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Covering life, work, and play in the Historic Mill District and Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront neighborhoods. Have an opinion, local news or events to share? Contact us.
Draft Solid Waste Management Master Plan available for public comment
Hennepin County encourages people to complete a survey and give their feedback on proposed strategies in its draft Solid Waste Management Master Plan. This survey is intended for various stakeholders, including residents and representatives from businesses, cities, haulers and community groups.
The survey, plan and supporting materials are available at www.hennepin.us/solidwasteplanning through October 9. It is anticipated that the county board will consider the plan for approval in November.
Focusing on organics recycling
A primary focus of the plan is diverting organics from the trash. Organics, which include food, food-soiled paper and compostable products, is the biggest opportunity to reduce waste. Waste sort studies continue to show that organics make up the largest proportion of trash: 25 percent.
The county is proposing four key strategies to increase organics diversion:
Require cities to provide residents the opportunity to recycle organics by 2022, with a possible exemption for cities with 10,000 residents or fewer.
Require businesses that generate large quantities of food waste to implement organics recycling by 2020.
Support the expansion of organics recycling in a cost-effective way by increasing local capacity to process organics. Tactics include expanding the county's transfer station in Brooklyn Park to accept more organics; working with private transfer stations to accept organics; and developing additional processing capacity through methods, such as anaerobic digestion, that can produce renewable energy, compost, and fertilizer from organic materials.
Expand efforts to prevent wasted food by providing assistance to businesses and schools and educating residents.
Developing the strategies
Earlier this year, the county gathered input on the plan from 1,500 participants through public engagement.
Overall, the county found that people are willing to do their part to expand organics recycling if it is part of a broader effort to make organics available more widely. Many residents consider organics recycling to be important, with 62 percent of residents indicating they would be very likely to participate in organics recycling programs.
Representatives from businesses and business associations found that the approach to the requirements made sense. The requirements were also palatable to representatives from cities and businesses if they were implemented with county guidance and support.
About the master plan
State statute requires metropolitan counties to prepare master plans every six years that identify strategies to meet the state’s goal of 75 percent of waste recycled and zero waste landfilled by 2030. The county has made steady progress towards this goal and diverted 82 percent of waste from landfills in 2016, a rate on par with national leaders.
All eligible voters in Hennepin County can vote absentee—either in-person or by mail—beginning Friday, September 22.
Vote early in person
In-person absentee voting will be available September 22 through November 6 at city halls and school district offices across Hennepin County and at the Early Vote Center in downtown Minneapolis at 217 S. Third Street. Each city location can accommodate voters who live in that particular city. Only Minneapolis residents can vote at the Early Vote Center.
To check if there is an election in their area or to find the appropriate polling place, voters can view a sample ballot from the Secretary of State’s website.
Voters who live anywhere in Hennepin County can pick up an absentee ballot application or a voter registration form at the Hennepin County Government Center – 300 S. Sixth Street, Minneapolis – skyway level. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Voters must fill out a paper application to receive a ballot. Paper applications are available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Lao, Oromo, Khmer and Amharic.
Voters do not need to be registered to vote to apply to vote absentee. To make the process easier, voters may want to register or ensure you are registered before applying for an absentee ballot.
Ballots will be mailed to voters within one to two days of receiving the application.
Completed ballots must be received on or before Election Day, November 7. Voters can return ballots by mail or in person
Many of us have some books stashed away on our shelves that are in terrible shape, perhaps inherited from parents or grandparents, or perhaps even some of our own – old albums, high school annuals, college readers, art books, an encyclopedia or whatever. And often these books are on their last legs, with ripped pages or broken spines, just for starters.
If you want to make a rescue, help is at hand. A new company, Minnesota Book Restoration & Binding, can fix literally any deteriorating book. Owner Mary Bahneman has set up shop in the North Loop, glueing, scraping, trimming, binding and restoring books in any shape of bad.
