An $80 million redevelopment proposal for the 6.5-acre parcel at Lake
Street and Hiawatha Avenue in South Minneapolis, where the building that
formerly housed the Brown Institute sits, emphasizes the popular
Midtown Farmers Market and other nearby amenities, including light rail transit and the YWCA.
The current building, which is owned by the
Minneapolis Public Schools,
would be torn down. Whether the school district might still have
offices or classrooms in the complex is up in the air, according to Jack
Boarman, a senior partner with the
BKV Group Architects.
The
local architecture firm is collaborating on the project with a handful
of partners that fall under the umbrella of L&H Development. Theirs
was the only response to a request for proposals from the public schools
and city, which had a Nov. 1 deadline.
Under the proposal, a
mix of affordable, senior, and market-rate housing units, along with
street-level retail and office space, would be scattered throughout a
series of three to five buildings.
It's an area that has mainly
single-family homes, according to Boarman, who adds that the proposed variety of housing would open it up for residents of all income levels.
Boarman says the
team tried to be sensitive to the Corcoran neighborhood's goals for the
area, creating a walkable place that will serve residents and the
broader community.
For starters, "People can move through the
development into what we're calling the Farmers Market Plaza," he says,
adding that the buildings would be configured around a series of
courtyards, with sidewalks and a boulevard leading to the
Hiawatha Light Rail Transit line.
Sustainability is top of mind, he says, and easy access to the train encourages residents to go car-free.
In
the coming weeks, the proposal will go before a city committee and the
neighborhood group, with Minneapolis Public Schools making a decision on
the matter sometime in December.
Source: Jack Boarman, senior partner at BKV Group Architects
Writer: Anna Pratt