Water Works Construction Update

Water Works Construction Update: selective deconstruction of Fuji Ya building has begun

Workers perform archaeological study and archival documentation inside the building; the structural brick arch ceiling will be protected this winter and reused in the Water Works project

Selective deconstruction and archival documentation has begun at the former Fuji Ya restaurant site

Work has begun on repurposing the site of the former Fuji Ya restaurant building at 420 1st Street S into a new indoor park pavilion featuring a riverfront restaurant and food service venue run by The Sioux Chef.

Careful deconstruction of the building helps secure and protect historic mill ruins that will be incorporated into the new park pavilion and sets the stage for full-scale construction of Water Works in 2018.

This process looks different than most demolition projects. It is slower, more methodical and prioritizes protection of historic resources. First, hazardous building and electrical materials (florescent lighting, mercury thermostats, old furnace parts, etc) that require special disposal methods will be removed. Then a photographer will document the Fuji Ya structure and how it ties into underlying mill foundations for archival to the Minnesota Historic Property Record.

After the site has been properly photographed and archived, the Fuji Ya structure will be fully deconstructed. A few of the structure’s large wood beams will be stored onsite and reused as part of the Water Works project.

When the selective deconstruction project is complete, a temporary, weatherproof roof, steel doors, solar-powered exhaust fans and rooftop safety railing will be installed to protect the mill foundations over the winter before full-scale construction begins in 2018.

Archival photography of the Fuji Ya Restaurant structure with window coverings removed

Water Works

Water Works is a two-phase, transformative riverfront park project along the downtown Minneapolis Riverfront.

The first phase, called the Mezzanine Phase, encompasses about 2.5 acres, from West River Parkway to 1st Street S, and 3rd Avenue S to Fifth Avenue S. It includes a new indoor riverfront pavilion featuring a restaurant and food service venue run by The Sioux Chef, rooftop terrace and plantings, city steps overlooking the Mississippi River, outdoor play areas and gathering spaces, a connection to the Mill City Quarter woonerf and improved biking and walking connections.

Phase 1 is largely being funded by philanthropic investment, through the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s RiverFirst Capital Campaign. Phase 2, the Riverside Phase, will follow the Mezzanine Phase and is expected to begin in 2021.

Local Music Fans - Check out Andrea Swensson's Got to Be Something Here: The Rise of the Minneapolis Sound

Beginning in the year of Prince’s birth, 1958, with the recording of Minnesota’s first R&B record by a North Minneapolis band called the Big Ms, Andrea Swensson's Got to Be Something Here traces the rise of that distinctive sound through two generations of political upheaval, rebellion, and artistic passion.

For those not familiar with her, Swensson is an author, radio host, and music journalist. She hosts a weekly program about the Minnesota music scene, The Local Show, at Minnesota Public Radio’s 89.3 The Current and contributes to the Local Current Blog. Prior to joining MPR, she was the music editor at City Pages, where she founded the AAN AltWeekly Award-winning Gimme Noise music blog.

My North Series - 52 Minnesota Stories Leading up to the 2018 Super Bowl (Episodes 31 - 35)

Count down to Super Bowl 52 with this weekly video series of 52 love letters to Minnesota from notable Minnesotans. My North is an editorial video series created by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and presented by Explore Minnesota. Hear from tastemakers and stylemakers. Artists and athletes. Authors and entertainers. These are their odes to the state they love. Below are episodes 31-35 - click here to see more!

House of Talents Showcases African Artisans

Article by Merle Minda

House of Talents showcases African artisans

Tucked away on the Sixth Floor of the Traffic Zone Arts Building in the North Loop is House of Talents, founded in 2009 by the charismatic Kate Herzog to help artisans in her home country of Ghana and nearby developing countries. Kate is herself from Ghana and came to the U.S. years ago with her husband whom she met when he was in the Peace Corps. Long-established in Minneapolis and with three grown sons, Kate has dedicated herself to making a difference for people in her home country.

