Glowing Sunset Over Downtown Minneapolis

Avocado Tempura and Tuna Poké at Zen Box

Avocado Tempura and Tuna Poké are two of our favorites from the Zen Box menu.  But when they're served outside on a gorgeous summer evening - well now that's just all kinds of happiness.  :)

Refreshing patio drink - watermelon puree, lime juice and tequila. 

Week 11 at the 2013 Mill City Farmers Market

Maybe it's because I've been anxiously awaiting their arrival for weeks, but I swear the blueberries at the July 20 Market were the most gorgeous blue orbs I've ever laid eyes on.  Thanks, HeathGlen!   

A Budding Farmer participant - love it!  Excellent program for involving your kids with weekly trips to the Market. :) 

I need one of these snazzy carts!  :)

We noticed this signage while walking by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) on our way to the Market.  Good neighbors! :)

Overnight Closure of Washington Avenue Bridge and Area Ramps - Sunday, July 21, 8:00pm

Traffic Details
In addition to the Washington Avenue Bridge, the northbound I-35W ramp to the U of MN East Bank and all Cedar Avenue ramps to/from Washington Avenue will be closed. The 4th Street ramp to southbound I-35W/westbound I-94 will remain open. Follow the posted detours:
• For eastbound vehicles on 4th Street S.: Detour via Chicago Avenue to eastbound Washington Avenue to northbound I-35W to University Avenue/4th Street SE. exit, to eastbound University Avenue.
• For westbound vehicles: From East Bank, detour via northbound Pleasant Street to westbound 4th Street SE. to southbound I-35W to exit Washington Ave exit.
• For vehicles coming from northbound I-35W headed to the East Bank: Continue to Washington Avenue to northbound I-35W to University Avenue/4th Street exit, to eastbound University Avenue.
 
Pedestrian Details
• The pedestrian deck on the Washington Avenue Bridge will remain open during the vehicle deck closure.
 
Bus Stop Changes
• For westbound buses: Bus stop  for Metro Transit  at Willey Hall will be closed; use 19th Avenue/Washington Avenue bus stop. 
• For eastbound buses: Metro Transit bus stop at Blegen Hall will be closed; use 19th Avenue/Washington Avenue bus stop.
 
Construction Hours
• Construction activities will occur during daytime and nighttime hours.
 
Call the 24-hour Central Corridor Construction Hotline for comments, questions or concerns: 651-602-1404

Traffic Reminder - Multiple Events Downtown Saturday Night, July 20

Via a July 17 e-newsletter from the City of Minneapolis:

Twins game, concert, and Aquatennial fireworks make for a busy Saturday night Downtown

July 17, 2013 (Minneapolis) The evening of Saturday, July 20, will be busy Downtown, with a Twins game, a concert at Target Center, and Aquatennial events on the river. Because big crowds will be coming Downtown, it’s a good idea to know your transportation options and plan ahead, whether you plan to drive, take transit, or bike or walk.

Events on Saturday, July 20

• Twins vs. Indians at Target Field – 6:10 p.m. (gates open at 4 p.m.)
• The Package Tour featuring New Kids On The Block with special guests 98° & Boyz II Men at Target Center – 7:30 p.m. (gates open at 6:30 p.m.)
• Aquatennial Fireworks – Live music starts at 6:30 p.m. – Fireworks begin at 10 p.m.

The City, Metro Transit, and many partners are again teaming up to make sure getting to and from events goes as smoothly as it can. As usual, Downtown Improvement District Ambassadors will be out on the streets in their bright green shirts, and they’re a great resource for people who have questions while they’re out and about Downtown.

New this year – The Interchange is coming!

Visitors to Target Field and Target Center this summer will notice some changes on the 5^th Street side of the ballpark, where Hennepin County is constructing the Interchange. Scheduled to open in 2014, the Interchange will serve as a central, multi-modal transportation hub and community gathering space in downtown Minneapolis. For the 2013 Twins season, construction means there will be some minor changes to the way riders will board light rail trains after games, and Metro Transit staff will be on hand to assist customers. The project partners would like to thank folks for their patience while this major improvement is under way.