Mary Bahneman founder-owner of Minnesota Book Restoration & Binding
Mentor and master book restorer Gary Buchner
Happily, as she began setting up this business in May of 2017, she happened onto book restoration mentor Gary Buchner, who has been in the business of book restoration for over 18 years and was about ready to call it a day. He not only taught Mary everything he knows, but he brought all of his book restoration equipment to the party. These machines are old and expensive to find and buy. So here we have, in our very own North Loop, a terrific book restorer, very hard to find these days.
A Book Press in action
Drawers of type for hand set covers and pages
Everything is done by hand, from trimming exhausted edges to restoring bindings, refreshing covers, glueing pages, etc. These books come back to life in a miraculous way. The company also makes beautiful blank journals with your individualized or signature cover – perhaps a wedding photograph or a special postcard. The refreshed books and journals are then sewn together and bound for a new life. Gary drops in to teach classes or to help with difficult projects. Apprentice Christopher Bohnet is also on site most days.
Apprentice and helper Christopher Bohnet
Their sturdy, powerful equipment fills the space. The Book Board, which puts the final covers together, is over 130 years old. The Book Block creates book journals, and then there’s the aptly named Guillotine, for careful edging or large sectional cutting. The process of restoring a book takes approximately four to six weeks, and costs start at $150, depending on what has to be done.
Mary with a terrifying looking machine called the Guillotine
I looked at pages which had a large tear and could not see it at all once it came through Mary’s magic fingers. “We can do whatever it takes to bring a book back to life,” says Mary. “Once in good condition, your book could last perhaps for another 100 years!” she says.
Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad and Pilgrim's Progress in the midst of major restoration
A finished restored book
So dig out Mom’s high school annual or Grandma’s ancient photo album and get thee to Minnesota Book Restoration & Binding. Your results will be far beyond expectations. Check out their web site at www.mnbookrestoration.com.
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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.
Article by Claudia Kittock, photos by Rick Kittock
Some of you remember the mid-80s when HIV was causing terror. People died quickly and there were limited treatments. It was a death sentence and an epidemic. 33 years ago, at a dining room table in Minneapolis, The Aliveness Project was born. In 1985, in the early days of the epidemic when The Aliveness Project was founded, there were few services for people with AIDS and no effective treatments. The first members gathered in homes to share a meal and fellowship while they mapped out solutions to their problems. Vowing that they were not dying, but rather were living with HIV, and needed to move forward to live a healthy life. The Aliveness Project was created out of the Denver Principles which were rooted in health, not illness.
Located on 3808 Nicollet Avenue in south Minneapolis, the Aliveness Project’s mission is to link people living with HIV to resources for leading healthy, self-directed lives. The vision of this project is for the members to feel supported as part of a safe community center that maximizes their health and wellbeing. As James, an Aliveness member said, “Aliveness is the difference between surviving and living.”
Amy Moser
Amy Moser, Executive Director, emphasizes the breadth of services available, all of which are about health. Aliveness offers an onsite meal program six days a week, all cooked from scratch with healthy ingredients. There is also an extensive food shelf stocked with food that are based on the properties of anti-inflammation.
There are 3 levels of case management available. They include: care linkage for those needing support in arranging and managing health care, medical management for support in navigating the health care systems, and non-medical care management for the other issues that arise for someone with this chronic medical condition.
Aliveness is the coordinated entry point for people with HIV seeking housing. Approximately 1000 people with HIV in our community are either experiencing unstable housing or homelessness. Poverty is a leading indicator for HIV, so many of the members are already in poverty prior to being diagnosed. They struggle with housing insecurity as a result of a number of factors - and there only 350 housing units dedicated for people living with HIV. Obviously, the need far outweighs the solution at this time.
Our time at The Aliveness Project was spent talking about and seeing hope everywhere. Living with HIV is not only the theme, it is visible. There is a computer area and library available on site as well as integrative therapies which include massage, yoga classes, acupuncture, meditation, life coaches, and chiropractic care just to name a few.