Kate Herzog, founder and owner of House of Talents

 “In the villages lots of people want to work with me; I hope to help them see possibilities for themselves,” says Kate. “We started with baskets thinking that they would sell well here, and we’ve grown from there!”

And so she has – the House of Talents’ showroom is glorious with color, gorgeous woven baskets, textiles from Mali, exquisite pillows and hand-made drums – and that’s just for starters! Even the drums come with their own hand-sewn original and colorful fabric covers. One of the more unusual fabrics is something called Bogolan, a so-called mud-cloth resulting in truly unusual designs suitable for bedspreads, a sofa or wall-hanging.

Partial view of House of Talents showroom

Vibrant colors everywhere

It is amazing to think how Kate put this together. She visits these villages often and also helps increase access to healthcare, food and financial independence…now providing income to over 1,000 Ghanaian women in the basket weaver communities alone. Kate nurtures her artisans into adjusting their creations for the American buyer in terms of colors and shapes, types of clothing and basket usefulness. For example, bike baskets were a totally new idea in Ghana, especially making the holes for the leather strap holders. “No one knew how to weave holes in Ghana,” laughs Kate.

Kate meeting with artisan villagers in Ghana

Kate herself is an incredibly warm woman, greeting me with a hug and a broad smile, and walking me to my car later with the one pillow I just could not leave without purchasing.

Kate taught herself to read at age 10 and earned an education largely through her own determination. She has several university degrees including an MBA in economics from St. Thomas University.

“I was determined to find a way to help; no one wants to be poor and this work helps our communities increase education, health and financial independence.” Kate is even now expanding to provide books and libraries in villages as well. The grasses from which the baskets are woven grow in plentiful supply near the villages, so it is by using easily available materials and their own ingenuity that this wide range of African products are created.

If you are looking for a gift or something special for your home, go to House of Talents. Kate says she wants “to elevate your mood and bring a happy smile to your face.” An easy task at this creative, wonderful and beautiful space.

House of Talents is located in the Traffic Zone Arts Building at 250 3rd Avenue N, Suite 615 (there is an elevator!) with street parking and a nearby House of Talents lot. They are open Wednesday - Saturday, 11AM – 6PM.

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About Merle Minda

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

Mill City Youth Players Return!

Article by Claudia Kittock

The Friends of the Mill District, in partnership with the Guthrie Theater, are excited to announce that the Mill City Youth Players will return. If you missed the first show, Be Seen, Be You, Belong, you will have another chance to watch these incredibly talented young people perform on the Dowling stage.

A scene from Be Seen, Be You, Belong

The plans include 21 sessions. Seven will cover voice and movement, seven will cover text analysis, and the last seven will be choosing and preparing the production. Our hope is to have 3 shows at the Dowling over a weekend, which would include a Friday, Saturday and Sunday show.

An essential part of this program will be teaching these young actors problem solving and creativity. To do that, they will learn the language of the theater, and to do that, they will need to attend plays. This session will include tickets to 4 different productions at 3 different theaters. The actors will attend these productions together so that they can talk and learn about what they have seen as a community of actors.

We are so very excited to begin again. The pilot project was a huge success. Two of the actors got jobs as a result of their experiences, and others have had auditions because of the work they did at the Guthrie.

This is a community project and we will need community involvement.  We will provide more information as we decide on the dates for this project. If you are as excited as we are, please think about getting involved. 

How will you be able to help? We will need:

• Community volunteers to provide snacks for the beginning of each class/rehearsal.
• Community volunteers to provide dinner at the end of each class/rehearsal.
• Donations to help defray the cost of paying the salaries of the teaching professionals.

For questions and comments, please contact Claudia Kittock at cjkittock@gmail.com.

Portion of I-35W in Minneapolis to Close this Weekend, October 6 - 9

Portland Avenue Bridge over I-94 is now closed through early December

Minnesota Department of Transportation is closing I-35W for a second consecutive weekend between I-94 and Highway 62 for the demolition of the Franklin Avenue Bridge. This portion of the highway will close in both directions beginning at 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 and reopening by 5 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 9.

