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