Positions Open at the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board

The MPRB Crew Needs You! The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is now hiring for a wide range of summer jobs. Whether you want to gain experience at your first job, or grow your skill set for a future career, they have something for you! Information and applications are online at www.minneapolisparks.org/jobs.

Recreation, coaching, events Assistant Childcare Specialist Event Attendant & Lead Attendant Outdoor Playground/Supervision Recreation Facility Supervision Recreation Program Leader Recreation Specialist - Pop-Up Park Seasonal Event Technician Referee youth and adult sports Sports Official Work outdoors Park Patrol Agent, Part-Time Seasonal Equipment Operator Seasonal Park Maintenance Worker Work at headquarters Customer Service Assistant More jobs with Minneapolis parks To view a full list of job postings and to apply for any opening at MPRB, visit www.minneapolisparks.org/jobs.

4th Street Reconstruction Project Update - June 24

4th Street Reconstruction Project Overview

The City of Minneapolis is reconstructing 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and 4th Ave. S in downtown Minneapolis. The reconstruction will include wider sidewalks, improved crossings, a new bi-directional off-street bike path on the north side of the street, lighting, trees, and planting beds. Construction is underway and is expected to be complete by the end of 2022.

What's Happening Next Week?

Roadway reconstruction continues on 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Fourth St. is currently closed to vehicle traffic between 1st Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Local access is being maintained between 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N.

• Crews continue sidewalk and planter bed work between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave.
• At the 1st Ave. N intersection, crews continue roadway work and paving.

*Please note that the construction schedules are subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

What to expect during construction?

• During roadway construction, 4th St. will be closed to through traffic between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Local access will be maintained from 2nd Ave. N to 1st Ave. N. 
• Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout construction. Be aware of your surroundings when walking or biking near the construction zone. 
• Expect additional noise, dust, and vibration as crews complete work.

Upcoming Events

4th Street Weekly Stakeholder Meeting

Weekly project newsletters are sent out weekly and virtual stakeholder meetings occur bi-weekly. Join us at the next stakeholder meeting to get project updates, talk with project staff and get your questions/concerns answered.

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings:

July 1, 9-9:30 a.m. - CANCELLED

July 15, 9-9:30 a.m.

Teams Meeting: Click here to join the meeting

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: www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/fourth-st-n-and-s/  

Provide questions, comments or concerns on the interactive map: https://zan.mysocialpinpoint.com/4thstreetreconstruction

Email the project team: info@4thstmpls.com

Contact the project hotline: 612-412-9774

Hennepin Avenue Downtown Reconstruction Project - June 23 Update

Hennepin Avenue Downtown Reconstruction Project

Hennepin Ave. will be reconstructed between 12th Street and Washington Avenue. The City will reconstruct the pavement from building face to building face, including improvements to public and private utility infrastructure, and improved space for pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and vehicles.

Latest Project News

Progress continues in the 6th Street intersection, which is the last remaining intersection to do on the project. 2 of the 3 lanes are paved through the intersection.

Bus station foundations were poured on the last two stations this week and more sidewalk was completed. 

What's Coming Up

6th will remain at a single lane next week but will shift to the south side of 6th and work begins on the north half.

Vehicle access to parking between 5th and 6th will change to the 5th Street end.  This will be two way access.

The 7th St intersection will be fully open for this weekend and moving forward.

See attached update for more details.  Hennepin_Update_Vol97 (002).pdf

Contact Info

For more information on this project contact: 

Project email: hennepinCM@minneapolismn.gov

Phone: 612-255-4049

Website: www.hennepindowntown.com 

City of Minneapolis Earns Gold-level ‘Walk Friendly’ Designation

The City of Minneapolis has once again earned a gold-level designation from Walk Friendly Communities – a national recognition program developed to encourage cities across the country to support safer walking environments.

Minneapolis is one of four cities in the country to earn the gold designation this cycle, an honor it also received in 2017. Overall, 23 cities and towns were recognized by the Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based organization with a Walk Friendly designation on June 21. Since 2010, 82 communities have received designations, including 15 gold-level honors. 