Getting where you’re going

Downtown is an urban setting that provides transportation opportunities to meet everyone’s desired experience, whether you want to drive, ride a bus, take a train, or bike or walk.

When visiting Downtown, there are five tips people should remember to minimize delays and maximize their enjoyment of all the activities going on.

1. Plan ahead – Visit TwinsBaseball.com/transportation or Targetcenter.com to learn more about all your transportation choices. Visit the Downtown Improvement District’s events calendar at www.MinneapolisDID.com to see what events are going on any day.
2. Know your parking options – There is parking availability throughout Downtown. If you prefer convenient access to Target Field and Target Center, the adjacent A,B,C, and Hawthorne ramps have plenty of capacity, and the ramps empty smoothly after games, without long waits. If you’re parking on the street when coming Downtown, make sure to check the signs to be sure of the time limit and hours of enforcement for your parking space.
3. Use transit – Target Field and Target Center are extremely transit –friendly. Both are on the METRO Blue Line (Hiawatha) and many bus lines. Target Field and Target Center are located at the junction of Northstar commuter rail, the METRO Blue Line, and a number of bus lines, at the future site of The Interchange.
4. Bicycles are another great way to get to events – Bicyclists are reminded to use headlights and taillights after dark and, if possible, to wear light or reflective clothing.
5. Come early/Stay late – The Warehouse District is ready to welcome fans for another summer of baseball, basketball, shows, and excitement. Take part in activities, shopping, dining, and other entertainment before and after games and concerts. Enjoy the extra time to experience all Downtown has to offer, and beat the traffic.

Taking transit to events

The Northstar commuter rail line offers direct service to Target Field from stations in Big Lake, Elk River, Ramsey, Anoka, Coon Rapids and Fridley. For added savings, the Northstar Roundtrip Family Pass offers roundtrip rides for two adults and up to three kids ages 6-17 for $20 or less. Customers can buy round-trip tickets and Northstar Roundtrip Family Passes for Twins games online at metrotransit.org/Northstar. Full train schedules for every game and fare information are available for viewing and printing at metrotransit.org/twins. Additionally, Northstar Link bus service from St. Cloud and Becker is scheduled to connect with trains at Big Lake for every game this season.

The METRO Blue Line (Hiawatha) runs from Bloomington, past Target Center, and directly to Target Field’s gates. It serves large Park & Ride facilities at Fort Snelling and 28^th Avenue stations which have nearly 2,800 free parking spaces. NEW for the 2013 season – trains serving Twins games will have more cars to give fans a more comfortable ride. The addition of brand-new light-rail cars will provide more capacity and faster boarding after games. All METRO Blue Line trains are scheduled to operate with three cars all weekend.

Direct bus service on Twins Express Route 679 from the County Road 73 Park & Ride in Minnetonka with hundreds of free parking spaces will be offered for every Twins home game again in 2013. Buses start taking fans to the ballpark two hours before each game. Return service begins two hours after first pitch (example: 7:10 p.m. game, buses begin returning to the Park & Ride at 9:10) and continues roughly every half hour until an hour after the game ends.

A number of popular and frequent bus routes stop near Target Field. From the east, Routes 3, 16, 50 and 94 serve Ramp B/5^th Street Transit Center adjacent to Target Field and Target Center. Many other frequent routes travel along Hennepin and Nicollet avenues just blocks away.

Online tools and information for instantly planning bus or train trips to Twins games is available at metrotransit.org/twins.

