Transit Oriented Development : Development News

Ironton Asset Fund LLC has a $20 million plan to turn the historic Chittenden & Eastman Building on University Avenue in St. Paul into a 104-unit apartment complex called C&E Lofts.

It’ll be one of the first developments to spring up along the coming Central Corridor light rail line.

But the building that Ironton acquired in October 2010 had recently been nearing foreclosure, with several defaulted mortgage loans, according to company information.

Because its financial and physical condition, the project was a good fit for Ironton, which is a distressed-asset fund, says Tom Nelson, a project manager and a principal with Ironton.

Besides the transit-oriented opportunity, “My associates have done projects in both Minneapolis and St. Paul, but our roots are in St. Paul,” he says. “We like to add value to a terrific neighborhood on the St. Paul side.”

Since the 1917 building is a “supporting structure” in the University-Raymond Commercial Historic District, the project qualifies for state and federal historic tax credits.

Originally the seven-story building was a furniture showroom and loft building, according to Ironton information.

The renovation will retain the building's historic qualities, including high ceilings, big windows, heavy timber construction, and flexible, open floor plans, he says.

Also,the building had long been a hub for artists, something he hopes to continue.  
 
A leasing and business office will fill the retail spaces along University Avenue, along with a tenant lounge that will have a fireplace and coffee bar. A fitness center, community and media rooms, a rooftop deck, and parking are other features of the project.

Construction is likely to begin after Labor Day, and the apartments could open next fall, Nelson says.    

Source: Tom Nelson, Ironton Asset Fund
Writer: Anna Pratt

Plans for bike-ability on the east side of Minneapolis are coming together in 'bits and pieces,' says Michael Rainville, a bike enthusiast who lives in the St. Anthony West neighborhood.

He helped organize the recent Eastside Bike Summit, which drew nearly 80 people to the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis.

Getting bike trails on this part of the city is tough because so many different levels of government have to sign off on things, he says.

But Rainville is hopeful about the area's future bike-friendliness.

The 5th Street/2nd Avenue Northeast bike boulevard is a highly anticipated project that Rainville estimates will be completed within the next couple of months. 

"It's been talked about for years," he says, adding that with several traffic circles and a stoplight, "it'll be a nice safe place for people to ride their bikes going south through the east side of town," all the way to Columbia Heights.

Also, a bike lane is slated for Main Street and Marshall Avenue Northeast, from 1st Avenue Northeast to Broadway, though the segment that would go to Lowry is on hold.

Also proposed are bike lanes for Central and 37th avenues Northeast to the Mississippi River and on 18th Avenue Northeast from Monroe Street Northeast to the Quarry Shopping Center.

To help bicyclists safely cross the busy East Hennepin and 1st avenues northeast, which are part of a city streetcar study, a meeting-goer suggested that a bike lane go on the bridges and continue down the street. "All it would take is a couple gallons of paint," Rainville says.    

It's a good example of "the purpose of these summits, to get new creative ideas and talk about them out loud," he adds.

Rainville hopes that another bike summit will happen this winter. "Passion is all spread out. It's coming from all over the east side," he says.


Source: Michael Rainville, Eastside Bike Summit organizer
Writer: Anna Pratt

Last month, the Big Picture Project kicked off with a public meeting at the Profile Event Center in Minneapolis, themed around equitable transit-oriented development in Seattle.

It'll help inform future affordable housing projects along the planned 11-mile Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line that is to connect downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The Big Picture Project is an effort to come up with a comprehensive affordable housing strategy for this key stretch.

Ryan Curren, a special projects coordinator for the city of Seattle's Office of Housing, who spoke at the meeting last month, says of the project, "It's smart to set affordable housing targets along the corridor and stations years ahead of when the line is running.".

"It gives something to aim for and a way to orient policy proposals toward those goals, with inclusionary goals or new sources of funding or existing sources of funding," he says.

To meet those goals, Seattle has found that "It takes more targeted public subsidy and a tool or policy that requires market-rate developers to create some level of affordable housing in their development," on-site or off-site.

TC LISC, a local branch of a national organization that helps leverage resources for community development, is leading the Big Picture Project in partnership with the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, with the support of the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative, according to TC LISC program officer Kristina Homstad.  

As it is, over 30 plans envisioning future affordable housing developments near the line have been put together, but there's no "coordinated plan that brings synergy to this wide range of effort," the project's website reads.

The idea is to "move beyond projects to placemaking."