Crews will begin closing the on- and off-ramps for this portion of I-35W approximately one hour prior to closing the interstate highway. Southbound I-35W on- and off-ramps between 46th Street and 60th Street will remain open during the closure.

Detours include using I-94, I-394, Highway 100 and Highway 62 to get around the closure.

Portland Avenue Bridge closure

Portland Avenue Bridge spanning I-94 in Minneapolis is now closed. Construction crews closed the bridge this morning to work on piers below the bridge deck. This bridge will be closed to most motorized traffic for approximately two months; however, pedestrians, bicyclists, police cars and ambulances will still be able to use the bridge.

Motorists will be detoured to 14th Street, Chicago Avenue and Franklin Avenue.

Allow extra travel time

If your travel plans include any of the closed sections of the freeway or the designated detours, please plan ahead and allow additional time to arrive at your destination. Rush hour traffic levels are anticipated along these sections of the metro roadways.

Upcoming Temporary Closures on I-94 Between Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center

Via an e-newsletter from MNDot:

Temporary closure details

Lowry Tunnel closures

Crews will be cleaning the Lowry Hill Tunnel next week, weather permitting. 

Beginning 10 p.m. Mon, Oct. 9, eastbound I-94 will close at the tunnel for cleaning. The detour is the prohibited vehicle route that exits at Hennepin/Lyndale. The eastbound lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Tue, Oct 10.

The following ramps will also close during the cleaning:

Hwy 55 to eastbound I-94

Eastbound I-394 to eastbound I-94

Then beginning 10 p.m. Tue, Oct. 10, westbound I-94 at the tunnel will close for cleaning. The detour is the prohibited vehicle route that exits at Hennepin/Lyndale. The westbound lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Wed, Oct. 11. 

Lane closures

MnDOT will have to close some lanes on I-94 next week for work on the Camden Bridges. Periodically through the week, both directions of I-94 from Dowling Ave. to 49th Ave. will be reduced to one lane during non-peak hours and two lanes during peak hours.

Ramp closures

The ramp from 49th Ave. to I-94 east will close during the work on the Camden Bridges for safety reasons.

We appreciate your patience during these closures. All time frames are approximate and weather dependent.

More about this project

Visit: mndot.gov/metro/projects/i94brooklyncntr/

Voting Now Open for Your Favorite 60 Second Film! Winners Announced at the Oct 23 Mississippi Minute Film Festival

A variety of films which showcase the Minneapolis riverfront have been submitted, and now it’s time for you to give your approval. People’s Choice voting is officially open for the 2017 Mississippi Minute Film Festival.

View all 16 films and then vote online!

Voting requires a Facebook account. If you really like a film, share the post on your own Facebook account and encourage your friends to vote as well. Click Like on the video or on the post itself (you can use the Love, Wow or Haha reactions instead – they are all counted as the same).

People’s Choice voting closes at Noon on October 20.

Make plans to join the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership for the  Mississippi Minute Film Festival on October 23. Doors open at 5:30pm. Admission is free, but please register in advance to help them plan for the appropriate amount of people. You’ll want to see these films on the big screen!

Joshua Will of The Theater of Public Policy will emcee this event, giving you a taste of comedy and improv based around the Minneapolis riverfront as well.

Buses to Replace Blue and Green Line Trains October 6-9

Due to scheduled maintenance, buses will replace trains beginning Friday, October 6 during a partial shutdown on the METRO Blue & Green Line. Customers can board replacement buses near the affected stations. Buses run on similar schedules as trains but can take more time. Customers are urged to plan accordingly.

From 6:25pm Friday, October 6, until 3:30am Monday, October 9, buses will replace Blue and Green Line trains for these stations:

Green Line
Stadium Village
East Bank
West Bank

Blue Line
38th Street (Northbound only)
Lake St./Midtown
Franklin Ave.
Cedar-Riverside

Downtown Mpls. - Shared stations
U.S. Bank Stadium 
Government Plaza
Nicollet Mall
Warehouse-Hennepin Avenue
Target Field

Click here for more inf

MacPhail Center for Music Announces 2017-2018 Spotlight Series

Via an October 2 News Release from MacPhail Center for Music:

MacPhail Center for Music announces the fifth season of their premier concert series, the MacPhail Spotlight Series. The lineup includes four on-site concerts and four touring concerts, as the series expands its reach to the metro area and southeastern Minnesota for the first time.