Managing traffic

The City of Minneapolis takes a number of steps to manage traffic during big events Downtown. The volume of pedestrians, bikes, and cars Downtown before and after these events means increased traffic, but there are several ways the City works to improve operations and minimize congestion, including:

• Traffic control agents are at many Downtown intersections during peak times before and after the events. Traffic control agents at intersections are key to maintaining traffic flow and improving pedestrian safety when volumes are high.
• Special traffic signal timing patterns are used to move high numbers of vehicles during events.
• Dynamic messaging signs throughout Downtown provide drivers with real-time information as they move around the area. There are currently more than 70 of these signs Downtown, which are used to direct people to parking, to notify drivers when key parking ramps fill, and to help drivers find their way around.

Contacts: Matt Laible, City of Minneapolis: 612-673-2786
John Siqveland, Metro Transit: 612-349-7089

The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul debuts THE LOOK OF LOVE July 19

Opening Friday, July 19 at The Film Society's St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 SE Main Street, for a week-long Exclusive Engagement and Regional Premiere is the latest Michael Winterbottom and Steve Coogan collaboration THE LOOK OF LOVE.

- - -

Director Michael Winterbottom’s THE LOOK OF LOVE stars Steve Coogan (24 Hour Party People, The Trip) in the true-life story of Paul Raymond, the man behind Soho’s notorious Raymond Revue Bar and Men Only magazine. Paul Raymond began his professional life with an end of the pier mind reading act. He soon realized that the audience were more interested in watching his beautiful assistance, and that they liked it even more if she was topless. He quickly became one of Britain’s leading nude revue producers. In 1958 he opened his revue Bar in Soho, the heart of London’s West End. As it was a private club, the nudes were allowed to move. A huge success, it became the cornerstone of a Soho empire, prompting the Sunday Times in 1992 to crown him the richest man in Britain. The film focuses on Raymond’s relationships with the three most important women in his life: his wife Jean (Anna Friel), his lover Fiona (Tamsin Egerton), and his daughter Debbie (Imogen Poots). It is a modern day King Midas story, with Raymond acquiring fabulous wealth, but at the cost of losing the people who are closest to him.

 

Screening July 19-25.

Parkway Closures July 17 and 20

The following parkways will be temporarily closed July 17 and 20 for these events during these designated times:

July 17 – Life Time Torchlight 5K – 7:30p.m. – 10:00p.m. – West River Parkway from Plymouth Avenue to Portland Avenue. Historic Main Street Parkway.

July 20 – Aquatennial River Blast – 6:00p.m. – 10:30p.m. – West River Parkway from Plymouth Avenue to Portland Avenue.

Riverfront Festival at "No Name" Park on the East Bank

Come experience the park that will be at one of the competition winning RiverFirst design sites.  Enjoy food trucks, local beer and music.

When: Friday July 26th  6pm to Sunset
Where:  The former Scherer Bros Lumber Yard, Corner of Sibley ST NE and 8th AV NE, just north of the Plymouth AV Bridge by Graco

Download the flyer:
https://app.box.com/shared/static/yxtue8gb6ytryls6siy8.pdf

ACTION ALERT: This Tree Will Die, Help Catch the Killer

Within the last couple of days an unknown person(s) "girdled" (see definition below) this boulevard tree at Gold Medal Park.  Girdling results in the death of the branch, or whole tree when done to the trunk.

Anyone with knowledge of this is encouraged to contact the police.  If you spot suspicious activity please call 911 and if you have a camera, and can safely do so, please snap a photo.

Seriously, what type of degenerate would kill a tree?

Girdling, also called ring barking or ring-barking, is the complete removal of a strip of bark (consisting of cork cambium, phloem, cambium and sometimes going into the xylem) from around the entire circumference of either abranch or trunk of a woody plant. Girdling results in the death of wood tissues above the damage. A branch completely girdled will fail and when the main trunk of a tree is girdled, the entire tree will die, if it cannot regrow from above to bridge the wound. 

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Week 10 at the 2013 Mill City Farmers Market

Yay - the first raspberries of the season arrived at the July 13 Market.  Decision time - will they go into Market smoothies, Market parfaits or Market oatmeal?