When I asked what people could do to support this amazing entity, the list was long. Please take some time to read the entire list and find a way to participate in and support the Project:
Volunteers for the front desk
Meal service—10 meals/week are served, and volunteers are a critical need
During fundraising events, the Project depends on volunteers to talk with people about the Project
The Sioux Chef’s Native American cuisine will bring to life the riverfront’s Indigenous culture; education, healthy living, and revitalized food systems are key to The Sioux Chef mission
Today, The Sioux Chef, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and the Minneapolis Parks Foundation announced their intent to partner to open a riverfront restaurant and food service venue for the future public pavilion at Water Works. The Sioux Chef is a diverse, Indigenous-led team committed to revitalizing Native American Cuisine and reclaiming an important culinary tradition that has been long buried and often inaccessible. Water Works, a park development project overlooking St. Anthony Falls and the Stone Arch Bridge, will bring visitor services and recreational and cultural amenities to one of Minnesota’s most highly visited areas.
The Water Works design includes a park pavilion embedded into the historic remnants of the Bassett and Columbia mills, and expands outdoor gathering spaces with a rooftop patio, outdoor seating plaza, tree-sheltered city steps, playspace for children and families, and an open lawn overlooking the river.
The pavilion will include the new restaurant as well as a public lounge, restrooms and support spaces; a flexible room for small group activities and a Park Board staff desk; and elevator to the rooftop. The restaurant will be the first year-round, full service food venue within the Minneapolis Park System, which is known for seasonal destinations such as Sea Salt. In addition to its full-service venue, The Sioux Chef will also provide casual, counter-service food options.
“Our work within the evolution of the Indigenous food systems offers many opportunities for supportive nutritional and spiritual experiences,” says Dana Thompson, co-owner of The Sioux Chef. “With the removal of colonial ingredients, our plan is to drive economic wealth back into indigenous communities by sourcing food from these growers first. We look forward to sharing and enjoying these diverse and healthy foods with all communities.”
Opportunities to celebrate historic and current cultures
Water Works is within the Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park, one of the most popular public spaces in the region; its estimated 2.5 million annual visits is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. Also within the regional park, St. Anthony Falls is an incredibly important landmark, as a spiritual place that has shaped culture and traditions for Indigenous people, and as the birthplace of the city’s milling history.
“We are thrilled The Sioux Chef was interested in this location for their restaurant,” says Tom Evers, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. “Water Works will celebrate the complex history of this area, through a layered park design, as well as programming, art, play, and performance. Co-owners Sean Sherman and Dana Thompson, along with their team, are sharing powerful stories through food about the intricate relationship between people and land.”
The Sioux Chef has a mission beyond serving food. The team will work with the pavilion’s architects and landscape architects to create places within the park to grow native plants traditionally used for food and medicine. The Sioux Chef plans to create events and educational opportunities to help bring diverse voices into a larger dialogue about Native American cultures, the river, and food.
“We realize that the river corridor is Dakota homeland and the river remains important to many Indigenous cultures,” says Jayne Miller, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. “Our partnership with The Sioux Chef opens up opportunities beyond what the Park Board could achieve on its own. Our goals of providing healthy, locally sourced food and meaningful recreational and economic opportunities are well-aligned with the vision of The Sioux Chef.”
In addition to serving food, The Sioux Chef intends to have their restaurant support training and jobs for people interested in related fields.
“We are humbled and grateful for the opportunity to help honor the Indigenous history of Owamni Yamni (Place of Whirlpools). This location has been a sacred site of peace and well-being for the Dakota and Anishinaabe people for millennia,” says Thompson. “We plan to leverage this wonderful partnership with the Minneapolis Park Board, through our aligned mission of nutritional, physical, and spiritual health for all, as well as to create food access and education about the rich history of the Native people in this beautiful area.”
Grand Opening Anticipated in 2019
The Minneapolis Park Board approved the Water Works concept in June 2017. The design team is continuing with schematic design and construction documents and will share updated plans during community engagement events this fall. Limited archaeological work and selective deconstruction of the Fuji-Ya building have begun and will continue through early 2018. Construction is expected to begin in the late summer of 2018.