A "big picture" strategy can help attract investment to the area, stabilize existing housing stock, preserve affordable rentals, and ensure that any new developments are in the best interests of community members, the website explains.

To carry out the project, a team that includes government, finance, community, and development representatives is studying the various affordable housing plans, maps, national case studies, and more.

Based on their findings, the group will come up with some recommendations and policies, which the public will be able to weigh in on in a series of community forums and neighborhood meetings that are underway through September.

In November a final plan will go before various project partners, including the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative, the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Hennepin and Ramsey counties, the Metropolitan Council, and Minnesota Housing, according to Big Picture Project information.

Ultimately, the group hopes that the plan will lead to "better coordinated housing that helps create a sense of place along the Central Corridor and improves residents' lives," the website states. 


Source: Kristina Homstad, program officer, TC LISC, Ryan Curren, city of Seattle
Writer: Anna Pratt

Earlier this month, a group of transportation and policy leaders from Pittsburgh, Penn., and Columbus, Ohio, came to Minneapolis to check out its growing bicycle network as a part of a Bikes Belong Foundation workshop.

Gary Sjoquist, government affairs director for Bikes Belong, a national organization that works to increase bicycling, says that it has led similar workshops in Boulder, Colo. and Portland, Ore., "places where there've been significant changes to increase bicycling." 

The group, which is planning another get-together in New York City in the fall, also hosts international tours in cities such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Munster, Germany, where 40 percent of all trips are taken by bicycle.

When people attend the workshops, "they get to experience it, ride it, and philosophically understand what's going on," he says.

Often a city official will think that developing bicycling infrastructure is a low priority because participation won't be high enough. By coming to Minneapolis or another city, "they can see how bicycling has been integrated and implement what they've seen," he says.  

Those who visited Minneapolis got to see that "what it's like when there are more vehicles on a bike trail than cars on a street nearby, like on certain parts of the greenway," he says.

By the Walker Art Center, where 15th Street intersects with Hennepin Avenue South near Loring Park, the bike lane goes from the street to the sidewalk. "Cyclists can do a left turn on a busy intersection to reach the bike trail," he says. "It's unique to move the bike lane to the sidewalk. I don't think there's any other treatment like it in the U.S."    

Only blocks away, near First Avenue, the bike lane is placed between the line of parked cars and the curb. "That's a lesson from Amsterdam, to move the bike lane to where there are fewer doors opening. It makes for smoother riding for the cyclist," he explains.

Additionally, Minneapolis's bicycle network will grow by 40 percent over the next couple of years, as a related $25 million federal grant continues to be spent. "That's another thing that really struck people who came," he says. "Minneapolis is pretty good in this area, but it will get a lot better once [more] is built." 


Source: Gary Sjoquist, government affairs director, Bikes Belong
Writer: Anna Pratt

The Lowry restaurant, which bills itself as a contemporary urban diner, is totally revamping the former Hollywood Video space in the Lowry Hill neighborhood.

For starters, remodelers removed about half of the building, bringing it down to a cozier 5,000 square feet and making way for parking and a patio, according to Stephanie Shimp, vice president of the Blue Plate Restaurant Company, which is behind the venture. "We pretty much gutted the inside," she says. 

But Blue Plate kept intact the original cement floors, with a patina, markings, and discolorations that "are very beautiful, interesting, and full of character," she says. 

As a part of the $1 million renovation of the 1920s-era building, The Lowry built out a new, lounge-like bar, a 150-seat dining area, and a kitchen.

A California Modern style characterizes the interior, with warm-colored wood and tufted-in dark brown leather booths with covered buttons and orange accents, she says. "It kind of feels like the inside of a boat," she says. "I can't think of another interior in the city that looks anything like it."

On the outside of the building the words burgers, whiskey, oysters, and eggs help provide a sense of what the restaurant is all about.

Among its unique offerings are 30 craft beers, along with wine in a keg. The Lowry will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and will have a late-night menu. "I hope that we will become a real anchor in the neighborhood, the go-to spot for Lowry Hill, Kenwood, East Isles, and the Wedge areas," she says.

Additionally, she underscores the 100 new jobs the restaurant is bringing to the neighborhood. Many of its employees bike, bus or walk to work, she says.

The Lowry aims to open its doors by Aug. 9, according to Shimp.


Source: Stephanie Shimp, vice president, Blue Plate Restaurant Company
Writer: Anna Pratt

A plan for a 48-unit market-rate apartment building will replace the condo project that was supposed to go in at 46th and 46th in South Minneapolis.