MCFM Sponsor 222 Hennepin introduced shoppers to the new apartment complex nearing construction completion.  The first tenants will be moving in next month, and leasing has been brisk.  The ground level Whole Foods store will be accessible to tenants from within the building, and includes a wine shop.

Check out the vintage lunch box Nicholas of Buffalo by Bike uses:

Minneapolis Safety Camp Registration Deadline is July 16

Via a July 12 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board:

Minneapolis Safety Camp Registration Deadline is Tuesday, July 16, 2013.

Minneapolis Safety Camp is a three day camp for youth entering 3rd, 4th and 5th grades fall 2013. Minneapolis Police Officers and Firefighters serve as counselors teaching campers personal and social safety skills in a fun and exciting environment. This year’s camp will be held August 6 – 8, 2013 at Theodore Wirth Park. Topics will include animal safety, crime prevention, first aid, drug awareness, and much more.

The cost to attend camp is $48 for Minneapolis residents and $53 for Non-Minneapolis residents. Registration can be found online at http://www.minneapolissafetycamp.com/. The deadline to register is July 16, 2013. Registration includes snacks, transportation, camp T-shirt, and a lot of fun. Minneapolis Safety Camp is presented by Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis Police, Minneapolis Fire Department, Minneapolis Park Police, and Medica.

Go Behind the Scenes of City Government at 2013 Minneapolis City Academy

How are emergency calls handled in Minneapolis? What does it take to plow city streets? How does water get to your faucet? How does a property in Minneapolis get developed? The Minneapolis City Academy program, which begins Sept. 18, is a chance for people to learn about all these things and more. Registration is limited, so to join the Academy register online, or call 612-673-3163.

The City Academy will give residents a behind the scenes look at how Minneapolis City government functions and give them a unique opportunity to meet with and ask questions of City staff and leaders. City Academy sessions will be held weekly from Sept. 18 through Oct. 16 at locations throughout Minneapolis. Each session will focus on one aspect of City government such as public safety, public works, planning and development and fire services.  Sessions will run from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The program is open to all Minneapolis residents who are 18 years or older and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Minneapolis City Academy participants will:
•Tour the City’s Strategic Operations Center
•Learn the latest in firefighting techniques
•Discover how the Minneapolis Water Utility is operated and tour the water treatment plant
•Find out how future developments are planned and constructed
•Learn about police procedures
•Find out how taxes are levied and budgets approved
•Ask questions of City government leaders

Upcoming 'Summer on the Plaza' Events

Hennepin County Public Affairs proudly presents Summer on the Plaza thru August.  Enjoy musicians, actors, dancers, educators and more from Noon to 1:00pm on select weekdays on the North Plaza of the Hennepin County Government Center.

Hennepin County Public Affairs arranges all performances, which are uncompensated. In the event of bad weather, performances move inside to the Public Service Level (Skyway Level) of the Hennepin County Government Center.

Here's a list of the upcoming events:

Thursday, July 11, Silver City Millers    
Silver City Millers is a bluegrass/old-time music duo with plenty of energy! Their main instrument is guitar, mandolin and harmonica but they also work in some banjo and Appalachian clogging.

Friday, July 12,  Armenian Dance Ensemble    
This group performs traditional Armenian folk dances in ethnic costumes depicting current and historic styles of music and dance.

Wednesday, July 17, Southside KettleBells    
Russian KettleBell Certified Instructor (RKC) Ron Wetzell and members of Southside KettleBells will demonstrate basic KettleBell movements.  Hear and see for yourself why Russian KettleBell training is regarded as the most effective and efficient form of training to develop strength and cardiovascular capacity for all ages.

Thursday, July 18, Master Gardeners    
Master Gardeners are University of Minnesota-trained volunteers who educate the public about a variety of horticulture topics.  This session:  How to control Japanese beetles; and tough, reliable plants.

Friday, July 19, K-9s    
Hennepin County Sheriff's Office K-9s.

Wednesday, July 24, Celebration Brass Quintet    
The Celebration Brass Quintet has developed a wide repertoire in a variety of musical genres, including jazz, Dixieland, ragtime, classical, show tunes and 'golden oldies'.