This inspiring season showcases the phenomenal talents of MacPhail teaching artists and special guests. Four of the shows will take place in MacPhail’s award-winning Antonello Hall, while four will tour to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (Mia), the Lakeville Area Arts Center, the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis and the Paramount Theater in Austin.

The 2017-2018 MacPhail Spotlight Series includes:

· Traveling Musicians, November 11, 2017: For centuries, touring musicians have used rhythm and melody to record their impressions.  Liszt captured stunning Swiss landscapes and glorious Italian architecture with his dazzling Années de pèlerinage for solo piano. Bartók’s compositions were profoundly impacted by the years he spent researching indigenous folk music in far reaches of the Balkans. Dvořák’s famous stay in the USA inspired some of his most beloved works, including the charming Sonatina – part of which was sketched while visiting Minnehaha Falls! Ellington’s jazzy Far East Suite is a personal take on the exotic sights and sounds of the Middle East.

· Eyewitness Views at Mia, Details to be announced, see website for more information.

· Flirting with Sondheim, February 10, 2018 (Antonello Hall) and February 11, 2018 (The Paramount Theatre in Austin): Stephen Sondheim is, without a doubt, one of America’s most accomplished musicians. This program is a tribute to his versatile genius, both as lyricist and composer. MacPhail performers will regale audiences with scenes and arias from his most beloved works, including West Side Story, Company, Into the Woods, and Little Night Music. The repertoire was chosen with an eye to Valentine’s Day. So the concert’s secondary theme is love, but always with Sondheim’s signature realism and witty touch.

· Spotlight Series at Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis: February 22, 2018, Performance of Quartet for the End of Time by Olivier Messiaen. Details to be announced, see website for more information.

· Virtuoso Vivaldi, March 10, 2018: Antonio Vivaldi was one of history’s most prolific composers, with his best works hitting the classical top-ten charts for centuries. Enjoy the colorful ingenuity of his Four Seasons, performed by two virtuoso MacPhail violinists and the MacPhail Chamber Orchestra. Highlighting the music’s shifting textures and moods will be projected images by Minnesota photographers Alice Gebura and Layne Kennedy, who capture the four seasons in all their glory. The Vivaldi is paired with its 20th century counterpart, The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires by Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla. This 20th century work borrows themes from Vivaldi and mixes them with the irresistibly sultry harmonies of Tango tunes.

· Troubled Souls, April 14, 2018: Our final Spotlight concert features the foreboding sensibilities of three very different composers. Nebojsa Zivkovic wrote Uneven Souls, a Marimba concerto complete with percussion and chorus effects. Based on Balkan culture, it’s a tribute to what the composer sees as the Slavic people’s uneven, “non-dogmatic” way of life, free of “ultimatums” or “strict rules.” Liszt’s Totentanz (Dance of Death) evokes the terrifying sounds of Judgment Day, with its extended quote from the famous medieval chant “Dies Irae.” Stravinsky’s masterpiece, The Soldier’s Tale, is a classic cautionary tale, complete with a Faustian bargain.

· Hungarian Fantasy, April 29, 2018 (Lakeville Area Arts Center): This eclectic show features the belovedHungarian Dances by Brahms performed by pianists Irina and Julia Elkina. They will be joined by imaginative and kinetic theatre group Impossible Salt who will set their show Wishing Skin to Brahms’ music.

“I am incredibly excited about the creative and unique performances that make up this season of Spotlight,” says Mischa Santora, artistic director, MacPhail Spotlight Series. “In particular, I am thrilled to be bringing this programming on the road throughout the metro area and Austin. This lineup highlights the virtuosity and creativity of our faculty, and I can’t wait for new communities and audiences to experience it.”