Through the Parks Foundation, the majority of Mezzanine Phase funding will be provided by philanthropic investment. In 2015, the Parks Foundation launched the RiverFirst Capital Campaign, which has, to date, raised $12.3M in philanthropic gifts and commitments.
About The Sioux Chef
The Sioux Chef is a team of Anishinaabe, Mdewakanton Dakota, Navajo, Northern Cheyenne, Oglala Lakota, Wahpeton-Sisseton Dakota and are ever growing. We are chefs, ethnobotanists, food preservationists, adventurers, foragers, caterers, event planners, artists and food lovers. The Sioux Chef was founded by Chef Sean Sherman, and is co-owned by Dana Thompson. The team is now twelve people, with the hope of expanding to all tribal areas. This fall, Sherman and Thompson co-founded a non-profit called NāTIFs.org (North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems) for the purpose of Indigenous focused education, research and food access, which we plan to leverage in order to align with the mission of the Minneapolis Park Board as well as other projects.
About the Minneapolis Parks Foundation
The Minneapolis Parks Foundation transforms human lives through parks and public spaces by aligning philanthropic investment and community vision. The Parks Foundation co-leads the RiverFirst Initiative with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and is responsible for private fundraising and implementation of the Water Works and Great Northern Greenway River Link projects. The Parks Foundation also supports innovative Minneapolis parks projects through equity funding and champions world-class design through its Next Generation of Parks™ Event Series. Learn more at MplsParksFoundation.org.
About the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is an independent, semi-autonomous body responsible for the Minneapolis park system. With 179 park properties totaling 6,804 acres of land and water, the Park Board provides places and recreation opportunities for all people to gather and engage in activities that promote health, well-being, community and the environment. Its Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, neighborhood parks, recreation centers and diversified programming have made the park system an important component of what makes Minneapolis a great place to live, play and work. More than 22 million annual visits are made to the nationally acclaimed park system, which was named the number one park system in the nation in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 by The Trust for Public Land’s 2016 ParkScore® Index.
A look at places that are hidden gems along the Minneapolis Riverfront
Photo by Michael Hicks
We tend to think of bridges as utilitarian objects, when we think of them at all. A transit point between two parts of a city. An inconvenience to be gotten past.
Stopping on a bridge is probably last on most people’s minds, since generally it would mean one is stuck in traffic, a major inconvenience.
I’m here to suggest you park your vehicle, get out, walk and look. Slow down. For this is a great time of year to do so.
Stopping along any of the three bridges will give you some of the best views of the Minneapolis skyline. We’re heading into fall, and the river is incredible with fall colors. Every day you can be surprised and awed about how beautiful the river is, whether we’re talking about the Plymouth Ave. Bridge or Broadway or Lowry.
It’s very easy to make an afternoon of it. You could drive between the bridges, but instead, you should think about biking. Or even walking. From the Plymouth Ave. Bridge, it’s only three-quarters of a mile to walk to Broadway and a total of two miles to Lowry. That’s easily manageable by foot, although there are Nice Ride stations where you can easily rent a bike all through this area.
There are, of course, things that are common to the view to all three of these bridges. Plymouth is your closest view to downtown. That’s where the skyline and entrance, the flow of the river into downtown is more apparent. You have Boom Island Park right there for a green setting. It’s also the most bike-friendly of the three bridges.
If you want to get out and walk, or park and bike, you can park along the river roads, especially along West River Road. There is also a paid lot here at Boom Island.
On the Broadway Avenue Bridge, you get a sense of the expanse of the river, both to the south and the north. You’re in the center of the upper river area, with downtown on one side and industry on the other.
Parking is similar, again, especially along West River Road. On the Northeast side, there is street parking along 13th Avenue NE, as well as parking for Sheridan Memorial Park.
The Lowry Avenue Bridge is the newest of the three and it’s the only one with lighting in this corridor. Now there is talk about lighting even more bridges. The thing about the Lowry bridge is it’s the best place to get a view of the Upper Harbor Terminal. It’s also by the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization building, and there’s a path down to the shore.