Dog Lover? Photographer? Both? Check Out The Nature of Dogs Exhibit at Mpls Photo Center

An opening reception will be held Friday, July 19, from 6:30pm – 9:30pm at Mpls Photo Center, 2400 North Second Street, for Mary Ludington's The Nature of Dogs exhibit. The exhibit will run July 19 – September 1.

Over the last 15 years, Mary has devoted her work  to discovering and capturing “the essence” of man’s and woman’s best friend. In The Nature of Dogs exhibit, and accompanying book published by Simon & Schuster, Ludington presents her favorite photos of dogs, covering the full spectrum of breeds.

Each photograph stands alone and speaks volumes about its subject’s unique character and behavior. Grouped together by broad canine categories (Hounds, Non-Sporting, Terriers, Herding, Sporting, Working, Toys), the photographs spotlight a striking diversity of individual dogs. To complement the portraits, evocative commentaries shed light on the origins, history and hallmarks of each featured breed.

More information.

Week 9 at the 2013 Mill City Farmers Market

Each week at the Market brings more variety and abundance.  At the July 6 Market we met Kim and Jonathon of Market Chef Pantry, offering a variety of preserves. Look for a separate Market Chef Pantry post under the Farmers Market blog in the coming week.

Darrold of Sunrise Flour Mill is perfecting the art of baking bread in a dutch oven:

Proposed $10 Wheelage Tax on Vehicles in Hennepin County

Excerpt from Commissioner Peter McLaughlins July 3 e-newsletter:

The Hennepin County Board, representing 22% of Minnesota's population, will will take public testimony on Tuesday, July 9th at or near 1:30 about a proposed $10 wheelage tax on vehicles in Hennepin County. This wheelage tax would raise $9 million, jump-start needed road and bridge projects, and provide property tax relief.  If you have an opinion about this, please join us on Tuesday, July 9th or email me at commissioner.mclaughlin@co.hennepin.mn.us.

Wheelage Tax - Proposal to Jump Start Hennepin County Transportation System

Minnesota state statute now allows for counties to implement a wheelage tax of up to ten dollars per vehicle. To date, Hennepin County has not implemented the wheelage tax to fund road and bridge projects.

A wheelage tax of $10 per vehicle in Hennepin County could raise approximately $9 million a year for the county road systems. The wheelage tax serves as a fee-based way to improve and repair county roads and bridges without raising property taxes.

“This money could jump start our road system and help get it back into high-quality shape, improve safety, save energy, and provide better movement on county roads,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. “This could also be used to reduce property taxes currently going into the road system.”

Property taxes would be reduced as capital improvements, maintenance and operational needs are aggressively fixed.  This proposal would preserve our system by integrating high benefit / low cost safety improvements.  It would also yield better pavement within 5 years, instead of the current 10 year time frame.  LED bulbs would be installed in intersections to reduce electric costs and extend the life of the bulbs.  Signalized intersections on the county network would be synchronized:  every $1 Hennepin County spends on this will benefit the County $28 in fuel consumption, delay time, and air quality.

The county has more than 2,200 lane miles of paved roads. It costs $8.6 million per year to repair 140 road lane miles. The county also maintains 450 signals in suburban communities and 329 signals in Minneapolis as well as five flashing signals. There are 147 county bridges and 72 of those are more than 35 years old. Bridge replacement averages about $3 million and $300 thousand for maintenance.

Public testimony will be taken on Tuesday, July 9th at or near 1:30 PM in the Public Works, Energy & Environment Committee chaired by Commissioner McLaughlin.

CorePower Yoga’s “Yoga in the Park”

The Downtown Minneapolis CorePower Yoga invites you to join them each Sunday for “Yoga in the Park.”

All levels of yoga students are welcome, and their hope is that you take this opportunity to not only practice yoga, but to find even deeper connections within your community.