Tickets for concerts held at Antonello Hall are $25 for adults, $15 for seniors (ages 55 and older) and youth (ages 6 through 18), and may be ordered by calling 612-767-5250 or by stopping by Student Services at MacPhail locations in Minneapolis, Chanhassen, Apple Valley or White Bear Lake.  Ticketing information for metro area and Austin concerts is available on our website.

The MacPhail Spotlight Series is MacPhail Center for Music’s premier performance event. This concert series explores diverse musical themes performed by MacPhail Center for Music faculty and special guests – showcasing some of the finest musicians in the Twin Cities.

MacPhail Center for Music is a non-profit organization committed to transforming lives and enriching the community through exceptional music learning experiences. Each year, MacPhail opens its doors to more than 16,000 students offering programming for all ages, backgrounds and abilities, at locations in Minneapolis, White Bear Lake, Chanhassen, Golden Valley, Apple Valley and Austin, as well as 127 community partnerships across the Twin Cities and online at MacPhail Online. MacPhail has a 110-year history of excellence, promoting life-long learning and building long-term relationships between students and teachers. For more information, visit www.macphail.org.

Scenes from the September 30 Mill City Farmers Market

The annual Bread Fest highlighted the September 30 Mill City Farmers Market (look for a separate post under our Farmers Market blog later this week for all the delicious pictures!). 

Pumpkins and apple pie - can't think of a better way to transition into Fall.

Baby strollers make excellent shopping carts at the Market. :)

Weekly joke from the Urban Roots kids:

Freeze dried minnows from Barkley's Bistro are a nice treat for your kitty or pup.

New products from Sunrise Flour Mill: Sunrise Red Cornmeal and Wild Rice.

Milly the Goat!

WASTED! The Story of Food Waste - Oct 13-19 Screenings from the The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul

Coming October 13 - 19 from the The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul:

WASTED! The Story of Food Waste

Can you imagine if every time you opened your wallet, a third of your cash fell out - and you did nothing about it? Consider the fact that one-third of the food grown annually for human consumption is never eaten - for one reason or another, it ends up in the garbage. That’s $218 billion - or 1.3 billion tons - of food annually. In America, families chuck about 25% of the food and beverages they buy at a cost of $1,365 to $2,275 annually. Yet at the same time, 800 million people around the globe are starving. It’s a problem - but one with no shortage of solutions.

WASTED! The Story of Food Waste aims to change the way people buy, cook, recycle, and eat food. Through the the eyes of chef-heroes like Anthony Bourdain, Dan Barber, Mario Batali, Massimo Bottura, and Danny Bowien, audiences will see how the world’s most influential chefs make the most of every kind of food, transforming what most people consider scraps into incredible dishes that create a more secure food system. WASTED! exposes the criminality of food waste and how it’s directly contributing to climate change and shows us how each of us can make small changes – all of them delicious – to solve one of the greatest problems of the 21st Century.

Mpls Downtown Improvement District Announces 2017 Greening & Public Realm Award Winners

Via a September 28 News Release:

The Mpls Downtown Improvement District announced today its 8th annual Greening & Public Realm Award winners, a group that included six 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 our urban landscape. This year’s first-time award winners [full list below] in this year’s categories are the 1010 Currie Mural by Bianca Pettis & Erin Sayer (which won two awards: Best Public Art and Best Public Realm Improvement), Best Small Activated Space (co-winners 100 Washington Square and North Loop Parklet), Best Large Green Space (Mill Ruins Park), Best Streetscape Green Infrastructure (Millwright) and Best Entryway Greening (Haskell’s).

Loring Greenway won a Greening Award for a record eighth straight year—tying with Mill Ruins Park for Best Large Green Space. The Local won its sixth Greening Award (Best Façade Greening), Brit’s Pub won its fifth (Best Outdoor Café), Loring Park won its third straight Best Neighborhood award, and The Commons won a Greening Award (Best Large Activated Space) for the second straight year since opening in 2016.

