaptations.” Elements include a survival tent, a soundscape created from heartbeats heard via a digital stethoscope, paintings, and an olfactory piece. “Smell is so connected to brain function,” she says. “My goal is to create an interactive space that engages the senses and creates physical lasting memories of the exhibition.”

Elegy for Cayambe

Byers also wants viewers to consider concepts such as time and change, the temporary, and ideas of survival. “The earth is reacting to climate change in survival mode, and we are slow to act. I hope to create a space in which people can contemplate this and let the elements of installation affect them physically.”

“We are thrilled to be providing Betsy with a space in which to create an installation that addresses one of the pressing issues of time, climate change,” says Anita Sue Kolman, “Our gallery has always focused on supporting Minnesota artists. Our Project Space initiative has allowed Betsy to create a whole world that includes her paintings and other aspects that will engage all of the senses.” 

Adds Patrick Pryor, “Betsy has used her grantee funds, time, and support to elevate her career to a new level with this exhibition. Scaffold will be a powerfully engaging and thought-provoking work that we hope will affect the hearts and minds of all who experience the exhibition.”

For a preview of the show, please contact Anita Sue Kolman at anita@kolmanpryorgallery.com or 612-385-4239 or Patrick Pryor at patrick@kolmanpryorgallery.com or 612-280-7812. 

Mill City Commons Spring 2022 Trial Membership Promotion

Via a recent e-announcement from Mill City Commons:

Spring into action and join Mill City Commons (MCC) Three-Month Trial Membership for $100 from March - May. 

If you're seeking fresh attitudes, meaningful connections and creative options to enhance your quality of life, MCC is for you! The MCC community is an inclusive, vibrant group of members 55+ who live in or have an interest in the central riverfront district. Our goal is to enhance members' quality of life and help them thrive. We offer a wide array of stimulating programs and speakers, accessible support services, active affinity groups, and engaging social opportunities. 

Not a member? Try us out! Join the trial membership online at www.millcitycommons.org or email info@millcitycommons.org for more information. 

Step Up Paid Summer Internships are Back

Excerpt from the February 18 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Do you know a young person who’s looking for a paid career experience this summer? Step Up offers paid internships and online career training. Step Up is now taking applications for young people 14-21 who live in Minneapolis.

Learn more and be sure to apply by February 18. 

And if you are an employer and would like to host a Step Up intern this summer, pledge to hire a Step Up intern by March 31.

St. Patrick's Day at FINNEGANS Brew Co

FINNEGANS invites you to join them on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, for a full day of festivities! Details

City’s Behavioral Crisis Response Teams are Now Operating 24 Hrs/day, Mon-Fri

Excerpt from the City of Minneapolis' February 16 e-newsletter:

The City’s Behavioral Crisis Response (BCR) teams are now operating 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday. The teams are part of a pilot project led by the City’s Office of Performance and Innovation with Canopy Roots serving as the provider.

The teams launched Dec. 13, 2021 as a new first response that provides crisis intervention and connection to support services. They initially operated Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight.

Two mobile units operate throughout Minneapolis. Each has a team of two behavioral health responders and outreach supplies, such as water, socks, snacks and toiletries. Minneapolis 911 dispatches the responders. The teams can’t be called directly by residents.

The response teams are an alternative to police response. The Minneapolis Police Department will only be on scene if dispatch determines the need to clear the scene first or the response teams request assistance to complete their work.

People having a behavioral crisis or reporting one should continue to call 911 for help. 911 dispatchers will gather information and determine if the incident is eligible for a mobile behavioral health team response. The teams will not respond to incidents involving firearms or violent behavior. MPD can request the assistance of the Behavioral Crisis Response Teams to complete their work as well. 

Learn more about the Behavioral Health Response Teams pilot project.

City Council Confirms Margaret Anderson Kelliher as Director of City’s Public Works Department

Via a recent e-newsletter from the City of Minneapolis:

The City Council has approved Mayor Jacob Frey’s nomination of Margaret Anderson Kelliher as the new director of the Public Works Department for a four-year term. Anderson Kelliher has served as the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) since 2019.

Anderson Kelliher will begin her new role with Public Works on March 2, overseeing a department with approximately 1,100 employees that build, operate and maintain the City’s public infrastructure and deliver critical services, such as solid waste and recycling collection, safe drinking water, street maintenance and emergency sewer and road repairs.

In addition to serving as MnDOT commissioner, Anderson Kelliher served 12 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives, including as the Minnesota House Speaker for four years. While House Speaker, she oversaw passage of the transportation and transit funding package in 2008 – a groundbreaking investment in the state’s multimodal transportation and transit system. 