These free classes are held 10:00am – 11:00am every Sunday through August 25 at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park. They are lead by certified yoga instructors from the Downtown Minneapolis CorePower Yoga. Please call 612-375-9642 with questions.

People Serving People is Seeking Volunteers for July 14 and 15 Events

People Serving People,  located at 614 South 3rd Street, is seeking volunteers for these July 14th and 15th events:
 
Chefs for Change are monthly dinners hosted by a local restaurant in PSP’s cafeteria. Duties include assisting our development staff in the set-up, meal service and tear-down required for the evening’s event.
• Requirements: Commit to volunteering for a full evening (5:30 pm – 10:00 pm). Must be at least 18. We will feed you!
• Interested in volunteering?  Please email Mallory at mhaugen@peopleservingpeople.org 

We need volunteers for Bastille Day Block Party, Sunday, July 14th. We still need 36 more volunteers to help us make this a waste-free event!  Click here to complete a volunteer form.
 
We could not do these event without you! Thank you for your time!

Parkway Closures on July 3 and 4 during Red, White and Boom!

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board reminds you that the following parkways will be temporarily closed July 3 and 4:

July 3 – Red, White & Boom - Hot Dam 5K 6:30p.m. – 11:30p.m. - Historic Main Street Parkway, Park, Pedestrian Path & Bike Path). A Segment of West River Parkway from Portland Avenue South to Plymouth Avenue North. Stone Arch Bridge.

July 4 - Red, White & Boom Twin City Half Marathon 6:30a.m. – 10:00a.m. - Historic Main Street Parkway & Pedestrian Path. West River Parkway from Portland Avenue South to Plymouth Avenue North. Saint Anthony Parkway Camden Bridge, Columbia Park, Marshall & Neighborhood. Boom Island Park.
 
July 4 – Red, White & Boom! Celebration 12:00p.m. – 12:00a.m. - Historic Main Street Parkway, Pedestrian Path & Bike Path. Father Hennepin Bluffs Park, Stone Arch Bridge & Mill Ruins Park.

Please note that the duration of the closures is subject to change based on the event's start and finish times. 

A complete list of current and upcoming parkway closures is available online.

Is MegaBus MegaBad?

Landlord at 903 Washington Avenue S. has filed an appeal of the decision that has allowed MegaBus to use the parking lot at 247 Chicago without providing sufficient facilities for its passengers.

I recently learned of an issue of concern some local businesses and residents have with the MegaBus loading/unloading facility operated from a parking lot at the corner of Chicago & Washington.

The business owners in the adjacent buildings and other neighbors believe the Board of Adjustment’s decision on the MegaBus appeal was in error and that the recommendation by the Department of Community Planning and Economic Development - that MegaBus’ use of the parking lot is a Bus Turnaround that requires a Conditional Use Permit - is correct. The landlord at 903 Washington Avenue S. has filed an appeal of this decision.

The matter goes before the Zoning and Planning Committee on July 11, 2013 at 9:30 AM in room 317 of City Hall (350 South 5th Street).

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/meetings/zp/WCMS1P-108185

If you would like to speak about your experiences or concerns, you can do so at this public hearing. The City is also encouraging written communications from those who cannot attend - Written communications can be sent to Shanna.Sether@minneapolismn.gov via email.

Naomi Williamson, Co-Owner of Sanctuary Restaurant, forwarded me a summarized version of the appeal being worked on by a group of local business owners.  See below:

------------------------

Reasons for the Appeal of the decision by the Minneapolis Zoning Board of Adjustment regarding  247 Chicago Avenue South (BZZ #5910, Ward 7)

June 14, 2013

On June 6, 2013, the Zoning Board of Adjustment (BOA) granted the appeal by MegaBus of the Zoning Administrator’s determination that the bus passenger loading and unloading at 247 Chicago Avenue South is classified as a Bus Turnaround under the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances, thus requiring a conditional use permit (CUP).

