Featured Stories

MSP's Theater Community Then and Now: Building New Rooms in a House They Constructed

Peg Guilfoyle Tuesday, April 19, 2016

The second article in our two-part series about the diverse people and companies that helped build the Minneapolis-St. Paul theater community.

Arts and Culture, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership, diversity, Nightlife, Philanthropy

Riverfront/Mill District, Macalester - Groveland, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Lake Street, Uptown/Lyn Lake, Downtown/Lowertown, Thomas - Dale/Frogtown

MSP's Theater Community Then and Now: From the Old Log to the Legacy Amendment

Peg Guilfoyle Tuesday, April 05, 2016

We introduce the first in a two-part series about how MSP became the second-largest theater region after New York, as well as mobile, inventive and idiosyncratic.

Arts and Culture, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, diversity, Entrepreneurship, Higher Education, Nightlife

Riverfront/Mill District, University, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Downtown, Downtown/Lowertown, Powderhorn, Warehouse/North Loop

Make the Switch from Car to Bike Commute This Winter: Here's How

Brian Martucci Tuesday, December 08, 2015

Imagine a day in a bike commuter’s boots. How does he or she prepare before walking out the door? How do they stay comfortable behind Arctic fronts and snow curtains — even the dreaded polar vortex. Here's how.

Entrepreneurship, Shopping, Sustainability, Transportation

5 Stops Not To Miss on the Blue Line

Brian Martucci Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Metro Transit's Green Line just celebrated its first anniversary and MSP’s transit community is abuzz with a bevy of planned or under-construction projects. But there's sill plenty to see and do along MSP’s original light rail line, the Blue Line. Get reacquainted with your hometown with these five Blue Line stops.

Nightlife, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

Riverfront/Mill District, University, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Downtown, Warehouse/North Loop

Take Me Out to a Ballgame and Brewpub: Your Guide to Game Day Transit and Venturing Afield

Brian Martucci Tuesday, June 02, 2015

Baseball season is upon us. Why not turn game day into an opportunity to explore neighborhoods around CHS Field in St. Paul's Lowertown and Target Field in Minneapolis' North Loop, which are bookended by Green Line light-rail stops?

Central Corridor, Nightlife, Strong Local Economy, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

University, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Downtown, Saint Anthony Park, Downtown/Lowertown, Warehouse/North Loop

The City as Your Living Room: Will Micro-Apts Go Macro in MSP?

Camille LeFevre Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Interest in micro-apartments is growing in MSP because of their affordability and design, the community spaces within the building and the city itself as the living room.

Affordable Housing, Creative Economy, Design, Entrepreneurship, Transit Oriented Development

University, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Downtown, Uptown/Lyn Lake, Warehouse/North Loop

Community Developers Create Room to Mingle

Gayle Thorsen Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Twin Cities community developers aim to create more public spaces in lower-income neighborhoods as common assets for all to enjoy.

Affordable Housing, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, diversity, Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy, Strong Local Economy

Greater East Side, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, North Side, Nokomis, Thomas - Dale/Frogtown

Ryan Companies' work in DT East includes two office towers (right) for Wells Fargo, courtesy Ryan Co

A Long Way From Surface Parking Lots: Downtown East's Rapid Transformation

Brian Martucci Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Downtown East could soon become the national face of MSP; quite a step up for a neighborhood that barely existed a decade ago.

Affordable Housing, Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership, Design, High Technology, Nightlife, Regionalism, Strong Local Economy, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

Riverfront/Mill District, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Downtown

Forget Midwest. We Are North: Repositioning MSP's National Identity for the 21st Century

Camille LeFevre Wednesday, December 03, 2014

According to a recent panel discussion, we need to own our cold climate and our ingenuity in order to attract new talent, continue fueling the innovation at the heart of our economy, and create a new and authentic national identity. Shall we call ourselves the North?

Arts and Culture, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership, Design, diversity, Regionalism, Strong Local Economy, Talent Dividend

Cycling in the Cities: Seven New Local Inventions for Bike Enthusiasts Here and Around the Globe

Brian Martucci Wednesday, October 22, 2014

The Twin Cities is a leader in bicycle use and a major innovator in bicycle design and technology. The seven inventions profiled here have, or will have, an impact on the local and global cycling industry. And the pace of innovation shows no sign of slowing down.

Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, Design, Emerging Technologies, Emerging Technology, Entrepreneurship, Strong Local Economy, Sustainability, Transportation

Shawn Combs Walding, photo by Brian Martucci

Q+A: Shawn Combs Walding, MnDOT's Transit Advantages Coordinator

Brian Martucci Wednesday, October 15, 2014

We recently sat down with Shawn Combs Walding, MnDOT’s Transit Advantages Coordinator for the Twin Cities Metro District to discuss alternative transportation in the Twin Cities, what local entities can do to promote transit use, and how easy it really is to be car-free.

Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, diversity, Sustainability, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

Equity, Empowerment: How Community-Driven TOD is Transforming Green Line Neighborhoods

Brian Martucci Wednesday, October 01, 2014

Four neighborhood initiatives along the Green Line demonstrate how the Central Corridor is becoming a local and national model for equitable and empowering community-driven transit-oriented development (TOD).

Affordable Housing, Arts and Culture, Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership, diversity, Entrepreneurship, Strong Local Economy, Transit Oriented Development

University, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Thomas - Dale/Frogtown

Nancy Fischer and Lars Christiansen, photo by Brian Martucci

How Being "Car Ownership Free" Led to Healthy Living, Community Organizing and Embracing Transit

Brian Martucci Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Two years ago, Lars Christiansen and Nancy Fischer sold their car and plunged into the Twin Cities’ rich network of public and alternative modes of transportation, which led to a healthier lifestyle and innovating the Friendly Streets Initiative.

Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership, Sustainability, Transportation

Midway, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Seward, Thomas - Dale/Frogtown

Planners attribute $2.5 billion in new development to the Green Line, photo by Kyle Mianulli

Beyond the Rails: Mapping the Development, Cultural and Community Impact of the New Green Line

Kyle Mianulli Wednesday, June 11, 2014

More than providing a convenient, environmentally friendly transit option, the $957 million Green Line light-rail project down the Central Corridor is proving a catalyst for rejuvenating the once vibrant, 11-mile spine connecting the Twin Cities.

Affordable Housing, Central Corridor, diversity, Shopping, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

Union Park, University, Macalester - Groveland, Midway, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Saint Anthony Park, Downtown/Lowertown, Thomas - Dale/Frogtown, Summit - University

Marking alleys, courtesy Andy Sturdevant

Alley Activation: Pathways to Urban Revitalization

Eric Peterson Wednesday, April 23, 2014

From Seattle to Washington D.C., alleys are being reinvented as people-friendly spaces. Often perceived as dirty and dangerous, alleys are moving beyond garbage and garages to become havens for pedestrians, public art and small business.

Arts and Culture, Coordination/Collaboration