From Lowry you can get a sense of all the river activity, including the docks by The Sample Room, the houseboats along the river. You realize that people use the river in lot of ways that one never thinks about. You just get a sense that there’s this river community when you are looking at it from the Lowry Bridge toward the south, from the northeast side.
There is parking along Marshall Avenue in this area.
Of course, there is one more bridge even further up, and from the Camden Bridge you get a completely different sense of the river and of downtown. Think of it as the entrance to Minneapolis. This will also be the place to watch the UHT work once it gets underway.
These crossings serve to do more than help get us from Point A to Point B. They’re a beautiful vantage point above the Minneapolis riverfront which can give us a new perspective.
Join us at City Pages Iron Fork on Thursday, November 2nd at International Market Square for a flavorful evening of cuisine, cocktails & competition!
This year it’s a BATTLE OF THE FOOD TRUCKS! The most reputable food truck Chefs in the industry will take center stage in a fierce competition to see who can create the most appetizing dish incorporating a secret ingredient revealed by Whole Foods. Shaking it out on the spirits stage, top bartenders from local watering holes will go head-to-head for the title of ‘Absolut Mixologist’. Amidst the action, event-goers can feast on an eclectic variety of signature bites from 25+ local restaurants and indulge in samples of featured beer, wine and liquor.
General Admission tickets ($25) include food, beer, wine & liquor sampling, plus 7pm event entry for the live entertainment. Upgrade to VIP! ($45) Tickets include one hour early event entry from 6pm – 7pm, access to the third level for preferred seating and premium sightlines, bites from restaurants and spirit sampling exclusively in VIP as well as private cash bars for expedited service.
Presale: Exclusive presale opportunity to purchase discounted tickets:
Starts: September 14 @ 10am Ends: September 17 @ 10pm Promo Code: PROMO Purchase Ticket Link: http://ticketf.ly/2wZFBBd Public On sale: 9/18 @ 10am
Ticket prices increase on Monday, September 18, to $30 for GA and $50 for VIP.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is looking for dependable, enthusiastic and knowledgeable individuals to officiate youth and adult sports for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board athletic leagues. Officials have the opportunity to be involved in a variety of sports at various Recreation Centers in Minneapolis. Previous sports officiating experience preferred.
Qualifications: • At least 16 years old • Submit and pass a Criminal Background Check • Complete CDC Concussion Awareness Training • The ability to interact well with adults and children • The ability to understand and apply rules
Preferred Requirements: • Able to work weekends and some weeknights
Beginning 10 p.m. Fri, Sept. 15, eastbound I-94 between I-694 and I-394 will close until 5 a.m. Mon, Sept. 18. Motorists will be detoured to I-94/I-694 to southbound Hwy 169 to eastbound I-394.
Beginning midnight Sat, Sept. 16, the ramps from Third St. and East Lyndale to westbound I-94 will close until 5 a.m. Mon, Sept. 18.
The eastbound Lowry Hill Tunnel will also be reduced to a single lane this weekend, along with lane reductions in the Portland Ave. Tunnel.
Ramp reopenings:
When the eastbound paving is completed Monday, the ramp from westbound I-694 to eastbound I-94 will reopen. Also, the speed limit will return to its normal 60 mph.
The ramps from eastbound I-94 to Dowling Ave. and from eastbound I-94 to Fourth St. will also reopen Mon, Sept. 18.
Closure durations and time frames are all approximate and weather dependent.
The regular board meeting of the Nicollet Island - East Bank Neighborhood Association (NIEBNA) will be held September 14, 2017 at 6:30pm. The location is DeLaSalle High School, 1 DeLaSalle Place (on Nicollet Island). Use leftmost door closest to Downtown.