The business owners in the adjacent buildings and other neighbors believe the BOA’s decision on the MegaBus appeal was in error and that the recommendation by the Department of Community Planning and Economic Development - that MegaBus’ use of the parking lot is a Bus Turnaround that requires a CUP - was correct.

Moreover, since the Department’s recommendation, more compelling information the BOA may not have had at its disposal has come to light that supports the determination that a CUP should be required – and that MegaBus’ use of the parking lot as it is cannot be sustained.

Two port-a-potties, one street light and a sign sticking out of a can do not a bus station make.

The issue for the neighborhood has always been that MegaBus does not use the parking lot on Chicago Avenue like a city bus stop, but picks up and drops off passengers - currently about eight (8) times a day - for an approximately eight (8 1/2+) hour ride to or from the City of Chicago (and other similarly distant cities). This is not akin to a suburban bus transporting people from the edge of the city to the center to work and shop – or between Minneapolis and St. Paul. These people arrive and depart with luggage and with easily foreseeable physical needs.

Currently about eight times a day/night, MegaBuses arrives and departs with 50+- passengers. They’re cold. They’re wet. They’re tired. They want to wash up. They and their children need to use the restroom sooner than two port-a-potties and the bus toilet can accommodate. Before and after these bus turnarounds MegaBus passengers need shelter from the weather. They need toilets, a place to freshen up, a drink of water, a place to set their luggage, a place to wait for the bus, a phone to use, a place to wait for rides from people picking them up, a place to sit down. Particularly after dark, they need a place where they can feel protected from crime.  In short, they need a bus station/terminal.

In the absence of a facility to accommodate their needs, MegaBus passengers use any adjacent business’s facilities and supplies to meet their humanly foreseeable needs.

Cost Transfer to Nearby Businesses.

MegaBus transfers the cost of the necessary facility to all the businesses within walking distance of 247 Chicago Avenue.  MegaBus passengers find any bathroom they can get to. They use toilet paper, paper towels, and leave the messes people do when they use facilities. They use any lobby they can find to get out of the weather (bank, restaurant, hotel, liquor store, grocery store, etc.). They plug their phones into outlets. They ask for water. They ask to use the phone. The polite ones ask if they can sit in the lobby. The less polite just treat all lobbies like they’re owned by MegaBus.

The businesses in the near vicinity of 247 Chicago are not the type businesses (like a gas station or convenience store) that might appreciate this traffic. Increasingly, arriving passengers are going into the local restaurants and asking for money and free food. MegaBus passengers choose MegaBus because the tickets are fantastically cheap. Not because they have money to spend in nearby businesses. The tickets are fantastically cheap because MegaBus pays no property taxes and maintains no facility for taking care of the human needs of their passengers.

In desperation, the landlord for the 903 Washington Ave. building proposed locking the bathrooms and providing for a key fob system – forcing these upscale businesses to treat their customers and employees like they are in a road side gas station.

And what a welcome to Minneapolis.

MegaBus arrivals in Minneapolis are welcomed by a dingy, run down parking lot – with no decent facilities to use – or even in sight. The nearest real bathrooms are in businesses that require at least a block walk. Yet they walk because port-a-potties are smelly and disgusting and inadequate for washing the travel grit from your skin before you meet the friends who are coming to pick you up.

And who wouldn’t prefer a nice, safe bank lobby, restaurant lobby, restaurant patio, hotel lobby, market, or liquor store as a place to wait - with luggage - rather than to wait exposed on that parking lot in the dark, the rain, the cold or the hot?  And that’s what they do. They hunt around for bathrooms, for lobbies, for any place they can find to get out of that parking lot and wait.

Tourists, students and others looking for bargain transportation between bigger cities often choose MegaBus. This unattractive and unwelcoming stop in Minneapolis should never be the place 1^st time visitors get dumped off. In the City of Chicago, the MegaBus loading and unloading location is adjacent to The Union Station – a place designed to accommodate people departing for and arriving from long distance trips. People there can wait protected from the elements and use the phones, lockers, coffee shops and restrooms for all the reasons people do. An owner at Sanctuary has a friend (a female lawyer) who recently came to Minneapolis from Chicago on MegaBus. As they waited with her for the 10:30 p.m. departure, she said, “Chicago would never let MegaBus do what they’re doing in Minneapolis.”