The condos had been put on pause in 2007 due to tough market conditions, according to Don Gerberding, a principal of Master Properties, which is part of the development team.

Following discussions with the Longfellow neighborhood group about how to proceed, "the message I got was to wait and do something of quality rather than something that's not but that happens quickly," he says, adding, "We've been able to achieve that."

Master Properties has teamed up with the Lander Group of Minneapolis and the St. Paul-based At Home Apartments, which were successful with the nearby West River Commons mixed-use project.

At Home will take on the 46th and 46th development as a "portfolio project," meaning that it will own and manage the site, which will help ensure quality, he says.  

The four-story apartment building will use the same footprint as the previous condo project, for which the footings and foundation are already in place on the half-acre lot. "It'll be a box of the same volume," says Gerberding, while the fourth floor will be recessed. "It reduces the perceived size of the building from the street." 

On the side that faces 46th Avenue, the building will have the look of row houses, with individual entrances and yards. Raised patios will characterize the side that fronts 46th Street. "There will be two different feels to this building, depending on which side you're facing." 

At this prominent corner, which is on a major transit corridor, the developers are trying to be as progressive as possible, with sustainable, transit-oriented features such as free transit passes and a rentable Hourcar for tenants. "It could impact the decision [for a tenant] on whether to have a car," he says.  

"We're using all of the sustainable products that we can to be energy- and environmentally-efficient," he says.

The group hopes to begin construction in the fall. 

Source: Don Gerberding, principal, Master Properties 
Writer: Anna Pratt

Oaks Station Place will be the first development to spring up along the Hiawatha Light Rail, if all goes as planned.

It's an area where the city encourages higher-density development, which is one reason why it's a good fit, according to James Schloemer, who is part of the design team from Kaas Wilson Architects in Minneapolis, that's working on the project.

The mostly four-story building, which steps down a level in some areas, will span two parcels near the 46th Street Station. It'll have 104 apartments, 8,500 square feet of first-floor retail space, a large public plaza, and underground parking.

Design-wise, the building takes cues from New York City's old-fashioned Forest Hills Gardens, which is "an iconic transit-oriented community," near the Long Island Railroad, according to information posted on the Kaas Wilson website.   

It's a project that the developer, Oak Properties, is fond of, according to Schloemer, who adds that, "The idea is to build a modernized project along the transit line."

Oaks Station Place won't recreate Forest Hills, but its classical-styled architecture, with a brick exterior, gable roofs, and skyway, will be reminiscent of the historic building, he says.  

Schloemer says the developer wants to attract residents who can take advantage of the light rail or any of the eight major bus lines that pass through the area. A community car will also be on hand for building residents. "They won't need to own a car," he says.

A public plaza leading to the retail outlets will be accessible to residents, neighbors, and light rail commuters for all kinds of outdoor activities.

The development team is working with the city and the Standish-Ericsson Neighborhood Association on the plaza to "ensure this site will be a valuable asset to the neighborhood and surrounding community," he says.

Details such as the project's budget are still being determined, but the proper city approvals have come through, he says. Right now the developer and design team are putting together a construction package for a building permit while also still working out the land agreement with the Metropolitan Council.

Schloemer says that judging by the popularity of the developer's nearby Oaks Hiawatha Station complex, he expects the project to do well.

The group hopes to start construction this fall.

Source: James Schloemer, design team, Kaas Wilson Architects
Writer: Anna Pratt

In Minneapolis, the RiverLake Greenway, which has been in the works for 15 years, recently opened the city's first bicycle boulevard.

RiverLake is a five-mile east-west-running bike and pedestrian corridor that connects Lake Harriet to the Mississippi River, according to information from Bike Walk Twin Cities, an initiative of Transit for Livable Communities, which administers the project.

The bikeway, which got its start in the 1990s after a group of neighborhood activists pushed for it, was finished after a $400,000 grant came through this spring from Bike Walk Twin Cities.

Minneapolis is one of four cities across the country that received $22 million as a part of a 2005 federal nonmotorized transportation pilot program to encourage biking and walking infrastructure, according to Hilary Reeves, a spokesperson for Bike Walk Twin Cities. 

The bikeway "creates a network so people can bike and get across the city," in a way that's "friendly to cyclists with different skill sets," she says.  

It goes through residential areas along parts of 40th and 42nd Streets East, between the Midtown Greenway and Minnehaha Creek.