A. Initial findings regarding the draft Natural Resource Management Plan for the north part of Nicollet Island (Alex Roth, FMR Ecologist) — the Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) is writing the Plan that will guide habitat restoration efforts in the current natural areas of the Island. The project is funded by a grant from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) with the support of NIEBNA. Dr. Alex Roth, along with representatives from MWMO, will present and discuss their initial findings and recommendations. As part of the presentation, there will be a Q&A session and an opportunity for comment and feedback. In addition, helpful information about actions residents can take to improve water quality on their own properties will be covered.
B. Mortenson / US Bank Site development (Brent Webb, Mortenson) — this project was approved by the NIEBNA Board at the June 2017 meeting and by the City Planning Commission in July 2017. The project is now “fully entitled”(in city planner/developer lingo) and construction can proceed. Brent will discuss the schedule and other general info about the project.
C. Current Traffic Situation in the NIEBNA East Bank (speakers to be announced).
Thursday, September 14 - Dave Ryan Special Olympics 5K 5:30pm-8pm SE Main Street Stone Arch Bridge West River Pkwy from Plymouth Ave to Stone Arch Bridge
Sunday, September 17 - Minneapolis Bike Tour 7:30am-1:00pm Grand Rounds - West River Parkway – Nokomis Parkway – Minnehaha Parkway – Lake Harriet Parkway – Lake Calhoun Parkway –Cedar Lake Parkway – Theodore Wirth Parkway – Webber-Victory Memorial Parkway – St Anthony Parkway – William Berry Parkway. Each road section will open as the last biker rides through.
Closure necessary for major HVAC equipment replacement project; expected to last 7 am-3:30 pm
On Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, Main Street SE will be closed to motorized traffic between Hennepin Avenue and 3rd Avenue SE. Local access will be maintained for nearby businesses and residential properties, but a hard closure in the area of 210 Main St. SE will prohibit motorized traffic from traveling all the way through the affected area.
The closure is necessary for a major HVAC equipment removal project. It is expected to last from 7 am until 3:30 pm, weather permitting.
Bicycle and pedestrian traffic will be detoured to the west (river) side of the street and motorized traffic to University Avenue/4th Street SE. Another day-long closure for new HVAC equipment installation is planned Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017 . Another notification email will be sent when that is finalized.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board appreciates the public's patience while this project is completed.
Can you believe we're already four months into the 2017 Mill City Farmers Market outdoor season? Although summer is fading, the Market continues to get better with each week. It's that glorious time when just about everything is available, and soon we'll be seeing edamame and pumpkins. Enjoy!
Surly Brewing sampled their award-winning beers throughout the day.
Have you ever seen a cage match? Me neither! Do you know what a cage match is? Well, I had to look it up. According to Wiktionary.org, a cage match is: “An event in which wrestlers battle in an enclosed location, escaping over the top to win!” I’m sure you are asking yourself why Claudia Kittock, who writes about non-profits in the Mill District, is writing about a cage match. Great question!!
Noah Eisenberg and Jim Berman, opera aficionados and great friends, have spent decades of their friendship going to operas and delighting in the wonder of the sights and sounds of opera. As time progressed, Noah and Jim discussed a mutual concern about how to introduce opera to younger people and by introducing it, make sure to show the humor, the showmanship, and the skill needed to be a performer in the world of opera. So along with artistic director David Lefkowich, Noah and Jim formed Out of the Box Opera, whose mission is to bring opera to new audiences in new ways.
David conceived of the idea for the cage match as the perfect fusion of world-class opera and competitive sports. Next, they sought out a venue that would take the cage match concept to a younger audience. The Uppercut Boxing Gym in the heart of the Northeast Minneapolis’ Arts District provided the perfect setting. Opera in a boxing gym? As you can tell, these are wildly creative men who think way outside any known box!
Come to Uppercut Boxing Gym in Northeast Minneapolis on October 28 to watch as six opera stars compete in a three-round, knockdown, drag out fight to be crowned the ultimate Opera Diva Champion. Experience a sensational night of singing, featuring an unbelievable display of vocal fireworks by some of the top young operatic talent from around the country. With celebrity judges Dessa, JD Steele, and RT Rybak, Diva Cage Match puts you in the front row for the sing off of the century.