The Walk Friendly Communities program cited Minneapolis as a gold-level community for several initiatives, including the Transportation Action Plan, Complete Streets Policy and Vision Zero Action Plan, among many others. The plans create safer, more equitable, walkable, bikeable and transit-friendly communities, the organization noted.

The Walk Friendly Communities program is the first national program to highlight walkability initiatives and programs. At the core of the program is a comprehensive web-based assessment tool that evaluates community walkability and pedestrian safety related to engineering, education, encouragement, evaluation, and planning.

Learn more about the City’s walk-friendly policies.

Minneapolis Parks Foundation Announces Sunrise on the Mississippi 2022

Save the Date!

 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2022
7:30am - 9:00am
Under the Big Tent at Boom Island
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The Minneapolis Parks Foundation has announced Sunrise on the Mississippi 2022 will return as an in-person celebration on Boom Island Park. This year’s featured speaker is Al Bangoura, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, now serving in his 4th year in this role. Superintendent Bangoura will speak about the future of Minneapolis parks and how innovative, diverse programming and partnerships will continue to make Minneapolis a city of world class parks and public space.

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Click here for more information and scenes from past events.

June 18 at the Mill City Farmers Market

The first peas and carrots of the season rounded out our June 18 shopping basket from the Mill City Farmers Market.

Tim Page of Holistic Health Farms had fresh turmeric - packed with health benefits!

Friendly staff from the downtown YMCA manned one of the community tables. If you missed them at the Market, you can learn about their classes, services, amenities, etc., via this interview with Executive Director, Andrew Hoffman by our own Becky Fillinger. It's quite an impressive facility!

Be sure to check out the new bone broth vendor, Superior Provisions. The broth is sold frozen, but they provide hot samples - I tried the Ham & Sage at the June 18th Market...YUM! I have a container of the chicken broth in the freezer, and as soon as the current hot spell passes I'll be making a batch of soup.

Shopper tip: I bring plastic bags and other containers to the market as a favor to the vendors, as their cost for containers has gone up exponentially. Please also return jars to vendors who provide honey, jams, pickles, etc., as well as egg cartons. A little effort by all of us will make a positive impact on our valued vendors who operate on very low margins. Thanks! :)

There's a lot of love to go around at the Market!

I'm embarrassed to admit I consumed an entire bag of Bliss granola over the course of the weekend. It just kind of happened...

Keeping James I. Rice Park Healthy is a Labor of Love for Neighbors, With Help from Friends of the Mississippi River

Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Laura Domyancich-Lee's June 14 article on the Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) website. I thought it was important to call out, as it shows why we should feel vested in our downtown neighborhoods, and how we can make a positive impact.

A community-driven restoration at James I. Rice Park provides a new stewardship model for beloved parks. Friends of the Mississippi River provides technical guidance, and neighbors take the lead.

Local love for a park turns into dedication

At 16 acres, James I. Rice Park in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis is among the smaller parks in the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board system. But its size doesn't diminish how special it is to the community of people who spend time in this stretch of woodland along the Mississippi River, or how important it is for providing habitat and water quality benefits.

From early morning until dark, people move through the park trails, finding peace and calm along the banks of the river in an often-busy part of the city. Wildlife abounds just a stone's throw from downtown Minneapolis.

However, over time, a beloved place can start to show wear. Heavy use, trash and yard waste were beginning to degrade the park's beauty and ecological function. Foot traffic across the sandy slopes had created bare areas in the park increasing erosion. Invasive plants dominated the shrub and ground layers, reducing native plant diversity and limiting the site's habitat value for birds, pollinators and other wildlife. Some areas were so shaded by invasive shrubs that the woodland ground was bare, contributing to erosion and soil movement into the river.

A few years ago, a group of neighbors and frequent park users saw these issues and jumped into action. With a modest amount of funding from their North Loop Neighborhood Association and support from the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, these community volunteers organized work days to collect trash, pull weeds, cut back invasive shrubs and return ecological health to a place that was important to them. Many properties in the neighborhood don't have outdoor space — these neighbors came to see the park as their shared backyard and dedicated themselves to its restoration.