Features such as striped bike lanes on its eastern and western ends, and the bicycle boulevard lining the lengthiest part of the greenway, help make the bikeway safe and accessible for bicyclists and pedestrians, according to information from Bike Walk Twin Cities.

It's the first of a handful of bikeways that are planned for the area in conjunction with the federal pilot program, according to Reeves.

Biking is a small piece of the local transportation system but it can make a big difference when it comes to people's health and the environment. "The boulevard gets people thinking about how they're getting somewhere. It gives them options to try biking," she says.


Source: Hilary Reeves, Bike Walk Twin Cities
Writer: Anna Pratt

A proposal for a Staybridge Suites extended-stay hotel in Minneapolis's Stevens Square neighborhood could transform a blighted empty lot near downtown. 

Although plans are still being refined, the hotel is likely to have multiple levels with about 100 rooms, plus retail spaces on the ground floor, according to Steven Gallagher, who leads the Stevens Square Community Organization (SSCO). Additionally, a glass and brick fa�ade would blend in with nearby buildings, he says. 

Gallagher says the neighborhood group welcomes the plan because the three-quarter-acre site, which is partly owned by Gateway Commons LLC, is a visible entry point to and from downtown. "It would spur development along that corridor," he says, adding that the development will make for a better flow along Nicollet Avenue's restaurant-filled Eat Street.

A 2008 Maxfield Research market trade study analysis "identified this type of hotel as very financially viable," he says.

A lack of competition for the longer-stay hotel concept is one reason why it's a strong proposal, he says. 

Also, the low land costs, plus its proximity to downtown--whose advantages include landmarks such as the Minneapolis Convention Center, nearby in-progress developments, and the possibility of Nicollet Avenue streetcars--makes it a win-win, he says. 

Armed with the Maxfield findings, SSCO has tried to recruit hotels to this spot in recent years, including Staybridge.

Details such as the cost and timeline are still coming together, but construction could begin as early as the end of the year, according to Gallagher.

A presentation on the current plan will be made at the June 25 SSCO meeting.


Source: Steven Gallagher, executive director, Stevens Square Community Organization
Writer: Anna Pratt

By the end of the year, a mixed-use development could replace the former Jaguar car dealership on Hennepin Avenue South in downtown Minneapolis, which has been vacant since 2007. 

Ryan Cos. is working with the Excelsior Group, a real estate company, to redevelop the site with market-rate apartments and retail spaces.  

Tony Barranco, a retail development director for Ryan Cos., says the details are still coming together, including the project's scale, cost, and design.

He expects a design will be out within a couple months while the project could break ground by winter. Between now and then, however, "There's a lot of work to do," he says, adding, "We'll have to get active quick."

Previously, the North Vancouver, British Columbia-based Milliken Development Group, had proposed condos for the site, but, amid the economic downturn, the property was returned to the bank, according to the Star Tribune.

Though the plan is still being fleshed out, the building could have up to 225 units, while the parking ramp on the block could be preserved, the Star Tribune reports.

Like the plans that came before it, the project will probably include a grocery store, Barranco says.

Ryan Cos. realizes that this is a prominent downtown intersection that "we want to treat...with a significant amount of character," he says.

Already, the company has gotten plenty of positive feedback on the project, which helps meet a demand for multifamily housing in the downtown area. These days, "There's a lot of focus on urban living and being transit-oriented and...close to entertainment [outlets]," all of which the project will capitalize on.

Additionally, the development links the area to the North Loop area and Mississippi riverfront. All in all, "We're confident and excited to bring vitality back to the block," he says.

Source: Tony Barranco, retail development director, Ryan Cos.
Writer: Anna Pratt

The city of Minneapolis is trying to gauge whether there might be any interest in redeveloping the historic Grain Belt brewery office building and a nearby empty lot at 1215 and 1219 Marshall St. in Northeast.

Last week the city sent out a request for proposals (RFP) for the site, which is part of what an "Above the Falls" study describes as an architectural and cultural landmark along the Upper River, and which the city is offering to package together or as two separate parcels.  

This portion of the brewery complex is among the last to be developed, according to city information. The brewery houses various architectural offices, Park Board facilities, and a public library branch, while the nearby lot has long been vacant, according to city information.

The city is appealing for a neighborhood- and pedestrian-friendly mixed-use housing development for the entire site or a portion of it, and renovation of the existing office, but it's open to other kinds of ideas as well, according to a prepared statement from the city.