“We’re delighted to see five new winners joining our past award recipients, a sign that enhanced greening continues to be a prominent focus of downtown businesses, neighborhoods and organizations,” Mpls Downtown Improvement District President & CEO Steve Cramer said. “We thank everyone who helps create a more vibrant experience through adding to downtown’s beauty. Congratulations to this year’s winners on exceptional contributions to our city’s core.”

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 Mpls DID accepted public nominations for green spaces throughout August, and finalists were announced on August 24. Voting for finalists remained open through September 21.

The finalists, nominated by the public, were selected by members of the Mpls 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 Activated Space
• 100 Washington Square* - 36.70%
• North Loop Parklet* - 36.70%
• Gethsemane Episcopal Church – 26.60%

Small Green Space
• 20 Washington Square – 45.29%
• Target Corp – South Entry – 39.97%
• American Academy of Neurology– 14.24%

Large Activated Space
• The Commons – 63.17%
• Hennepin County Government Center North & South Plazas – 21.57%
• Target Field Station – 15.25%

Large Green Space
• Loring Greenway – 33.65%
• Mill Ruins Park* - 33.65%
• Triangle Park – 17.06%
• Cancer Survivors Park – 15.65%

Façade Greening
• The Local – 55.48%
• JB Hudson Jewelers – 24.09%
• Capella Tower* - 20.49%

Public Art
• 1010 Currie Mural by Bianca Pettis and Erin Sayer* - 35.77%
• Orbicles by MINN_LAB* - 27.97%
• Hahn/Cock by Katharina Fritsch* - 22.93%
• Inside Out Project* - 13.33%

Outdoor Café
• Brit’s Pub – 38.01%
• Monte Carlo* - 27.41%
• McKinney Roe* - 20.55%
• HopCat* - 14.03%

Streetscape Greening
• Minneapolis Convention Center – 36.89%
• Maverick Apartments* - 27.55%
• Target Commons – 25.21%
• Rock Island Lofts – 10.35%

Streetscape Green Infrastructure
• Millwright* - 40.07%
• Walker Art Center* - 31.79%
• Hennepin & Lyndale Renovation* - 14.57%
• Machine Shop* - 13.58%

Entryway Greening
• Haskell’s* - 48.73%
• City Hall – 24.53%
• Textile Building* - 13.71%
• Zenith Condos* - 13.03%

Public Realm Improvement
• 1010 Currie Mural by Bianca Pettis & Erin Sayer* - 20.44%
• Walker Art Center Grounds Renovation* - 19.43%
• Millwright Building Streetscape* - 14.36%
• Government Center North Plaza Fountain Restoration* - 9.80%
• 100 Washington Square Renovation* - 8.61%
• Hennepin/Lyndale Renovation* - 7.09%
• HopCat Outdoor Café* - 5.41%
• Orbicles by MINN_LAB* - 4.22%
• Hahn/Cock by Katharina Fritsch* 3.38%
• Maverick Apartments Streetscape* - 2.70%
• McKinney Roe Outdoor Café* - 2.70%
• Inside Out Park* - 1.86%

Best Neighborhood
• Loring Park – 45.45%
• Downtown East – 26.78%
• Elliot Park – 12.07%
• Downtown West – 8.76%
• North Loop – 6.94%

* New Nominee in this category

For more information, visit www.mplsdid.com/greeningawards or log onto Facebook, Twitter or Instagram searching @MinneapolisDID.

About the Mpls Downtown Improvement District:

Founded in early 2009, after more than five years of formative planning and advocacy by the downtown business community, the Mpls DID delivers higher levels of service to make downtown cleaner, greener, safer and more vibrant throughout a 120-block area, as is the case with most Business Improvement Districts. For more information, visit http://www.mplsdid.com/.

Romeo and Juliet at the Guthrie - Just Right for Date Night!

Here are some reviews of the Guthrie's production of Romeo and Juliet to pique your interest...

“Lusty, modern and free-spirited … gorgeous and stirring” - Star Tribune

“Worth seeing for the balcony scene alone” - City Pages

“Fresh, sexy and brilliantly directed … sizzles with energy” - Aisle Say

“Thrilling and action-packed” - Cherry and Spoon

A timeless tale of star-crossed lovers...