A "volunteer-centric" management plan for James I. Rice Park

James I. Rice Park is managed by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, and park board staff identified a need for the community volunteers to be guided by a thoughtful planning process and technical knowledge. Through a long-standing partnership between the park board and FMR, park board staff engaged FMR ecologists to assist the neighborhood association with restoration efforts.

We saw an opportunity for a connection deeper than a one-off volunteer training and immediately sought funding to write a management plan that would engage and guide the community in their restoration efforts.

In 2021, the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization awarded a planning grant to FMR, which covered FMR staff costs to document the park's historical and current conditions, hold engagement events to understand the community's goals for the park and develop a comprehensive management plan.

Typically, FMR implements management plans by hiring subcontractors who employ crews to carry out restoration tasks over several years. But because James I. Rice Park has a committed crew of volunteers with growing ecological knowledge, we wrote the park's management plan specifically for the community to implement.

The plan, completed this spring, outlines straightforward tasks that small groups of people can complete in a few hours. We also organized tasks by time of year and work units within the park.

As with other management plans, the goal is that the ecological conditions will improve over time, and the park will become more self-sustaining, needing only a small amount of yearly tending for a healthy, balanced landscape.

Final Editor's Note: There's a lot more to the article - please continue reading here!

4th Street Reconstruction Project Update - June 17

4th Street Reconstruction Project Overview

The City of Minneapolis is reconstructing 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and 4th Ave. S in downtown Minneapolis. The reconstruction will include wider sidewalks, improved crossings, a new bi-directional off-street bike path on the north side of the street, lighting, trees, and planting beds. Construction is underway and is expected to be complete by the end of 2022.

What's Happening Next Week?

Roadway reconstruction continues on 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Fourth St. is currently closed to vehicle traffic between 1st Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Local access is being maintained between 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N.

• Crews continue roadway repaving and sidewalk work between 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N.
• Next week, crews will begin excavation for planter beds between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave.

*Please note that the construction schedules are subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

What to expect during construction?

• During roadway construction, 4th St. will be closed to through traffic between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Local access will be maintained from 2nd Ave. N to 1st Ave. N. 
• Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout construction. Be aware of your surroundings when walking or biking near the construction zone. 
• Expect additional noise, dust, and vibration as crews complete work.

Upcoming Events

4th Street Weekly Stakeholder Meeting

Weekly project newsletters are sent out weekly and virtual stakeholder meetings occur bi-weekly. Join us at the next stakeholder meeting to get project updates, talk with project staff and get your questions/concerns answered.

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings:

July 1, 9-9:30 a.m. - CANCELLED

July 15, 9-9:30 a.m.

Teams Meeting: Click here to join the meeting

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: www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/fourth-st-n-and-s/  

Provide questions, comments or concerns on the interactive map: https://zan.mysocialpinpoint.com/4thstreetreconstruction

Email the project team: info@4thstmpls.com

Contact the project hotline: 612-412-9774

MacPhail at Water Works presents Sounds of Summer, July 9th

MacPhail at Water Works presents Sounds of Summer with performances by MacPhail faculty and students. All are welcome at this free event taking place on Saturday, July 9 from 3 to 7 pm at Water Works at Mill Ruins Park. A variety of ages, styles, and instruments will make this an afternoon to remember. Moving into evening, the event culminates with a special concert by Nachito Herrera and his trio.

The schedule of performances is as follows:

3:00-3:30 pm Student Performances

3:45-4:30 pm MacPhail Percussion Ensembles featuring Rimshots! and Triptych

4:45-5:05 pm MacPhail Community Youth Choir (MCYC) led by J.D. Steele

5:15-6:00 pm Michael Cain Trio, with Kevin Washington and Anthony Cox

6:15-7:00 pm Featured Guest Artist: Ignacio “Nachito” Herrera

Nachito HerreraIgnacio “Nachito” Herrera’s talent was recognized early on; he performed Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Havana Symphony Orchestra at age 12. Well known to North American jazz audiences, he’s toured America with the Afro-Cuban All Stars and was lead pianist and musical director of ¡Cubanismo!

This is the second of five MacPhail Center for Music events at Water Works this summer. Still to come: August 2, “Summer Sing” Choir Concert at noon; August 3, Dementia Friendly Sing-a-long, 6:30 pm; and a Broadway Sing-a long, 6:30 pm.

Hennepin Avenue Downtown Reconstruction Project - June 16 Update

Hennepin Avenue Downtown Reconstruction Project

Hennepin Ave. will be reconstructed between 12th Street and Washington Avenue. The City will reconstruct the pavement from building face to building face, including improvements to public and private utility infrastructure, and improved space for pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and vehicles.

Latest Project News

The Mainline concrete pavement was completed this week.  All that remains is the pavement lanes in the 6th street intersection.

Sidewalk areas, ped ramps, and bike lanes have been the focus this past week.

What's Coming Up

The 6th Street intersection will be reduced to 1-lane starting Monday.  Expect traffic delays on 6th Street for morning rush hour.  Removals will begin for preparation and paving of that next lane of traffic across the intersection.

The last quadrant of sidewalk in the 7th Street intersection will be completed next week, and the intersection will be back open to 3 lanes late in the week.

Planter rails will continued to be installed north of 5th Street.

For more information please see attached update. Hennepin_Update_Vol96.pdf  

Contact Info

For more information on this project contact: 

Project email: hennepinCM@minneapolismn.gov

Phone: 612-255-4049

Website: www.hennepindowntown.com 

Nicollet Market Returns as Part of Downtown Thursday Lineup, June 16

Market, music and festivities along Nicollet

Thursday, June 16 beginning at 10 am

Nicollet between 5th and 9th Streets

The mpls downtown council would like you to know that Thursdays are full of activities downtown this summer, and this week Downtown Thursdays kicks off with a full lineup. The Nicollet Market returns weekly on Thursdays from 10 am – 2:30 pm and will feature flowers, baked goods, coffee, chocolates, and a variety of products and merchandise from local small businesses. On the third Thursday of each Month, Downtown Thursdays will feature additional markets and entertainment.

This month’s Downtown Thursday will feature an incredible lineup, including a live performance by international pianist Nachito Herrera as part of the weekly Pianos on Parade presented by PNC Bank performance lineup. 

• Nicollet Market – 10 am – 2:30 pm
• The Black Market – 10 am – 2:30 pm
• The Departments at Dayton’s Market – 10 am – 2:30 pm
• 50th Anniversary of Pride Promotion – 11:30 – 1:30 pm
• Bougie Waffles free giveaways, Nicollet – while supplies last
• Lawn games + activities, Hennepin County South Plaza – 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
• Twin Cities Pride booth, Nicollet – 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
• Drag Queen appearances, Nicollet – 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
• One Voice performance – U.S. Bancorp Center – 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
• Xibabba piano performance – IDS Center – 11:30 am – 12:15 pm
• Nachito Herrera piano performance – IDS Center – 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
• Market Bikes, Nicollet between 5th and 6th Streets – 11 am – 1 pm
• Cindy Lawson, Music in the Park, The Commons – 5 pm – 6 pm
• Outdoor Movie: “In The Heights”, Target Field Station – 7 pm

View the full schedule of events at www.mplsdowntown.com. Follow along on social media @mplsdowntown and share your downtown experiences using the hashtag #mymplsdt.

June 14 Minneapolis Central City Tunnel Project Update

Via a June 14 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

  2nd Ave

• Crews continue tunneling the new parallel storm tunnel under Washington Ave from the new tunnel access shaft in the southbound lanes of 2nd Ave S, just north of the Washington Ave intersection. Crews are working under Washington Ave towards the existing access shaft near Hennepin Ave.
  • 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.
  • Access to driveways off 2nd Ave S remain open. There may be short-term access delays while crews move equipment and materials around.

 Portland Ave

• Tunneling the new parallel storm tunnel under Washington Ave continues from the existing tunnel access shaft at the northeast corner of the Washington Ave and Portland Ave intersection. Crews are tunneling under Washington Ave towards Chicago Ave.
  • Pedestrian access is being maintained during this work. Please follow any posted detour routes.
  • There may be short, periodic delays while crews move equipment and materials around.

Long-term closures/restrictions

• The north westbound lane, bike lane, and parking lane remains closed on Washington Ave between Portland Ave and Park Ave. These closures will remain in place until the project is completed. 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 Ave.
  • 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 restricted between Hennepin Ave and Nicollet Mall. The contractor will resume tunneling from the existing tunnel to the new tunnel in fall 2022.
  • During these restrictions, pedestrians share the bike lane on Washington Ave.
  • The crosswalks at the Washington Ave intersections of Nicollet Mall and Hennepin Ave remains open.

• The sidewalk on the east side of 4th Ave S remains restricted through the end of the project. The dewatering well and pumps are installed in this area.
  • 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.

• The eastern sidewalk along Nicollet Mall between Washington Ave and 3rd St N remains restricted. Access is open to the Marquette Plaza building. The dewatering well and pumps are installed in this area.
  • Pedestrians are still able to use the sidewalk on the west side of Nicollet Mall.
  • The crosswalk at the Washington Ave intersection remains open.
  • Possible short-term sidewalk closures to remove equipment in the area through the end of the month.

• The west sidewalk of Portland Ave south of Washington Ave will remain restricted to pedestrians around the dewatering well and pumps until the project is completed.

Suspended sites through summer 2022

Hennepin Ave

• Tunneling the new parallel storm tunnel under Washington Ave will resume fall 2022 at this site.

Mississippi River Portal

• Minor activities will periodically occur at the Mississippi River portal site through Summer 2022. Work will resume fall 2022.

Stay connected

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

Restaurateurs Josh Thoma and Kevin Fitzgerald to Open New Tequila-focused Restaurant in North Loop (2023)

The New Restaurant Is Slated To Open Summer 2023

Local restaurateurs Josh Thoma and Kevin Fitzgerald, the duo behind Burger Dive, Smack Shack, and The Lexington, are opening a new, yet to be named restaurant, in the North Loop in 2023. With an emphasis on tequila and Chef Nick O’Leary helming the kitchen, the new concept is slated to open next summer.

Located in the former Alliance Francaise space at 113 1st Street N in Minneapolis, the restaurant is three stories (including the basement) and approximately 10,000 square feet. The ownership team is working with the city to ensure the historical integrity of the building endures while local design firm, Shea, brings new life to the historic space.

“We’ve been wanting to open an elevated tequila bar for a long time,” said Josh Thoma. “While the pandemic may have put a pause on our progress, we’re thrilled to finally get the process started and can’t wait to share this exciting new concept with everyone.”

The new restaurant will be open for dinner and weekend brunch with a strong emphasis on tequila. A menu is still being developed.

Thoma and Fitzgerald are also bringing their new tequila concept to Lloyd Companies' The Steel District project in Sioux Falls announced last May. Located adjacent to Falls Park, the project will also include a Burger Dive and a new elevated seafood concept from the pair. That project is scheduled to open Spring 2023.

“We’re very excited to bring this new concept to the neighborhood,” said Kevin Fitzgerald. “When we first opened Smack Shack in 2013, the community embraced us immediately and they remain avid supporters to this day. That’s just one of the many reasons we chose to open another restaurant right here in our own neighborhood.”

To follow the project progress, sign up for updates on the website, and follow along on Facebook. 

Six Minnesota Dance Artists Selected for 2022 McKnight Fellowships for Choreographers and Dancers

L – R: Leila Awadallah, Leslie Parker, Pedra Pepa, Sharon Picasso, Rosy Simas, Cheng Xiong

The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts recently announced its 2022 McKnight Choreographer Fellows and 2022 McKnight Dancer Fellows. McKnight Artist Fellowships deliver significant financial support to mid-career individuals whose work demonstrates artistic excellence. As a result, three Choreographer Fellows and three Dancer Fellows will individually receive $25,000 to set aside time to study, reflect, experiment, and explore, as well as take advantage of an opportunity to work on a new project.