Wes Butler, a staff person for the city's Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) division, says the city is picking up where another developer left off about a decade ago. With the economy easing up, "We thought it would be a good time to remarket it now, to see if there's any interest in the original vision for a housing site," he says.

In the 24-page RFP, which emphasizes the site's nearness to the city's central business district and strong transportation connections, the empty lot is listed for $1.4 million and the brewery office is priced at $50,000. 

Proposals should involve "a varied yet cohesive mix of land uses complementing and enhancing the historic character of the brewery complex," possibly including commercial services, residential, recreational, arts-related, and light industrial uses, according to the RFP. 

City staff and the neighborhood group will review the proposals, which have an Aug. 1 deadline, before they go before the City Council in the fall, the RFP states.

In 1989 the city restored the brewery, which had declined since it closed in the 1970s. Read more about its history here. 

The brewery's historic status adds character to the site, and an extra challenge. Such features as the footings from the old Orth brewery, which preceded Grain Belt, need some sort of historical interpretation at the site, he says. "It makes it a unique spot with some challenges," he adds.  
 
Source: Wes Butler, staffer, city of Minneapolis
Writer: Anna Pratt

Sustainability was a priority for the Johnson Brothers Liquor Company, developers of The Lyric at Carleton Place apartments, which opened a year ago on University and Hampden avenues in St. Paul.

Recently, the Lyric received an award from the city recognizing its strides in this area. The 2011 sustainability awards went to a dozen businesses, organizations, and individuals on the cutting edge of everything from green construction to cleanup and beautification, according to city information. 

To add to that, this week the apartment building will host an event called "Hats Off to the Corridor," featuring art, music, and food to celebrate the Central Corridor light rail transit line that is planned to connect Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The 171-unit apartment building, which has a black-box-style theater, exercise room, community area, and gallery, is connected to the Carleton Place Artist Lofts. It's the first new construction project to be completed along the Central Corridor. The Lyric has also been designated part of the city's Energy Innovation Corridor, which spotlights sustainable developments along the light-rail line.

Beth Pfeifer, a spokesperson from The Cornerstone Group, one of the project's collaborators, says that in keeping with previous Johnson Brothers projects, "It's important to them to develop something that stands the test of time." 

Collaborating with the Cornerstone Group, BKV Group, Yen Chee Design, Jaeger Construction, Xcel Energy, and the Weidt Group, the Johnson Brothers found numerous ways to reduce noise and waste, improve air quality and energy efficiency, and filter stormwater, according to project materials.

To do so, it took full advantage of advanced heating and cooling systems plus Energy Star-certified appliances, native plants, and a rooftop garden, among other things.   

As a result, the building is 22 percent more energy efficient than similar developments. Pfeifer says the cost of achieving this level of energy efficiency was minimal, overall, and it'll pay for itself within a couple of years. "We hope it's an impetus for others to invest in [energy efficiency] as well."

Source: Beth Pfeifer, The Cornerstone Group
Writer: Anna Pratt

The $4.8 million Emerge Career and Technology Center will help address a growing digital divide in North Minneapolis.  

Emerge Community Development will redevelop the former North Branch Library at 1834 Emerson Avenue North, to make way for the center, which will offer a wide variety of programming pertaining to emerging careers, with an emphasis on green jobs, according to Emerge executive director Mike Wynne.

Training will deal with entrepreneurship, job skills, and career learning, while several learning labs, computer kiosks, multi-use conference rooms, and offices will be available.    

So far, Emerge has secured about $3.3 million for the center. Recently the project was listed by a City Council committee as a top priority for transit-oriented design funds from the county.    

In 2009, Emerge acquired the historic building from the Geneva Services Co., a salvage company that will stay in the building until the renovation starts, according to Wynne. The 13,000-square-foot building was a library from 1894 until 1977.    

Calling the building an architectural jewel, he says, "It's the oldest standing building that was erected solely as a library in the state and it was the first branch library in Minneapolis," adding that the project has attracted support from historic preservation groups, government agencies, and other funders.

Emerge's fundraising campaign highlights the legacy of Gratia Countryman, who headed the Minneapolis library system for several decades in the early 1900s, according to Wynne. She was well known across the country for her work starting up children's reading rooms and the bookmobile, which originated at the branch library, according to Emerge information.