It’s a story so well-known it scarcely needs an introduction, yet surprisingly the Guthrie has produced it just twice before. Set in Verona where the rival houses of Capulet and Montague have had a long-standing feud, Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare’s famous tragedy of star-crossed lovers, filled with all the passion of young love. Underscored by ingenious wit and astonishing beauty, the play pits the bitterness of resentment against the intensity of romance.

Replacement of West River Parkway Wood Plank Trail begins September 29

Via a September 27 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

100-foot section of wood plank trail will be replaced over 2-3 weeks; parkway remains open

Work begins next week on a project that will replace an approximately 100-foot long section of the West River Parkway Wood Plank Trail. Construction is expected to take two to three weeks to complete.

Closures and Detours

• During construction, the north (river) side of West River Parkway Trail will be closed between Portland Avenue and 11th Avenue South. The parkway will remain open.
• Pedestrians will use a detour to the sidewalk across the parkway. 
• Bicyclists may choose to use the parkway or travel south one block and use the bike lane on Second Street.
• Motorists traveling in this area need to use caution and share the road with bicycle traffic.

Project Details

• Beginning at Portland Avenue, approximately 100 linear feet of planks will be replaced.
• The new planks are made from Douglas Fir, replacing the old White Oak planks.
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board maintenance and planning staff will evaluate the new plank design before replacing the entire plank trail, which will occur as funding becomes available.

Project History

• In 2003 this section of West River Parkway (between Portland and 11th Aves.) was converted to an oak plank road similar to the original plank road used during the area's milling heyday. 
• In 2010 the parkway planks were replaced by concrete due to deterioration of the wood and noise the planks created under the weight of motorized traffic.

In 2015 some of the most-deteriorated trail planks were replaced as part of a project that repaved and realigned more than three miles of West River Parkway Trail.

About this project

The West River Parkway Wood Plank Trail Replacement project will eventually replace all of the warped wooden planks on West River Parkway Trail near Mill Ruins Park.

Project Contact:
Julie Roessler
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Phone: 612-230-6463
Email: jroessler@minneapolisparks.org

October 1 Twin Cities Marathon Road Closures Starting at 7:30am

Sunday, October 1 - Twin Cities Marathon

Road Closures Starting at 7:30am

Impacted parkways listed below. To review a more detailed list of parkway closures and estimated timeline of re-opening per section of parkway, CLICK HERE.

Lake of the Isles Parkway (West side of Lake)
Dean Parkway
W Lake Calhoun Parkway (West side of Lake
William Berry Parkway
E Lake Harriet Parkway (Bandshell to Minnehaha Pkwy)
Minnehaha Parkway (Harriet to Godfrey Parkway)
Lake Nokomis Parkway
Godfrey Parkway
West River Parkway (Godfrey to Franklin Ave)
West River Parkway (Portland to 22nd Ave),
East River Parkway (14th Ave to Lake Street)

CLICK HERE to review a detailed detour list of each intersection impacted by the Marathon.

And remember - 35W south of Downtown will be closed both ways this weekend - plan accordingly!

Hennepin County Board Actions

Excerpts from a September 26 e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

Thrivent Financial building purchase will consolidate operations

The board voted 5-2 to approve a purchase agreement for the Thrivent Financial building adjacent to the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.

Hennepin County plans to purchase the 18-story, 525,000-square-foot building for $55 million. The county also plans to acquire 332 parking stalls and skyway connections through a $11.5 agreement with Interstate Parking Company. The future parking lot will be built east of the Thrivent Building.

These actions will allow the county to address long-term space needs, consolidate operations and expand connections to other county buildings. Thrivent Financial's decision to sell the building also aligns with its goal of developing a new corporate center across 5th Avenue from its current location.

Hennepin County expects to close on the building purchase during the first quarter of 2018. The county will then lease the building back to Thrivent for two to three years while the company builds its new corporate center. After this time, Hennepin County staff will begin moving into the building.

Read more about these agreements.