MegaBus Arrivals 30 – 60 Minutes Early are No Solution

MegaBus claims that they took care of the problem by sending their busses to pick up the passengers early so they could get out of the weather and have an added bathroom to use. Arriving 30 minutes early merely gives the bus driver the time to issue the tickets as the passengers line up with their luggage outside waiting to get on the bus.

Even assuming sitting on the bus an additional hour before departure helps, many passengers arrive whenever they can get someone to give them a ride. If they arrive before the bus, they often seek out other shelter. Again, generally they are not looking to spend money in the nearby businesses. They are merely loitering with their luggage and making life more complicated both for business owners and their paying customers.

Just this week, one MegaBus passenger was lying behind the fountain on the Sanctuary patio –luggage nearby, having plugged her phone into the outlet by the fountain to recharge the battery.

MegaBus Says it Tells its Customers Not to Bother Local Businesses

Right. If you were a MegaBus customer, would you follow this instruction?

VOLUME OF TRAFFIC INCREASING

In the time since the neighborhood impact statement was made, matters have gotten worse.  As word of the incredibly cheap tickets between Minneapolis and the City of Chicago has spread, the number of busses, number of passengers and number of difficulties has increased. Given those price levels (that a competing business with facilities and local property taxes cannot match), we can only expect that MegaBus traffic volume will continue to increase – further stressing nearby businesses forced to accommodate the physical needs of passengers for free.

SAFETY AND CRIME CONCERNS HAVE GROWN

Last week, a fight broke out in the parking lot when there were not enough seats on a bus to accommodate all the waiting passengers. Moreover, at times, two busses arrive for late night transportation. This week, two police squad cars had to be dispatched to meet these buses. It has become quite scary to walk around the neighborhood during those periods of time when the recently disembarked passengers are milling around the parking lot. Ensuring the safety of the people arriving on the bus – as well as the safety of local business customers and local residents – is making the neighborhood less attractive. One local resident says she will no longer walk on the side of the street where the MegaBus loads and unloads.

City Investment Compromised

In addition to all the property improvements that have been made by business and home owners in the new theater district of the Mill City neighborhood, the City has invested a lot of money in trying to clean up the blight and beautify the south end of Washington Avenue – and has even more plans for such investment. The way MegaBus is using the parking lot at 247 Chicago Avenue is introducing a use inconsistent with the city’s goals for the area.

“Bus Turnaround”

Apparently there is some disagreement or confusion about the definition of the term “bus turnaround” as it applies to this case. All we know is that the MegaBus unloads all their passengers at one time, refills the bus with new passengers, turns right around and heads back in the opposite direction. Obviously, this is not like a city bus running a local transportation schedule. If these passengers were not taking MegaBus, they’d by taking Greyhound or an airplane. All similar competing businesses have terminals.

We support the position of the Department of Community Planning and Economic Development and believe that MegaBus uses this parking lot as a completely inadequate make-shift bus station for long distance travelers. This is an inappropriate use from a human and business perspective. Their use requires a CUP, an adequate facility or a more appropriate location.

MegaBus cannot in any sense be treated as a city bus using the 247 Chicago Avenue parking lot like a city “bus stop” that accommodates workers commuting to work.  MegaBus is using an ugly piece of asphalt as a dumping ground to keep the cost of their service low by passing part of it on to nearby Minneapolis tax paying businesses and to Minneapolis taxpayers in the form of necessary added city police and security.

The business owners in the 903 Washington Avenue South building – and other neighbors – respectfully request a reversal of the decision of the BOA and look forward to the public hearings on the subject.

Respectfully submitted,

The Landlord and business owners of 903 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN