Northeast : Development News

Art Materials, which has had a longstanding presence in Minneapolis’s Uptown neighborhood, recently underwent a remodel and added a Northeast location.

Both projects unfolded simultaneously, according to Larry Brown, who co-owns the business with his wife, Joanne. In fact, many of the finishing touches on the remodel of its Lyndale store were still being made this week.

At one point, the store had considered relocating from Lyndale, but after putting the project on hold for a year, “We discovered in that year that Uptown had turned into a veritable beehive of building activity,” with lots of new apartments, restaurants and more. “It was a highly desirable place to be.”

So, after deciding to stay put, “We felt the building needed to be rehabbed,” he says.

The renovation process opened up the space in the vintage building, which had once served as a creamery with an attached garage. Higher ceilings and concrete floors came to light, while lighting fixtures were upgraded, which is important in a store that sells paint colors, he says, adding, “It has a softer and more pleasing look.”

A colorful mural reflecting various aspects of the city, something the store didn’t have room for before, brings a nice contrast to the gray walls, he says.

Later on, the store hopes to give the exterior a facelift, too, he says.

The art-supply store had long wanted to open a Northeast location, to serve the city’s Arts District. “There’s been a void in the area for the things we do and we see it as something to capitalize on,” he says.

Art Materials was able to settle into an industrial space in Northeast, which has a funkier look.

Both stores are destination places, as is a third location in Fargo, North Dakota.

“We have succeeded in changing the face of our business in Minneapolis to be something different and better than what it was,” Brown says.


Source: Larry Brown, co-owner, Art Materials
Writer: Anna Pratt

In the coming months, the building that once housed the old Totino’s restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis will be torn down to make way for Red 20, a 130-unit apartment building from local developer Schafer Richardson.

The six-story development on Central Avenue Northeast will include 11,000 square feet of first-floor retail space and a couple of levels of underground parking, according to information from the Nicollet Island-East Bank Neighborhood Association.

Victor Grambsch, who chairs the neighborhood group, says the community has embraced the development plan. “We backed the project. We thought this was a good addition to the neighborhood,” especially to replace a vacant building.

Some people wanted to save the Totino’s building, but “it’s a complete wreck,” and an environmental hazard, he says.

As for Red 20, some people have even thought the building should be bigger, he says. Higher-density development is something the neighborhood will be looking at as it draws up its small area plan, he says.

Red 20 will also be bike-friendly, with parking for around 100 bikes and a small bike repair business, he adds. Other amenities include a dog park and a rooftop patio. In time, the building will have some kind of memorial to honor Rose Totino, the namesake of the site’s former Italian restaurant, he says.

Red 20 is the first housing development of its scale to come to the historic Old St. Anthony neighborhood in at least a decade, according to the Star Tribune. “Several redevelopment plans have been discussed for former commercial sites in the neighborhood, creating the expectation that Old St. Anthony could add several hundred more housing units,” the story states.

After the developer closes on the site, construction could begin this summer and the buidling could open in 2014, the story reads.

Source: Victor Grambsch, chair, Nicollet Island-East Bank Neighborhood Association
Writer: Anna Pratt

The new UP Café at 1901 traffic St. N.E. in Northeast Minneapolis is gearing up for its May 3 grand opening.  

The café had a soft opening earlier this year in the building it shares with its parent company, the Upper Midwest Gourmet Company, which distributes coffee and supplies to cafes across the region.

Over the past year, to make way for the cafe, the space that the company previously used as a showroom for products, including its Flamenco Organic Coffee, went through an extensive remodeling process, according to Michael Applen, an accounts manager for the three businesses.

The showroom was an aging part of the industrial building. The company saw an opportunity to turn it into a “state-of-the-art café with everything that we sell,” Applen says. The idea was that the artisan café would also serve as a training facility, to model coffee “being brewed correctly,” in real circumstances, he adds.

The project invovled a total overhauling of the space, with new floors and larger windows put in. The dropped ceiling and carpet were removed. “Everything was updated,” says Applen. The bright yellow walls, natural light and higher ceiling “opens up the space a lot,” while one can also peer into the roastery.

In the coming months, the café plans to add outdoor seating and a garden for growing vegetables and herbs.

A local potter, Joel Cherrico, supplied the coffee shop with handcrafted serving dishes,

UP Café is a “third-wave” coffeehouse that focuses on where the coffee comes from, Applen says. “We have direct relationships with the growers,” as evidenced by the photos from the company’s trips abroad, which are mounted on the café walls. The company roasts only small batches of coffee at a time. “We don’t let it sit on the shelf and go bad,” says Applen.

In an area where high-quality food options are limited, “We hope it gives people a healthier local option,” he says.


Source: Michael Applen, accounts manager for Upper Midwest Gourmet Company, UP Café and the Flamenco Organic Coffee Company
Writer: Anna Pratt

Gastrotruck, a food truck that specializes in “artisanal street cuisine,” is expanding with a straight-up restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis. Its brick-and-mortar counterpart will go by another name, though that hasn’t been publicized yet, according to City Pages.  
 
The food truck will continue to circulate between Minneapolis and St. Paul in the warmer months.

Catherine Eckert, who owns the food truck, describes the changes that are underway at the building it purchased at 2400 University Avenue N.E. as a “complete property renovation.” In general, sustainability is a guiding principal for the restaurant, both in terms of construction and its offerings.   

For starters, the restaurant is going for LEED certification, which has benchmarks for green building, the City Pages story reads.

Also, Gastrotruck intends to grow as much as half of its food on the restaurant’s grounds. This will happen in part through vertical grow walls, a green roof and a greenhouse, the story adds. Recycled water runoff will play into that system.

In terms of the restaurant’s interior look, “I am striving for a farmhouse chic feel,” Eckert says.This dovetails with the food truck’s emphasis on products from local farms and companies and handcrafted ingredients.  

Gastrotruck, which plans to open the restaurant in the fall, is “all about respecting food and the environment in which it comes from,” its website states. Eckert has high hopes that the restaurant will fill a unique niche in the neighborhood: “We are super excited to offer our neighbors a restaurant that serves sustainable modern Midwestern cuisine that is approachable and affordable,” she says.  

Source: Catherine Eckert, owner, Gastrotruck
Writer: Anna Pratt

Soon, the local Dogwood Coffee Company will be able to see the results of its $10,000 fundraising campaign for a water well in the impoverished Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia.

Dogwood, which began raising money for the water well in November, met its goal on Dec. 31, with the help of customers and employees.

The coffee company, which has a coffee bar in Southwest Minneapolis, took on the project through Charity Water, a New York nonprofit organization that funds clean water projects in developing countries.

The well will deliver clean water to 500 people for 20 years, according to Greg Hoyt, a co-owner of the coffee company. “It’s a significant project,” he says, adding, “It takes a year to build and train people how to use the well.”

Although the company typically gives 1 percent of its annual gross revenue to charity, “This was the biggest push,” he says. “It was the first time we decided to get other people involved, so we could do even more than what Dogwood generates.”

That dollar figure is also well above its typical goal of $6,000, he explains.

“It had such a great response we want to do it again this year,” he says. “It was word-of-mouth that helped.”

Originally, Dogwood asked to support a project in the region where it sources its beans. This turned out to be a humbling experience in that the charity involved turned them down, saying funds go to areas with the greatest need. “It was a good gut-check for us,” he says. “However well-intended our giving might be, it wasn’t up to us to decide where the need is.”

Still, the coffee company was able to make an impact in a country where many of its beans come from.  
Dogwood chose to hone in on this issue in part because coffee is 98 percent water. “We obsess about so many aspects of the coffee roast and preparation,” he says. “We need to be that geeky about water. It’s a key element and it’s so elusive in the countries that we buy coffee from.”

This is also a social justice issue. “It’s incredibly tragic that for many, clean water is a luxury,” he says.

With GPS technology, Dogwood will soon be able to see footage of the well in action.

“We didn’t know what would happen. We figured we would do the best we could,” he says. “We were really thrilled people joined us in this.”

Source: Greg Hoyt, co-owner, Dogwood Coffee
Writer: Anna Pratt

The Northeast Investment Cooperative (NEIC) is making headway toward its goal of revitalizing properties on Central Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis.

NEIC is a for-profit cooperative that lets community members “pool their resources and collectively buy, rehab and manage commercial and residential property in the neighborhood,” a prepared statement from NEIC reads. See the earlier story from The Line here.

On Dec. 14, the group announced it had signed a purchase agreement for a property that includes two buildings at 2504 and 2506 Central Avenue Northeast.

NEIC, which has over 90 members that have invested $1,000 apiece in the coop, hopes to raise $300,000 by February 28 to pursue the project.

One of the group’s partners, the Recovery Bike Shop, will go into the 2504 building, according to NEIC board member Chris Bubser.   

This is good news because “It’ll really give people who are thinking of joining or who are on the fence a real reason to take the next step,” he says.  

For the 2506 building, which NEIC will renovate and lease, the group is hoping to attract multiple tenants.

To that end, NEIC is looking for “proven business, aspiring entrepreneurs with a good plan, or a combination” of those to fill the space, according to NEIC information.

The projects will bring in more than a half million dollars in new investment to a highly visible intersection on Central, according to NEIC information.   

The goals are ambitious, but it seems doable. “Over the last few days, the response has been incredible,” Bubser says. “I think it’s going to work.”

If all goes as planned, construction could start as early as spring of 2013, he says.

As one of the first commercial real estate cooperatives in North America, “We’re pioneers in the area,” he says. “We’re excited to take one of the biggest properties and show how a committed group from the neighborhood can turn it around.”   

He hopes the project will help make Central Avenue a destination, not just a thoroughfare. In contrast to traditional real estate corporations, which are geared around profitability, “We’re about community building and support.”  

Source: Chris Bubser, NEIC board member
Writer: Anna Pratt

After a short break, the Northeast Farmers Market is returning with its first indoor market of the season on Dec. 15 at the Eastside Food Cooperative in Northeast Minneapolis.

The opening day of the market, which runs monthly through May, features books for sale from the Friends of the Northeast Library, a performance from musician Matt Yetter and a massage chair, according to Northeast Farmers Market information.

The indoor market offers apples, honey products, homemade jam, hand-rolled spring rolls, grass-fed beef, eggs, bread, desserts, and handicrafts.

Although this is a smaller-scale version of the summer market, each of its 10 vendors this season have been a part of it before, according to Sarah Knoss, who oversees the Northeast Farmers Market.

That familiarity has advantages for shoppers. “We have a lot of loyal friends and fans that like to visit our vendors,” she says via email.

Besides the fact that people can access some of their favorite vendors year-round, it’s about shopping and eating locally. “We bring livability to the community and foster sustainability to the Northeast neighborhood,” she says.

The local nonprofit organizations, artists, and craftspeople that grace the market on a regular basis make it unique, she says.

Although the summer market has been successful over the past 12 years, the indoor market is still growing. “There is traffic from the coop and our fans know that we are there but we are trying to get the word out,” she says.

A number of other local farmers markets, including the St. Paul Farmers Market, the Kingfield and Fulton Farmers Market and the Minneapolis Farmers Market, have wintertime sales.   

More broadly, “It's really just a way for all of us to get together and enjoy what we do,” she says. “It keeps the us going and motivated to bake, make, and grow.”

Source: Sarah Knoss, manager, Northeast Farmers Market
Writer: Anna Pratt

Public Functionary, a new art space coming to the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District, reached its $30,000 fundraising goal this week on Kickstarter.

Tricia Khutoretsky, who heads Public Functionary, explains that the center set its sights high because “We really believed in the potential for validation from the community. We also needed a way in which to build a new community” that goes beyond the typical art scene, she says.

The idea is to make the center as open and inclusive as possible, she adds.

With the help of the Kickstarter funds, Public Functionary will open in January of 2013 in a one-story brick building on Buchanan and Broadway, which is also home to The Lab Digital and the Permanent Art and Design Group. The groups worked together to find the space, according to Khutoretsky.

Over the past five months, Public Functionary has been operating out of makeshift offices in the space. This has afforded people in the 2,500-square-foot center “the time to feel it out and figure out the best floor-plan and updates to make,” she says.

Already, the center has hosted several events in the raw space, which is characterized by high ceilings, lots of natural light, and cement floors.

The fact that a train runs by the building is a plus because it’s “constantly creating movement and energy right outside our windows, which feels classically Northeast,” she says.

In terms of the build-out of the space, walls will be moveable. This will help foster experimentation with every exhibit. “We think the gallery of the future is always changing, always responsive,” she says.  

On a yearly basis, the center will host exhibits corresponding to an overarching theme, with ongoing events that inspire a dialogue on contemporary art. “We’re focused on creating context and connection and using technology and social media,” she says.  

The arts district location is ideal, she says, noting that the entire Public Functionary team lives in the neighborhood. “We're looking forward to becoming a sort of hub or connector to attract more people to the arts activity in the area,” she says.


Source: Tricia Khutoretsky, Public Functionary
Writer: Anna Pratt

The Broadway, named for its location at 945 Broadway in Northeast Minneapolis, had a groundbreaking celebration last week.

Local developer Peter Remes and his company, First & First, LLC, are behind the $4 million renovation of the former Twin City Paper building, according to the Star Tribune.

It’s a classic warehouse with large windows, hardwood and polished cement floors, brick walls, high ceilings, old-growth timber beams and more, according to the related Java Properties website.

So far, building tenants include 612Brew and Sevnthsin, a digital creative company, which will be joined by other to-be-determined firms and a café and fitness center, according to the Star Tribune.

The Broadway will also have special features such as a vertical glass gallery showcasing artwork, an outdoor greenspace with an amphitheater and water fountain that includes stones salvaged from the old Metropolitan Building, which once stood in downtown Minneapolis, the story states.

City Councilman Kevin Reich says the project “fits in well with the redevelopment efforts in the area around some older brick and timber manufacturing buildings.”

He’s glad to see this type of project on a prominent corner that serves as a gateway into the neighborhood. “The developer is doing a polished job,” with a generous courtyard and commons area, he says, adding, “It shows real insight from the developer to create a sense of place.”  

The mixed-use project brings together light industrial uses with creative ventures, a move that complements the Northeast Arts District, he says.

It’s part of an emerging brew district that includes the Dangerous Man Brewing Co., Indeed Brewing Company, 612Brew and Northgate Brewing. “It’s the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” Reich says.  

The project is planned to wrap up in 2013.

Source: Kevin Reich, city council member, Minneapolis
Writer: Anna Pratt

The Coffee Shop Northeast, named for its Minneapolis neighborhood, recently wrapped up an expansion project that more than doubled its square footage.  

Rich Horton, an owner of the coffee shop, says the expansion was much needed. “We were getting so busy, we were packed and there’d be no place to sit,” he says.   

That, along with the idea of growing the business, prompted the owners to take over the space that opened up when the neighboring tenant, EMI Audio, moved to Robbinsdale. The additional room, which gives the coffee shop over 2,000 square feet compared with the 800 square feet it had before, allows for occasional events, such as poetry readings and live music.

A physical separation between the old and new space gives people the flexibility to take part in events or to choose a quieter nook.

In addition to new tables and chairs and couches, a 12-seat community table has already turned out to be popular among large groups.  

The coffee shop was able to expand its kitchen and add storage space as well. Horton says that food items have been more in demand than he would’ve guessed when they were added to the offerings at the coffee shop, which the owners took over from Audubon Coffee two years ago.

The shop also added a decorative brick wall, which gives it a more finished look, he says.
The newer area is yellow and a light shade of brown, creating a subtle change in mood from the storefront area, which is green and brown, according to Horton.

Although he couldn’t give an exact figure, the project, it totaled more than $50,000, he says.
 
“We’re really happy with how it turned out,” he says, adding that feedback from the community has been positive.

Source: Rich Horton, co-owner, Coffee Shop Northeast
Writer: Anna Pratt

This summer, the Logan Park Neighborhood Association (LPNA) in Northeast Minneapolis organized a task force to preserve a vintage brick building that previously housed the main office of the Minneapolis Public Schools.

The school district recently moved its headquarters to a new $41 million facility in North Minneapolis, according to MPR.

Over the past couple of years, LPNA has brainstormed the possibilities for the old building at 807 Northeast Broadway.

Pat Vogel, who co-chairs the task force with LPNA leader Paula Allen, says “The neighborhood group is very interested in what happens to the building,” adding, “It represents a major chunk of property near our homes.”

Some ideas they have floated, informally, include a full-service health clinic, a fitness center, a small-business incubator, and a commercial kitchen, she says. Although their ideas vary wildly, “The essence of it is that we would like to see something that provides opportunities and resources,” such as jobs or services, she says.

Right now, the school district is working with the city’s office of Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) on a plan for the building. “We’re hoping to be a part of the process,” she says. “We want to work with CPED to come up with a mutually beneficial solution.” The neighborhood group favors keeping the building as opposed to tearing it down and rebuilding on the site, she says.

Ryan Cos., which assessed the building’s condition earlier on, concluded that it was in good shape, and that it was more cost-effective to rehab it, she says. At this point, however, it’s too early to say what might happen with the building, she adds.

The school district is still packing up some of its offices in the building, while CPED is doing its due diligence for the site.

In the coming weeks, a marketing plan that incorporates the neighborhood’s feedback will be out, she says.    

Also, a class at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design is joining in the planning process. Usually the class deals with global issues, and this will be its first local project, Vogel says, adding that it will play some part in the decision-making process.   
 
“We’re a building with a dream in search of a developer,” she says. “We want a developer that matches our purposes.”  

Source: Pat Vogel
Writer: Anna Pratt

If a proposal to renovate the vintage Hollywood Theater in Northeast Minneapolis “pencils out,” financially, local developer Andrew Volna could make an offer on it within the coming weeks.

For the moment, the theater’s future is still up in the air.

Volna, of Noisland Industries and Apiary Workspaces, is working with Meghan Elliott, an engineer whose company is Preservation Design Works, to come up with a plan to buy the city-owned building.

They sought feedback from community members at a Sept. 10 public meeting with the Audubon Neighborhood Association at the Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church.

Right now, they’re still doing their due diligence to figure out whether a rehab project is doable, he says.

However, they wanted to gauge the neighborhood’s response before moving forward.

“It will be an extremely expensive project to do,” Volna says. This has partly to do with the fact that it’s an historic building that comes along with preservation requirements.

At the same time, “There’s significant damage to the inside of the building,” he says, adding, “It’s a theater on the outside only.”

Although it’s unclear what kind of tenant would go into the building, “I’ve always thought of something in the creative industry that would benefit from the unique features"--features that include a large open space and Art Deco design elements.

At the meeting, people were receptive to the idea. “It would be a huge net gain for 29th and Johnson," he says. "The commercial node is stuck until the south end of the block gets dealt with.” In his view, “It could bring business to the area, and bring the south end back to life.”

However, because of the unknowns, he's proceeding with caution, Volna says.


Source: Andrew Volna, Noiseland Industries
Writer: Anna Pratt

A vacant industrial complex in Northeast Minneapolis could soon become a hub for locally-produced artisan quality meats, whiskey, and more.

Mike Phillips of Three Sons Meat Co. is collaborating with Kieran Folliard of 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey on the project.

The concept begins with a USDA-certified dry-cured pork product processing plant, while an office and retail area would complement that.  

Also, “There’s some talk of a micro-distillery down the road,” Phillips says.  

The idea is to put businesses in there that can’t be found elsewhere in Minnesota, he says. “There’s no other salumi plant in the state.”

“A big part is to have a Willy Wonka aspect to it,” with pathways throughout the place so that “people can see how things are made.”

The pair hopes to buy the building, but that’s on hold until an environmental study comes through. “It’s a slow process,” he says. “It depends on a whole lot of variables.”

If it works out, they’ll move on to a “clarification of the vision, including what needs to be there and who needs to be there, how it will be laid out,” and more.   

This is the second time the pair have considered this particular building.

If they do move forward on the building, it’ll mean stripping it down to its shell, replacing the roof, landscaping, and building out the plant.

Early on, Phillips and Folliard identified Northeast Minneapolis as the ideal location. “We wanted to be somewhere where we could be a part of the community,” he says, adding that the neighborhood has been supportive of the plan.  

They hope to have the place in production by next spring.


Source: Mike Phillips, Three Sons Meat Co.
Writer: Anna Pratt

It works much like a food coop, but the Northeast Investment Cooperative (NEIC) deals with real estate.

Through NEIC, community members pool their resources to collectively buy, rehab, and manage commercial and residential property in Northeast Minneapolis, its website reads.

The group is focused on transforming the area’s “stressed and poorly utilized residential and commercial properties,” especially along Central and Lowry avenues.

Leslie Watson, a founding member who also lives in the area, explains that neighbors came together to set up NEIC, which had its first member meeting this past spring.

It’s an unusual model that’s “visionary and cutting-edge,” she says.

She knows of only one other similar cooperative model in the country,  River West Investment Cooperative in Milwaukee, which specializes in residential development.     

For NEIC, the basis is that Central is “not the main street it could be, that it once was,” she says.

Yet, Central and Lowry avenues both hold a lot of promise, something the group wants to build on. “It’s a connector and an obvious focal point to bring people together under a common cause.”    

The corridors are characterized by a number of vintage buildings, some of which are vacant. “Quite a few buildings have seen disinvestment,” and need maintenance, while many businesses have left the area, making way for more and more absentee landlords.

At this point, “The capital is no longer owned by people in the community,” she says. “NEIC offers the opportunity to bring your own money to try to recapitalize on a main commercial thoroughfare.”

So far, 50 people have signed on to contribute $1,000 apiece, while another 15 have pledged to give to the cause. The group continues to seek additional members at its monthly informational meetings. “There’s been an overwhelmingly positive response and support,” she says.

One of the group’s goals is to draw various businesses “that we want to succeed there, and create an environment that’s attractive for them.”

Source: Leslie Watson, Northeast Investment Cooperative
Writer: Anna Pratt

If all goes as planned, the bygone Caribe Caribbean Bistro could come back in a new form in Northeast Minneapolis.

The former St. Paul restaurant closed last year during Central Corridor Light Rail Transit construction.

Co-owner Heidi Panelli and her husband, Tony, want to reopen the restaurant in the former Amici Bistro space.

To do so, the couple is trying to raise $50,000 in donations through Kickstarter. Their web-based campaign, which started May 14, goes through June 13.  

Funds will go to “the bare bones of getting the place turned into a big art project,” including signage, décor, furniture, equipment, and promotional materials, explains Panelli.

She’s encouraged by the fact that Kickstarter has helped get a couple of other local eateries up and running.

The new space will allow for a bigger kitchen, which means the restaurant will be able to expand its menu, she explains.  

Like the old place, the restaurant would sport bright colors. Panelli plans to paint a mural on one wall that will picture the sun over water, with mirror pieces creating a reflective effect. Another mural would include the names of backers who contribute $100 or more, she says.

The couple has been getting ideas from thrift-store finds. They want the restaurant to resemble an island food stand, but without being too gimmicky, she says.  

She hopes it becomes a “destination location nestled in a neighborhood.” This particular neighborhood alcove “fits our vision perfectly,” she says.  

The couple will be on hand at the June 2 Johnstock annual festival on Johnson St. to share their plans with the public and to give out food samples. They’ll also be showing up on June 7 at the Chowgirls Parlor as a part of the Northrup King building's "first Thursdays" open- studio event.  

Source: Heidi Panelli, Caribe
Writer: Anna Pratt