MPRB Announces Plans for New North Minneapolis Riverfront Trail Connection

Via a February 9 e-announcement from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

An illustration used as an early funding tool shows a potential layout for a new trail connection on the North Minneapolis riverfront. Click or tap the image to see more illustrations.

1,000-foot trail will travel under railroad bridge along river bluff to connect Ole Olson Park and 26th Avenue North Overlook

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is excited to announce plans for a new trail that will connect Ole Olson Park and the 26th Avenue North Overlook!

This long-anticipated 1,000-foot trail connection will extend a popular riverfront regional trail past the north terminus of West River Road and create new riverside experiences in North Minneapolis. It also will connect the 26th Avenue North Overlook, which opened last May, to the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, the 51-mile continuous bike/walk trail that encircles most of Minneapolis.

Ole Olson Park and the 26th Avenue North Overlook offer great views of the Mississippi River from atop the river bluff. This new trail will travel across the bluff along the river's edge and open up new park areas that are currently inaccessible. Construction is expected to start in 2022 and the new trail is expected to open in 2023.

Overhead diagram of the new trail connection between Ole Olson Park and the 26th Avenue North Overlook

New river access created by the trail project might be used for picnicking, fishing, launching a canoe or kayak, or just taking in the river and skyline views. The MRPB is asking for community feedback to help identify and prioritize potential riverfront experiences that could be developed through this project. There are several ways to get involved over the next several months.

Online Public Meeting

The first public meeting for the project is scheduled Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, 6-7:30 pm. It's an online meeting with a presentation and time for questions and feedback. The presentation will be recorded and posted online after the meeting. Use the link below to join the meeting on Feb. 24.

Join Meeting

Public Comment Forum

An online public comment form is available to collect general feedback on the project. Use the link below to open the form.

Comment Form

Share the comment form with anyone who may be interested using the link surveymonkey.com/r/26-olson-trail.

Email Updates

Visit the project page and enter your email into the "Subscribe to Email Updates" box at the top of the page to receive regular updates on the project. There's also additional background information and documents posted on the project page. Share the project page with anyone who may be interested using the link minneapolisparks.org/26-olson-trail.

Will Steger and Rita Mae Steger to Launch New Cookbook, The Steger Homestead Kitchen, at virtual Talk of the Stacks Event February 24

Authors Will Steger and Rita Mae Steger will be in conversation with Beth Dooley in a virtual presentation for their new cookbook The Steger Homestead Kitchen: Simple Recipes for an Abundant Life as part of the Friends of the Hennepin County Library Talk of the Stacks series on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 7:00 PM CT. Free virtual event registration at: https://www.supporthclib.org/steger-homestead-kitchen

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A formidable voice calling for the preservation of the Arctic and the Earth, Will Steger is best known for his legendary polar explorations. He has traveled tens of thousands of miles by kayak and dogsled for over 50 years, leading teams on some of the most significant polar expeditions in history, including the first confirmed unsupported journey to the North Pole and the longest unsupported dogsled expedition. Will Steger has joined the likes of Amelia Earhart and Jacques Costeau in earning the National Geographic John Oliver La Gorce Medal.

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In The Steger Homestead Kitchen: Simple Recipes for an Abundant Life, Will collaborates with his niece Rita Mae Steger, chef at the Steger Wilderness Center, and accomplished food journalist and cookbook author Beth Dooley, in a personal and heartfelt collection of family recipes and stories. Interwoven with dozens of mouth-watering recipes—for simple, hearty meals shared around home chefs’ own homestead tables—are Steger’s exhilarating stories of epic adventures exploring the Earth’s most remote regions.

Prominently featured in the book are Rita Mae’s favorite meals—from generous breakfasts like griddlecakes, to warming lunches such as wild mushroom and wild rice soup, to tried-and-true snacks like Steger Wilderness Bars. Between both the recipes and the stories, the authors open their hearts and hearths, providing the practical advice and inspiration to cook up a good life in harmony with nature.

Minneapolis Central City Tunnel Project Update

Via a February 7 e-announcement from the City of Minneapolis:

Project Overview

The City of Minneapolis Public Works Department is constructing a new parallel storm tunnel, enlarging a portion of the existing storm tunnel, and constructing a new tunnel access in Downtown Minneapolis. This project is anticipated to be completed summer 2023.

The new tunnel is being constructed parallel to the existing tunnel located under Washington Ave S between Nicollet Mall and Chicago Ave. The existing tunnel under Chicago Ave between Washington Ave S and the Mississippi River is being expanded to handle the increased stormwater capacity. The purpose of this project is to reduce pressure in the existing tunnel, provide more room for future growth, and to reduce the need for future repairs and tunnel failures.

Project Map

Latest Project News

Hennepin Ave

• Tunneling the new parallel storm tunnel under Washington Avenue continues. You will see crews continue excavating soils from the existing tunnel access shaft at the northeast corner of the Washington Ave and Hennepin Ave intersection. This is to begin tunneling the new parallel storm tunnel under Washington Avenue.
  • There may be short, periodic delays while crews move equipment and materials around.

Chicago Ave

• Crews are setting up the dewatering well and pumps on the northeast corner of the Washington Ave and Chicago Ave intersection. This work is anticipated to be completed by mid-to-late February.
  • There will be no lane closures needed to complete this work.
  • There may be short, periodic delays while crews move equipment and materials around.

Nicollet Mall

• Crews continue setting up the dewatering well and pumps near the southeast corner of the Nicollet Mall and Washington Ave intersection. This work is anticipated to be completed by February 7th.
  • The eastern sidewalk along Nicollet Mall between Washington Ave and 3rd St N is closed. Access is open to the Marquette Plaza building.
  • Pedestrians are still able to use the sidewalk on the west side of Nicollet Mall.
  • The crosswalk at the Washington Ave intersection remains open.

2nd Ave

• Crews continue installing the new tunnel access shaft in the southbound lanes of 2nd Ave S, just north of the Washington Ave intersection. Crews continue drilling, excavating, and installing the shaft walls. Drilling work is anticipated to be completed by February 7th and the drilling equipment will be hauled out the week of February 14. Equipment for the excavation of the tunnel will be brought in the week of February 21.
  • The sidewalks remain open on both sides of the road.
  • The crosswalk at the Washington Ave and 2nd Ave S intersection remains open.
  • 2nd Ave S remains a single lane in each direction using the northbound lanes between Washington Ave and 1st St S until the project is completed in 2023.
  • Access to driveways off 2nd Ave S remain open. There may be short-term access delays while crews move equipment and materials around.

4th Ave

• The dewatering well is anticipated to be completely set up and running the week of February 7. The east lane of 4th Ave S between 3rd St S and Washington Ave will open to traffic by Friday, February 11, or after the dewatering well is running.
  • The sidewalk on the east side of 4th Ave S remains closed.
  • Pedestrians can use the sidewalk on the west side of 4th Ave S.
  • The crosswalk at the Washington Ave and 4th Ave intersection remains open.
  • Access to driveways off 4th Ave S remains open.

Portland Ave

• The dewatering well is anticipated to be completely setup and running by the first week of February. The west parking lane of Portland Ave between 3rd St S and Washington Ave will open to traffic by Friday, February 11.
  • The west sidewalk will be restricted to pedestrians around the dewatering well and pumps.

Mississippi River Portal

• Crews continue excavating soils above the storm sewer tunnel and grouting near the existing retaining wall at the Mississippi River portal site. Crews will continue stabilizing the slope through February.
  • The parking lot off Portland Ave east of the Stone Arch Bridge, near Mill Ruins Park, is temporarily closed for the winter and will reopen spring 2022. This closure is necessary to complete the work in this area safely and efficiently.
  • The parking lot near Portland Ave and W River Pkwy remains open.

What to Expect

• Expect additional noise, dust, and vibration as crews complete work.
• Schedule is tentative and subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

Long-term closures/restrictions

• The north westbound lane, bike lane, and parking lane will be closed on Washington Avenue between Portland Ave and Park Ave. These closures will remain in place through spring 2022. This is necessary for the contractor to utilize the existing shaft to connect the existing tunnel to the new tunnel.
  • During this closure, pedestrians can still use the sidewalks along Washington.
  • Crosswalks across Washington Ave and Portland Ave will remain open.
  • Bicyclists will share the traffic lane.
  • The existing left turn lane on Washington Ave at the Portland Ave intersection will temporarily become a left turn and through lane.
• The north sidewalk along Washington Ave remains closed between Hennepin Ave and Nicollet Mall through spring 2022. The contractor is utilizing an existing shaft in this area to connect the existing tunnel to the new tunnel.
  • During this closure, pedestrians share the bike lane on Washington Ave.
  • The crosswalks at the Washington Ave intersections of Nicollet Mall and Hennepin Ave remains open.

Stay Connected

There are multiple ways to get information including email updates and ongoing stakeholder meetings. Visit the project website for more information and to sign up for project updates: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/central-city-tunnel/

Email the project team: info@mplscentralcitytunnel.com

Contact the project hotline: 612-888-9418

Kolman & Pryor Gallery Presents "The Color Series: Part 5, Blue" Artist Reception February 12

The Color Series: Part 5, Blue

Work by Kolman & Pryor Gallery Artists Inspired by The Color Blue

Artist Reception: Saturday, February 12, 7:00p–9:00p

The color blue, many painters’ favorite for its cool and dramatic yet serene and calming tones, has always been more expensive than other colors. During the Renaissance, true blue (ultramarine) was five times more expensive than gold as its color derived from lapis lazuli. Today, according to the study, The Colors, Emotions, and the Auction Value of Paintings, abstract paintings in which blue dominates are top sellers. Due to recent supply chain disruptions, blue paint is becoming costly as manufacturers struggle to locate the ingredients necessary to make blue paint.

All of which adds to the mystique of Kolman & Pryor Gallery‘s upcoming exhibition, The Color Series: Part 5, Blue, the fifth show in the gallery’s ongoing Color Series. The exhibition, which features work by gallery artists, Betsy Ruth Byers, Jil Evans, Abby Mouw, Kelly Jean Ohl, Jodi Reeb, Julie Snidle, and Cameron Zebrun, opened January 8, and runs through March 5. An artist reception is happening on Saturday, February 12, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., during Northrup King Nights - Valentine’s Day Edition.

Okjokull oil on canvas by Betsy Ruth Byers

Diver 6 oil on canvas by Jil Evans

“Most of our gallery artists already work with blue,” says gallery co-founder, Patrick Pryor. Betsy Ruth Byers’ most recent work, for instance, contains layers of blue to conjure memories of her research on glaciers and other disappearing landscapes. Many of Jil Evans’ paintings are intercut or layered with shades of blue. Jodi Reeb’s recent encaustic paintings and wall sculptures are dressed in vibrant shades of blue. Julie Snidle’s encaustic abstractions often include wide, evocative swaths of blue. Blue pops as an accent from many of Cameron Zebrun’s wood sculptures. Abby Mouw uses many colored glazes, including blue, when she creates her functional clay artworks. She loves knowing that her pottery will be used and held in someone’s hands.

The shades of blue filling the gallery’s walls highlight and complement Kelly Jean Ohl’s earth-toned, hand carved clay sculptures so beautifully.

“Because our gallery artists are so enthusiastic about the color blue,” says Anita Sue Kolman, gallery co-founder, “we’re happy and pleased to present, The Color Series: Part 5, Blue, to our gallery visitors.”

Kolman & Pryor Gallery is located in Studio 395, Northrup King Building at 1500 Jackson Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. For more information, please call: 612-385-4239 or 612-280-7812 or email: anita@kolmanpryorgallery.com or patrick@kolmanpryorgallery.com or visit: kolmanpryorgallery.com. 

Mill City Farmers Market Announces Virtual Event - Bridging Dreams: Transitioning Singing Hills Farm Fundraiser

Via a recent e-announcement from the Mill City Farmers Market (MCFM):

For over two decades, recently retired MCFM vendor Singing Hills Goat Dairy has operated on 25 acres of rolling hills and prairie grasslands in the Northfield area. The farm is now transitioning to the next generation of stewards, multi-generational market vegetable farmers, the Lor Family Farm.

To make this land more affordable for future farmers, ensure it continues to be farmed sustainably, and protect the land from development, organizations throughout Minnesota are partnering to raise funds for an agricultural conservation easement.

Building on the momentum started by the Blackland campaign in 2020 and additional donations already raised, Bridging Dreams is a night to virtually gather folks from across Minnesota for an informative and engaging evening in support of this farmland’s transition and sustainable farmland protection. Attendees will get to hear from the farmers involved, learn more about efforts to bridge farmland sellers with emerging and BIPOC farmers looking for farmland, and enjoy music, art and stories.

Register (Zoom link sent upon registration)

Donate online, or to donate by mail, please send a check with your phone number and email to: Renewing the Countryside-SHF, c/o Eli Goodwell, 118 Teresa Dr., West St. Paul, MN 55118

Lynne Reeck (third from left) with Lor family members.

Meet the Lor Family

Kue Lor, Bao Xiong and their daughter Mai Lor are successful, experienced vegetable farmers who have dreamed of farming their own land. For the past 30 years, the family has been farming throughout the Twin Cities, consistently facing the stressful uncertainty of land leases and affordable access to land.

Currently, they are farming 20 acres, selling their vegetables at the Minneapolis Farmers Market, Midtown Farmers Market, Gandhi Mahal, and The Good Acre’s LEAFF Program. After decades of renting farmland, they are looking forward to the peace of mind of owning their own space to farm and live and passing down their farming skills and infrastructure to future generations.

About Singing Hills Goat Dairy

Singing Hills Goat Dairy is a small farm on 25 acres of rolling pastures near the Big Woods State Park in Nerstrand, Minnesota. Lynne Reeck has owned and stewarded the land, grazing her Saanen, Nubian and Alpine breed dairy goats for the past two decades. In addition to caring for the land with expansive conservation efforts and raising animals with regenerative farming practices, Lynne created an on-farm cheese plant, where she made fresh goat cheeses that she sold at farmers markets and to restaurants and co-ops.

Per Lynne, “I have been looking for a buyer for quite awhile – it’s been a long process for me and I feel like we need more farmers and not less farmers! It was really important to me that whoever moves here appreciates what is here naturally and what can be benefited from as well as fostered.

I really like this option of putting an easement on the land for two big reasons – first, it makes it more affordable for an emerging farmer to come in and get started. That was a huge barrier for me and it’s an even bigger barrier for small farmers now. Beyond that, the easement lives on after I’m gone, after everyone who’s here is gone. That is the beauty of it – we really are trying to protect resources for the future, and we have to do that in every way that we possibly can right now.”

After stewarding the land for decades and retiring the cheese plant earlier this winter, Lynne is enthusiastically ready to pass her legacy to the next generation of sustainable farmers.

What is an Agricultural Conservation Easement?

An Agricultural Conservation Easement is a legal instrument recorded along with a property’s deed that keeps land permanently available for agricultural use. The easement removes the development rights from the land, limiting future nonagricultural development and other uses that may be incompatible with (and ultimately threaten) farming. The removal of development rights means that the property has limitations on how it can be used in the future, which decreases the overall value of the land. This means the farm becomes more affordable for future generations of farmers.

American Farmland Trust plans to purchase Singing Hills Farm from Lynne at market value, protect the land with an easement, and then sell the protected land to the Lors at a significantly reduced price. This allows Lynne to recoup her investment in the farm and enables the Lors to purchase the farm at a more affordable price. This innovative model can help farmers like Lynne retire, bridging her legacy with the Lor family’s future.

Why are easements important?

Affordable Farmland Access

Our state struggles to provide equitable agricultural opportunities to all Minnesotans. Most productive farmland in Minnesota, especially land within an hour of metropolitan centers, is too expensive to make farming that land viable. If we want local food, and we want a new generation of farmers, we need innovative solutions. An agricultural conservation easement will provide a reduced and more workable price and keep the land affordable for future generations of farmers.

Additionally, our country’s well-documented and troublesome history of land ownership and racial bias have created unfair, systemic barriers for emerging farmers. According to census data in the 2020 Emerging Farmers in Minnesota Legislative Report, 99 percent of farmers in Minnesota are white, despite making up 84 percent of the state’s general population. Options like Agricultural Conservation Easements combined with supplemental public and private funding opportunities in addition to other resources can help make farmland more accessible to emerging farmers.

Conservation

Every day 2,000 acres of agricultural land are paved over, fragmented, or converted to uses that jeopardize farming. An agricultural conservation easement permanently removes the development rights from the land, limiting nonagricultural development and other uses that threaten the future of farming. It can also help conserve farm soil and water resources by encouraging the adoption of regenerative farming practices and requiring farmers to follow a management plan. With this easement we can honor Singing Hills’ commitment and legacy of sustainable land stewardship.

Rural Livelihood

According to American Farmland Trust, the ownership of 40 percent of America’s agricultural land will be in transition within the next 15 years. In Minnesota, with the average farmer at 56 years old, farm transition and succession planning are critically important for the future of the agriculture sector. Supporting decades of knowledge built by farmers, agricultural conservation easements ensure the land is transitioned to the next generation of stewards who will honor the legacy of farmers before them and keep rural communities vibrant.

Farm transitions are challenging to navigate, often leading to new and unanticipated outcomes. Singing Hills has experienced multiple transition attempts over the past few years. One such effort supported by many in communities around MN, the Blackland project, created by Lynne’s niece Lizy Bryant, has changed course. Funds raised in that campaign went to its mission supporting Black farmers in Minnesota and a $15,000 donation will go to the agricultural conservation easement and transition of Singing Hills to Lor Family Farm. You can read more Blackland project updates on her campaign’s GoFundMe page. 

Support this land transition and the innovative model of farmland conservation easements by registering for Bridging Stewards Community Fundraiser, sharing this page with your network or making a tax-deductible donation with the link below.

Donate Today

To donate by mail, please send a check with your phone number and email to: Renewing the Countryside-SHF, c/o Eli Goodwell, 118 Teresa Dr., West St. Paul, MN 55118

City of Mpls Offers Inside Look at How Water is Delivered to Our Taps

Excerpt from a recent e-newsletter from the City of Minneapolis:

Take an inside look at the City’s award-winning water treatment and delivery process by watching this new video on how the City delivers drinking water from the river to your tap.

The City pumps approximately 19 billion gallons of water from the Mississippi River each year and delivers an average of 54 million gallons of drinking water each day – enough to fill the Lake of the Isles in about four days.

In addition to Minneapolis, the water the City treats is distributed to Crystal, Golden Valley, Bloomington, New Hope, Columbia Heights, Hilltop, the Edina Morningside neighborhood, Fort Snelling, and the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport.

The City’s Water Treatment & Distribution Services Division recently earned the Directors Award in the Partnership for Safe Water’s Distribution Optimization Program - a significant achievement toward ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality water to the community. The Partnership for Safe Water is a voluntary self-assessment and optimization program for water treatment plant and distribution system operation.

Learn more about Water Treatment & Distribution Services.

January 2022 by the Numbers from Cynthia Froid Group

Downtown real estate market update from Cynthia Froid Group:

Residents Invited to Join Next Minneapolis Charter Commission Redistricting Meetings on February 9 and 24

Via a recent e-announcement from the City of Minneapolis:

Two upcoming special meetings have been scheduled for the Charter Commission for the purpose of receiving public comment on proposed park district and ward boundary map changes for 2021-2022 redistricting.

February 9, 2022, at 7:00 p.m.

February 24, 2022, at 4:00 p.m.

The agenda for the meeting on February 9, 2022, has been published and is linked below. We'll publish the agenda for the meeting on February 24, 2022, on LIMS and send additional notice when it is published. These meetings will be online (virtual) meetings.

View the Agenda for Feb 9

Notice: Members of the committee may participate remotely by telephone or other electronic means due to the local public health emergency (novel coronavirus pandemic) declared on March 16, 2020, pursuant to the provisions of MN Statutes Section 13D.021.

Watch the meeting on Comcast Channel 14 or 799, City Council TV or City's YouTube channel.

Learn how to participate in the meeting.

See the upcoming Charter Commission calendar and latest Charter Commission agenda items.

Visit the Charter Commission website to learn more about it.

February 2nd E-newsletter from Ward 3 Council Member Michael Rainville

February 2 e-newsletter from Ward 3 Council Member Michael Rainville

Message from Council Member Rainville

Neighbor,

As many of you know, I’m a lifelong resident and active member of our community. I grew up in Ward 3 and have lived in St. Anthony West my whole life. I am excited to work for all of you as your Minneapolis City Council Member. Over the next two years, I expect to have conversations with many of you about the current direction and future of our beloved city. While we have serious challenges ranging from public safety to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I am confident our community will emerge stronger and our city will be able to rise to the occasion.

For the upcoming term I will be serving on the following council committees:

• Public Health and Safety
• Business, Inspections, Housing and Zoning
• Intergovernmental Relations

I ran on providing excellent constituent service and I remain committed to doing so during my time as your city council member. I want to introduce my two aides, Ryan SanCartier and Henry Jarvinen.

Ryan is in his fifth year at City Hall and is my Senior Policy Aide. Before joining my office, Ryan worked for Council Members Warsame, Osman and Reich. He lives in Northeast and enjoys running by the river and the diverse options for food and drink our community has to offer.

Henry comes from the campaign world. Before joining my office as my Policy Associate he worked on Senator Amy Klobuchar’s 2018 senate campaign, 2020 presidential campaign, and was campaign manager for Council Member Jamal Osman in 2021. He has lived in Minneapolis his whole life.

Friends of the Falls will negotiate the City’s acquisition of federal land near St. Anthony Falls

The City Council has approved having Friends of the Falls serve as the City’s agent in negotiations with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the acquisition of federal land surrounding the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock & Dam. The agreement also has the organization paying all costs associated with the transfer of land into municipal ownership, which is anticipated to happen later this year.

“This is an exciting opportunity to celebrate the spectacular environmental birthplace of Minneapolis and to also work with our Native American community,” said Council Member Michael Rainville, whose ward includes St. Anthony Falls. “We need to recognize the importance of this land to the people who’ve been here long before the city was ever founded.”

Minneapolis response to carjackings

• There has been a sharp rise in carjacking crimes across the region. Carjacking crimes are robberies with the loss of a vehicle using a threat of violence, use of force, or use of a weapon as the victim is entering or leaving the vehicle.
• The Minneapolis Police Department is apprehending suspects, investigating cases, and collaborating with the Hennepin County Attorney’s office and the courts to hold offenders accountable. The County has dedicated two prosecutors to specialize in the prosecution of these cases: one for juvenile cases and one for adult cases. The County has also designated an advocate to assist victims of carjackings.
• Review safety tips from the MPD.

$200 Visa gift card registration now open for 5- 11-year-olds getting vaccinated

• The State’s registration form is now open for parents to claim their $200 Visa gift card for vaccinating their 5- to 11-year-old children. Minnesota families whose 5- to 11-year-olds receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in January and February are eligible to receive a $200 gift card.
• Registration for the $200 Visa gift card closes at 11:59 p.m. Feb. 28. Parents and guardians can register their 5- to 11-year-old after completing their two-dose series.
• Children’s vaccine incentive information is available in English, Español (Spanish), Hmoob (Hmong), Soomaali (Somali).
• $100,000 Minnesota college scholarship drawings
  • Later this spring, there will be drawings for five $100,000 Minnesota college scholarship drawings for all kids in Minnesota 5-11 years old who are fully vaccinated. All kids in Minnesota ages 5-11 years old who completed their first and second doses at any point up to the registration deadline will be eligible to enter for a chance to win a $100,000 college scholarship. Details on the drawings will be announced in the coming months.
• How to find a COVID-19 vaccine for children
  • Visit mn.gov/vaxforkids to find clinic locations near you.
  • Check with your pediatrician, family medicine clinic or local pharmacy about appointments.

• Watch for vaccination clinics being offered at schools or other community locations around Minnesota.

Order your free at-home COVID-19 test kits from the federal government

• You can now request free at-home COVID-19 test kits from the federal government at COVIDtests.gov.
  • Each home in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests. The tests are free. Orders will usually ship in seven to 12 days.
  • The tests are rapid antigen at-home tests, not PCR tests. They can be taken anywhere. They will give results within 30 minutes; no lab drop-off is required.

• Testing is one of the critical tools to protect residents and workers, reduce pressure on hospitals, and help keep schools and businesses open.

• Read the frequently asked questions (FAQs).

City to invest in 797 affordable housing units throughout Minneapolis

• The City Council has approved $15.7 million in direct investment and $1.1 million in 10-year federal tax credits to create or preserve 797 units of decent, safe, affordable rental housing in 10 projects throughout the city. Almost 300 units will be for people with incomes at or less than 30% of area median income with 152 of those units to help people get out of homelessness.
• These City investments are part of the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund and Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs and will make use of more than $278.8 million in additional private and public resources.
• The Affordable Housing Trust Fund creates new and preserves existing affordable housing for low income renters (with incomes at or below 50% area median income, or $52,450 per year for a family of four). Almost 75% of such renters pay more than 30% of their income for housing because of the affordable housing shortage in the city. Black people, Indigenous people and people of color are disproportionately affected by housing instability.
• You can watch the news conference on the City’s YouTube channel.

This week, City Council members and the Mayor launched the #EatLocalMPLS campaign to support our local small businesses restaurants as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. So go out and grab a meal from your favorite place!

Valentine’s Day Gift Boxes from Experience the Twin Cities

Experience the Twin Cities has introduced its 2022 locally curated Valentine’s Day gift boxes full of Minnesota-made goodies. The three gift box options include items from Northern Print Co., Abdallah Candies, North Made Co., Legacy Chocolates, and more. Experience the Twin Cities includes free local delivery via their brightly colored tour bus. The Valentine’s Day gift boxes can be purchased from the Experience the Twin Cities website with prices ranging from $40-$65.

The line-up features three gift box options:

All You Need is Chocolate

‘Sota Cozy

Hot Cocoa Bombs

Experience the Twin Cities will hand deliver gift boxes to recipients within a 20-mile radius of Minneapolis for free on February 10 and 11. Nationwide shipping is also available.

“Our long Minnesota winters make Valentine’s Day the perfect time to do something extra fun, and we love creating and delivering these sweet gift boxes to bring local businesses directly to our customers. It’s a memorable moment when our brightly colored tour bus pulls up, plus our gift recipients get a great gift with some amazing Minnesota treats and products,” said Rebecca Pfeiffer, owner and CEO of Experience the Twin Cities. “We delivered gift boxes over the holidays for people who wanted to surprise friends, family, kids, clients, and coworkers and we can’t wait to do it again for Valentine’s Day.”

Experience the Twin Cities primarily offers a variety of tours to Twin Cities restaurants, breweries, sightseeing spots, and other locations. It’s currently offering a public St. Paul Skyway Food Tour and is hosting private tours for groups of families, friends, and business associates. The company introduced its locally curated gift box concept last year during holidays to help offset the effect of the COVID-19 on its business and to continue to support other local businesses. The Valentine’s Day gift boxes are available to purchase now. Gift boxes can be customized for bulk and corporate orders for a nominal fee.