As a part of the project, the old bookmobile garage and classrooms will be repurposed for the career tech center while some of Emerge's partners will move into the building to support its operation. "This community asset needs to be returned," says Wynne, adding, "It's a purpose that's accessible" to individuals and big and small groups.   
 
Emerge plans to wrap up the fundraising aspect in 2011 and begin construction before the year ends. "It's been a challenging time to hold a capital fundraising effort, but we continue to see progress," he says.  

On a broad level, the development contributes to the revitalization of the West Broadway commercial corridor. "At a time of great disparities in joblessness in North Minneapolis and communities of color, this is a chance to bring a support mechanism that works in a very direct way."

Source: Mike Wynne, executive director, Emerge Community Development
Writer: Anna Pratt

Artspace Projects, Inc. is in the middle of putting together the funding for a $15 million development to go on a parcel near the Guthrie Theater, on the eastern edge of downtown Minneapolis.

The project, which has been dubbed ArtCube, includes 45 affordable live/work studios for artists; it's similar to another Artspace project in Northeast, called the Jac Flats (which The Line wrote about here), according to Heidi Kurtze, the group's property development director. 

The five-story building will have 8,000 square feet of commercial space, while 20,000 square feet will be devoted to an arts incubator for the larger community, though the details are still being fleshed out, Kurtze says.

A portion of the incubator, from which the development gets the "cube" part of its name, could be devoted to a gallery and offices, plus an artist residency program she says, citing some possible uses for the space.

To figure out the "best and highest use of space," the group will carry on a community engagement process over the next several months. "We're having a number of conversations with nearby arts organizations that are in need of more space," she says.

Also being explored is the idea of an urban farm to go on the building's rooftop--one that could have some kind of connection to the Mill City Farmers Market, Kurtze says.  

On April 5 the City Council's community development committee deemed the project one of 10 city development priorities for transit-oriented design funds this year from Hennepin County, according to city information. ArtCube, which applied for a $500,000 grant from the county, is well connected to a couple of nearby stops for the Hiawatha Light Rail line. 

In addition to the county funds, the group intends to apply for grants from the city and Metropolitan Council.

Depending on when the financing comes through, Artspace could start construction next year on the L-shaped development, which is adjacent to the future headquarters of the American Academy of Neurology.  

Source: Heidi Kurtze, director of property development for Artspace Projects Inc.
Writer: Anna Pratt 

Seward Redesign, a neighborhood nonprofit developer, is taking steps to make "phase two" of its proposed Seward Commons a reality at the industrial four-acre site that was formerly home to the Bystrom Brothers machine shop, between Minnehaha and Cedar avenues south on 22nd Street in Minneapolis.

Seward Commons, which has long been in planning stages, is a sustainable transit-oriented housing development, according to project information. The development process has been divided into a couple of phases that separately deal with housing for the "persistent mentally ill" and seniors.   

"Phase two" specifically relates to 60 units of senior housing in the complex, which Seward Redesign associate director Katya Piling says is in high demand from the area's aging population. "People love the neighborhood and want to stay here," she says.

To make it happen, Seward Redesign is considering the possibility of teaming up with CommonBond Communities, another local nonprofit developer that already has a presence in the neighborhood at the Seward Towers. The possibility will be presented at a Seward Neighborhood Group committee meeting on April 12.  

The details of such a collaboration need to be worked out to meet the requirements of a Housing and Urban Development funding application, for which the deadline is coming up, she says.

For the 40 units of supportive housing, plus administrative offices, dining, and health and wellness facilities that are a part of "phase one," the group's partner is Touchstone Mental Health.

Seward Redesign acquired the land, which has nine buildings on the premises, in June 2009. Since the beginning, the community has been looped into the master-planning effort, which goes back even before then.  

Ultimately, Seward Redesign wants to transform the off-the-beaten-path industrial area into a lively link to the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit (LRT) line. Already the group has taken pains to open up access to pedestrians along a trail near the line, which means people don't have to cross busy, four-lane Cedar Avenue to get to the Franklin Street LRT Station.

In the future, Seward Redesign hopes to create a well-lit path that "provides a more direct, flat way to reach the station," Piling says.  

The group has put a lot of thought into environmental issues. On the site, Seward Redesign plans to implement cutting-edge stormwater-management practices. Already, the existing parking lot has become an urban farm, which could be expanded to the development's rooftop. "We want to integrate agriculture into the development in the long-term," she says.   


Source: Katya Pilling, Associate Director, Seward Redesign     
Writer: Anna Pratt