2022 McKnight Choreographer Fellows

Pedra Pepa - Leslie Parker - Rosy Simas

Choreographer Selection Panel

Stefanie Batten Bland Choreographer & Movement Director (New York City, NY)

Andrew Chiang Executive Director, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company (New York City, NY)

Adam W. McKinney Co-Artistic Director, DNAWORKS (Fort Worth, TX)

Taja Will Choreographer, Performer & Healing Justice Practitioner (Minneapolis, MN)

In addition to the $25,000 fellowship award, each Choreographer Fellow is offered additional support for research and development of their work. The opportunity offers a supported trip to New York City during the APAP conference, as well as funds for renting dedicated space and/or engaging collaborators or staff in the creative process.

2022 McKnight Dancer Fellows

Leila Awadallah - Sharon Picasso - Cheng Xiong

Dancer Selection Panel

Stephanie Fellner Teacher, Dancer (Minneapolis, MN)

Rosie Herrera Choreographer, Artistic Director of Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre (Miami Beach, FL)

Herbert Johnson III Dancer/Choreographer (Minneapolis, MN)

Daniel Singh Artistic Director, Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company (Washington D.C.)

In addition to the $25,000 fellowship award, the Fellowship Program will also provide funds for each Dancer Fellow to commission a choreographer of their choice to create a new solo dance work specifically for them.

The McKnight Fellowships for Choreography and Dance are designed to enrich and strengthen our community by acknowledging the accomplishments of individual choreographers and dancers and providing for their artistic growth.

Mill City Farmers Market Welcomes New Vendor Superior Provisions at the June 11 Market

Our shopping basket from the June 11 Mill City Farmers Market. I'm looking forward to a week of arugula salads topped with strawberries from Twin Cities Berry Co, Big Woods Blue cheese from Shepherd's Way, toasted hazelnuts from American Hazelnut Company (and a drizzle of their cold pressed hazelnut oil) with Zen crackers from The Happy Healthy Buddha.

Superior Provisions is a new vendor for the 2022 season. At the June 11 Market they offered three varieties of bone broth. We'll capture more photos at future Markets when signage, etc., is available.

Can you ever have too many strawberries? NO!  :D

Wow - yummy dishes from Muddy Tiger Indian Street Food! Tawa Chicken on a grilled roll and Idli coconut-cilantro Chutney on spongy steamed rice and lentil cakes. When they return, we'll try the Vada Pav and Chilli Paneer.

Love it when two vendors collaborate - above is a recipe for Hazel Maple Vinaigrette, using hazelnut oil from American Hazelnut Company and maple syrup and vinegar from Horner's Corner. Of course you can soon get garlic and shallots at the Market, too.

Our vendors are a hardy bunch - WEI suffered a few weather-related set backs this spring, but they are back with a beautiful variety of produce.

Now Available Online: Info on Housing and Commercial Building 311 Requests

From the June 10th City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Easily look up housing and commercial condition 311 complaints online with any device. Search by address to find any recent calls or calls resolved in the last year. This makes it easier to follow up on your own complaints, to find information on a place you’re thinking about renting or buying, or to find the status of a complaint on a place you own.

If an issue is found at the property, you can see the specific violation name and date. Examples include: trash, overgrown vegetation, broken window and fire safety issues, as well as conditions inside a rental property: utilities, safety concerns, code violations, etc.

The tool will also give you a link to see the address on the violations dashboard. Use this to find more information on orders at the property. This information used to be stored in different places and people had to call 311 to follow up, or potentially call an inspector. Now, anyone can see the complaint, the status of the complaint and the result in one place.

Go to the 311 tool online or the Minneapolis DataSource.