Save The Date! Earth Day 2022 5K Bee Run/Walk/River Cleanup is April 23rd

The Great River Coalition invites you to support pollinator health by participating in the 7th Annual Earth Week 5K Bee Run/Walk/River Cleanup! The route originates at Boom Island Park and runs through the only National Park offering scenic views of the Mississippi River! The event will be on Earth Day, April 23, 2022. Get creative with pollinator costumes! Each paid participant receives a t-shirt, a Mill City Running discount and a chance to win big prizes.

Register online at: https://register.chronotrack.com/r/64012

Check website: www.greatrivercoalition.com/2022-beerunwalkcleanup

The Falls Initiative Community Conversations

Friends of the Falls and the Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI) are partnering with the City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to consider the future of the Upper Lock at Owámniyomni (meaning “turbulent waters” in the Dakota language), St. Anthony Falls. The lock closed to commercial navigation in 2015 and now presents an opportunity to not only restore public access to the river, but to create a place of healing and celebration that acknowledges the past and advances a more equitable and inclusive future.

Attend an upcoming Community Conversation to connect with Native leaders, the design team, and neighbors and discuss topics like restoration, programming, connectivity, and economic opportunity.

The first session will be held virtually on February 15 from 5-7pm. Robert Lilligren, Carrie Day Aspinwall and Karen Diver will be joined by Native Partnership Council members Jewell Arcoren, Juanita Espinosa and Wakinyan LaPointe to discuss how we can approach this project from an Indigenous perspective.

We invite all in our Minneapolis community to join the conversation and shape the future of the Falls.

About the panelists:

● Robert Lilligren is President and CEO of NACDI, an appointed member of the Metropolitan Council and Vice Chair of the Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors (MUID). He is enrolled in the White Earth Ojibwe Nation.

● Carrie Day Aspinwall, CDA Enterprises, facilitates meetings of the Native Partnership Council. Previously Carrie engaged residents, stakeholders and institutions across Minneapolis’ seventy-one neighborhoods in her role with the Neighborhood and Community Relations Department. Carrie is an enrolled citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe/Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.

● Karen Diver is currently serving as the Senior Advisor to the President for Native American Affairs at the University of Minnesota after previous roles at the University of Arizona and the College of St. Scholastica. Karen was also an appointee of President Obama as the Special Assistant to the President for Native American Affairs, and she served as Chairwoman of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa from 2007-2015.

● Jewell Arcoren is a ‘change agent’ and community activist. She is currently serving as Executive Director for Wicoie Nandagikendan and is committed to Dakota and Ojibwe language revitalization at the early childhood level. Jewell is an enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Nation.

● Juanita G. Corbine Espinosa is an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Nation in North Dakota with blood lines that connect to the Ojibwe of Lac Courte Oreilles in Wisconsin and Turtle Mountain Ojibwe in North Dakota. Juanita is a dedicated community organizer, currently working at the University of Minnesota-Department of Medicine Northern Range Satellite Center. She coordinates with 10 institutions across the US focused on American Indian research.

● Wakinyan Skye LaPointe is Sicangu Lakota, an Indigenous Human Rights advocate, and Co-Convener of the Mni Ki Wakan: Indigenous Water Decade. He centers Lakota knowledge, language, and ways of life in his work across human rights, working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and youth.

The Falls Initiative: Community Conversations:

February 15 – A Story Disrupted: Indigenous Perspectives

March 16 – Relationships with the River: Water is Life

April 12 – Restoring a Story Disrupted: What Can This Place Become?

May 21 – Building Connections

June 15 – A Powerful Place for Partnerships

Register to attend the February 15 event here:

https://avforyou.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYoceyvrD4sH9OXCDt_07Wd_mOPEUEAyaV0

And learn more about future Community Conversations at thefalls.org 

City to Invest in 797 Affordable Housing Units Throughout Minneapolis

Excerpt the January 28 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

The City Council has approved $15.7 million in direct investment and $1.1 million in 10-year federal tax credits to create or preserve 797 units of decent, safe, affordable rental housing in 10 projects throughout the city. Almost 300 units will be for people with incomes at or less than 30% of area median income with 152 of those units to help people get out of homelessness. These City investments are part of the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund and Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs and will make use of more than $278.8 million in additional private and public resources. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund creates new and preserves existing affordable housing for low income renters (with incomes at or below 50% area median income, or $52,450 per year for a family of four). Almost 75% of such renters pay more than 30% of their income for housing because of the affordable housing shortage in the city. Black people, Indigenous people and people of color are disproportionately affected by housing instability. Watch City leaders discuss the investments at a news conference Jan. 27.  Learn more.