In 2011, local nonprofit Northeast CDC launched an annual project to celebrate and commemorate the Northeast Minneapolis community. The Northeast Calendar highlights local artwork as well as information about the Northeast’s 14 unique neighborhoods.
The Northeast Calendar will be designed by local artist Kevin Cannon.
Closure necessary for Franklin Bridge painting project
West River Parkway will be closed for a short stretch around the Franklin Avenue Bridge beginning Tuesday, September 12, 2017, through Thursday, September 14, 2017. The closure will affect both parkway and trail traffic. It is necessary for workers to clean and paint the Franklin Avenue Bridge.
Bicycles, pedestrians and motorized traffic need to follow the posted detours. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board appreciates the public's patience while this project is completed.
Minneapolis Visitor Information (MVI) can’t contain its excitement over having a Nicollet Mall sidewalk again! As the construction continues, access is open so join them in celebrating with the MVI’s retail partner, Love from Minneapolis, at their extended September First Thursday event -- a four-day Crazy Days (indoor) sidewalk sale in honor of the long-awaited completion. It will run Thursday, Sept. 7 through Sunday, Sept. 10 during regular store hours: Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
Overview of Crazy Days Clearance Sale:
Sale: Select merchandise up to 50 percent off*
Luck of the draw: Get an additional discount at the register based on the card you draw from the deck*:
Numeric card – 10 percent discount
Face card – 20 percent discount
Joker – 25 percent discount
Enter to win: Gift certificates to the Love from Minneapolis store will be drawn at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. each day
*This promotion excludes transit passes.
First Thursdays are held each month to encourage visitors and Minneapolis locals alike to learn more about Minneapolis Visitor Information and our partners, Love from Minneapolis and Move Minneapolis, as well as highlight community organizations, local partners and events. MVI is located at 505 Nicollet, Suite 100, directly across from the Nicollet METRO station.
ABOUT MINNEAPOLIS VISITOR INFORMATION ON NICOLLET: SHOP. MOVE. FIND.
Minneapolis Visitor Information includes three services in one convenient location:
Shop: Love From Minneapolis offers Minneapolis- and Minnesota-themed apparel, art, specialty foods, souvenirs and gifts, including many made by local artisans. Products are also available at: https://lovefromcompanies.com/shop-minneapolis
Move: Move Minneapolis (formerly the Commuter Connection) provides services to commuters, carpool information, transit passes, schedules and maps, MnPass and bicycling commuting information and accessories. Visitors seeking help with transit options should make this their first stop downtown.
Find:Meet Minneapolis staff is available to answer questions, share visitor maps and provide suggestions about things to do in Minneapolis and the surrounding area. The Visitor Information Center in the Minneapolis Convention Center also is available to provide similar information to visitors and convention attendees.
Minnesota Department of Transportation's 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown reconstruction project will impact two county roads in Minneapolis soon. Road users should be prepared for the following changes:
Short-term lane closures starting September 7:
Portland Avenue over I-94 and I-35W Starting at 3 p.m. on Thursday, September 7, vehicle and bicycle traffic on Portland Avenue (County Road 35) between 15th and 19th streets will be reduced to a single lane. All lanes of road are expected to reopen on Saturday, September 9.
Longer-term bridge closures start September 18:
Franklin Avenue Bridge over I-35W The Franklin Avenue Bridge (County Road 5) over I-35W is tentatively scheduled to close for reconstruction on Monday, September 18. This closure is expected to last through mid-2018. Detour route and additional information will be sent out in advance of the closure. Portland Avenue Bridge over I-94 and I-35W The Portland Avenue Bridge over I-94 and I-35W is expected to close in late September for approximately two months of pier work.
More about this project The 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown project is a four-year reconstruction project of I-35W between 42nd St. and downtown Minneapolis. The project will improve accessibility, safety and mobility in the project area including better access to the Lake Street business district and transit service on I-35W and Lake St. To learn more, visit the project website: www.mndot.gov/metro/projects/i35wminneapolis
Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at 9:51AM