4th Street Reconstruction Project Update - June 10

4th Street Reconstruction Project Overview

The City of Minneapolis is reconstructing 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and 4th Ave. S in downtown Minneapolis. The reconstruction will include wider sidewalks, improved crossings, a new bi-directional off-street bike path on the north side of the street, lighting, trees, and planting beds. Construction is underway and is expected to be complete by the end of 2022.

What's Happening Next Week?

Roadway reconstruction continues on 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Fourth St. is currently closed to vehicle traffic between 1st Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Local access is being maintained between 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N.

• Concrete, curb and gutter, and concrete pavement construction will occur on the south side of the roadway between 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N.
• Starting next week, crews will begin sidewalk construction work along the south side of the roadway between 1st Ave. and Hennepin Ave. Pedestrian access will be maintained.
• Lane restrictions at the 1st Ave. intersection continues for roadway paving work.
• Crews will be conducting minor concrete repairs between Hennepin Ave. and 4th Ave. S.

*Please note that the construction schedules are subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

What to expect during construction?

• During roadway construction, 4th St. will be closed to through traffic between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Local access will be maintained from 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N. 
• Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout construction. Be aware of your surroundings when walking on the sidewalk and biking in the roadway. 
• Expect additional noise, dust, and vibration as crews complete work.

Upcoming Events

4th Street Weekly Stakeholder Meeting

Weekly project newsletters are sent out weekly and virtual stakeholder meetings occur bi-weekly. Join us at the next stakeholder meeting to get project updates, talk with project staff and get your questions/concerns answered.

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings:

June 17, 9-9:30 a.m.

July 1, 9-9:30 a.m. - CANCELLED

July 15, 9-9:30 a.m.

Teams Meeting: Click here to join the meeting

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: www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/fourth-st-n-and-s/  

Provide questions, comments or concerns on the interactive map: https://zan.mysocialpinpoint.com/4thstreetreconstruction

Email the project team: info@4thstmpls.com

Contact the project hotline: 612-412-9774

Crews pouring a sidewalk

Bike trail completed between 1st Avenue N and Hennepin Avenue

Hennepin Avenue Downtown Reconstruction Project - June 9 Update

Hennepin Avenue Downtown Reconstruction Project

Hennepin Ave. will be reconstructed between 12th Street and Washington Avenue. The City will reconstruct the pavement from building face to building face, including improvements to public and private utility infrastructure, and improved space for pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and vehicles.

Latest Project News

The 7th Street intersection is back open to two lanes and all the concrete pavement is complete in the intersection.  All the concrete in the 5th Street intersection was also completed last weekend during the LRT shutdown.

Work has begun in the 6th St intersection.

What's Coming Up

Continued concrete paving work be taking place in the 6th Street intersection.  This intersection will be reduced to one lane of traffic starting June 20.

The majority of the concrete planters have been completed this week as well as bike lanes.

The 5th Street intersection will re-open for next week.

See update for additional information  Hennepin_Update_Vol95.pdf

Contact Info

For more information on this project contact: 

Project email: hennepinCM@minneapolismn.gov

Phone: 612-255-4049

Website: www.hennepindowntown.com 

Storm Over Mississippi River by Ric Rosow

Submitted by Ric Rosow

The storm moved in early on the evening of May 30th, first with high winds, then menacing storm clouds and then rain in the distance moving this way. I went out to photograph from the balcony. The first photograph is early in shooting the storm. The clouds look ominous and the rain had not yet appeared in the horizon. The second photograph was taken not long after the first. The clouds are menacing and rain appears in the horizon. Nature changes the landscape rapidly.

See more of my work @ricrosowphotography and Tres Leches Art Gallery.

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June 4th at the Mill City Farmers Market

Our shopping basket from the June 4th Mill City Farmers Market.

Atacama Catering is a family business specializing in South American food. Their empanadas (available both hot to enjoy at the Market and cold to take home) are incredible, and they also sell salsas and bakery items. Atacama is a monthly vendor, and their next date at the MCFM is July 16th.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was excited for the first tomatoes of the year!

The U of M College of Design conducted a shopper survey and gathered feedback on how people react to less than perfect looking produce.  

It's always fun to see Chef Beth Jones in the demo booth.