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Federal Reserve Bank to purchase surplus land for $7.5 million

The board, voting as the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, approved the negotiation of a purchase agreement to sell approximately three acres of surplus property to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis for $7.5 million.  Located adjacent to the Federal Reserve office building, the property is currently being used as a surface parking lot. The Federal Reserve plans to develop the property to support its current operations.

Read more about this action.

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Event slated to raise awareness on sex trafficking and domestic violence

The board approved a request to host a domestic violence and sex trafficking resource fair October 4 in the Hennepin County Government Center. This event will provide information regarding organizations and services available to the community. The Fourth Judicial District Hennepin County Family Violence Coordinating Council will host the fair from 11:30 - 1 p.m. on the skyway level of the Government Center. Following the fair, a panel discussion will take place in the A-level auditorium on the intersection between domestic violence and sex trafficking. For more information on the resource fair, contact Anne Taylor at Anne.Taylor@hennepin.us. For more information about the panel discussion, contact Michelle Jacobson at Michelle.Jacobson@minneapolismn.gov.

Read more about the event.

Metro Transit Fare Increases Begin October 1

Beginning Sunday, October 1, fares for all buses and trains will increase by 25¢. This affects all service operated by Metro Transit, the Metropolitan Council, Maple Grove Transit, Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, Plymouth Metrolink and SouthWest Transit.

Cash fares                                                Current    New

Local (bus/rail) Off-Peak                              $1.75       $2.00
Local (bus/rail) Peak                                     $2.25       $2.50
Express bus Off-Peak                                     $2.25       $2.50
Express bus Peak                                            $3.00       $3.25
Senior/Youth/Medicare Off-Peak               $0.70       $1.00
Senior/Youth/Medicare Peak (local peak) $2.25       $2.50
Senior/Youth/Medicare Peak (express)     $3.00       $3.25
Limited Mobility (at all times)                      $0.75       $1.00
Downtown Zone                                              $0.50    No change

All Northstar fares will also increase by 25¢ on weekdays and weekends.

Metro Mobility prices will increase by 50¢ with an added distance-based surcharge. Transit Link fares will be restructured.

Pass prices will change accordingly. The 10% discount currently offered with stored value purchases will be eliminated.

For pass prices and other details related to the fare increase, visit https://www.metrotransit.org/fare-increase

Tonight: Final Tuesday Night Mill City Farmers Market at The Commons

Support the final day of the Tuesday Night Mill City Farmers Market of the season at The Commons!

Tonight at the Market:
• Beer & wine for sale from Day Block Brewing
• Free yoga class from 6-7 with YogaFit Studios Northeast
• Farm-to-table wood fired pizzas!
• Live music by Pat O’Loughlin at 5:30

Produce Planner: Apples, aronia berries, arugula, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, celery,  collards, cucumbers, dried beans, eggplant, fresh herbs, garlic, grapes, green beans, kale, lettuce, microgreens, mushrooms, pears, peppers, radicchio, radishes, romanesco, onions, peppers, pumpkins, spinach, summer squash, Swiss chard, tomatillos, tomatoes, winter squash (acorn, butternut, delicata, kabocha, spaghetti), zucchini and more!

Scenes from the September 23 Mill City Farmers Market

Burning River Farm is known for premium produce and artistic signage, and now they even have a mascot for their Dino kale! Just one example of fun little surprises you'll find any given Saturday at the Mill City Farmers Market. :D

September 23 was Oktoberfest at the Market, which wouldn't be complete without the Elk River German Band (the little ones love to dance along!) and hard cider from Sociable Cider Werks. Yum!

In keeping with the day's theme, Chef Beth Jones prepared Spätzle for the Mill City Cooks demo.

Terri Peterson Smith was at the Market promoting her book, Unique Eats and Eateries of the Twin Cities.

In spite of the unseasonably warm temps, Barn Swallow Garden was busy selling winter hats, mittens, slippers, etc. (Because anyone who lives in Minnesota knows today's 80 can easily turn into tomorrow's 50.)

Milly the goat!