Featured Stories

Patricia Blakely on the bus, photo by Kyle Mianulli

Five Steps to Going Car Free in MSP and Savoring the Rewards

Kyle Mianulli Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Is life better without a car? For Patricia Blakely, of Minneapolis, the answer is a resounding “yes!” In her book Carfree Living: Happy in the Not So Fast Lane, and this article, she outlines five simple steps to going car free.

Central Corridor, Creative Leadership, Sustainability, Transportation

MSP's Sharing Economy Hits the Road: The Scoop on Lyft, Uber, Car2Go and HourCar

Brian Martucci Wednesday, July 16, 2014

CoCo's coworking spaces, NiceRide's ubiquitous bikes and incubator kitchens were just the beginning. The sharing economy storming the Twin Cities also includes a burgeoning ridesharing (or carsharing) phenomenon.

Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, Sustainability, Transportation

The Lunds next to Chute Square in Minneapolis, courtesy Steve/sdate

The Complete City: Why Density and Amenities Are Essential to Everyday Urban Living

Camille LeFevre Wednesday, July 09, 2014

After decades of population loss, many cities are now growing faster than the rest of their metro areas. Urban living is now the new normal. What amenities are necessary to sustain a dense and vibrant city? The answers might surprise you.

Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, diversity, Nightlife, Reuse / Rebuild, Shopping, Strong Local Economy, Sustainability, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

Riverfront/Mill District, Downtown, Warehouse/North Loop, Northeast

10 Local Apps for Mobilizing Summer in the Cities

Dan Heilman Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Summer in Minneapolis-St. Paul is all about getting out and about. Here are 10 homegrown apps to help you make the most of your summer in the cities.

Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership, Design, Emerging Technology, Entrepreneurship, Nightlife, Transportation

Riverfront/Mill District, Central Avenue, Downtown, Lake Street, Uptown/Lyn Lake, West Seventh, Longfellow, Downtown/Lowertown, Warehouse/North Loop, Northeast

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

Connecting to the cities by bus, photo by Kyle Mianulli

Car Free and Carefree in MSP: Why Ali Lozoff Kicked Car Ownership to the Curb

Kyle Mianulli Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Welcome to a new series on Twin Cities' residents who live car-free by walking, bicycling and using Metro Transit. Ali Lozoff: "If I can navigate this city all hours of the day and night on a bus, then anyone can do it.”

Energy, Transportation

Uptown/Lyn Lake, Downtown/Lowertown

Bryant Avenue Mosaic created by Twin Cities artist Sharra Frank

Polar/Hydro Vortexes? The Twin Cities' Perfect Climate for Biking

Conrad deFiebre Wednesday, May 07, 2014

While it's true that climate has an influence on the extent of nonmotorized transportation from place to place, it's probably not the way you assume. Across the nation, cold-weather locales like ours are nearly indistinguishable from the rest.

Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership, Regionalism, Sustainability, Transportation

The young women of Little Mekong, courtesy Little Mekong

Cultural Districts + LRT Stops: A Guide to the Central Corridor's Arts and Culture Hotspots

Jay Walljasper Wednesday, April 16, 2014

The Central Corridor is becoming the Twin Cities' new cultural hotspot showcasing local diversity, bringing communities closer together, and boosting economic opportunities.

Arts and Culture, Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, diversity, Entrepreneurship, Nightlife, Shopping, Strong Local Economy, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

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

Next in Transit: The Green Line, Then Southwest Rail?

Conrad deFiebre Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The Green Line sets the stage for a full regional transit network unlike anything we've seen since the heyday of the streetcars.

Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Transportation

University, Midway, Downtown, Saint Anthony Park, Southwest, Downtown/Lowertown

Assisting Fellows via the C3 and CCAP programs

Jobs, Housing, Transit: Leveraging the Economic Power of the Central Corridor's Anchor Institutions

Brian Martucci Wednesday, February 12, 2014

How key non-profits have forged partnerships with healthcare institutions along the Green Line to generate corridors of opportunity for job seekers, residents, and communities.

Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership, diversity, Healthcare, Higher Education, Strong Local Economy, Transportation

University, Midway, Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Saint Anthony Park, Downtown/Lowertown

All Aboard: How Urban Train Stations are Becoming Neighborhood Amenities

Rachel Kaufman Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Smart cities like Saint Paul are renovating their train stations (like the multi-modal hub Union Depot) into neighborhood and urban amenities.

Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, Regionalism, Reuse / Rebuild, Strong Local Economy, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

Midway, Downtown/Lowertown

Back to the Future With Bicycle Power

Conrad deFiebre Wednesday, January 22, 2014

New studies, national honors, and expanding facilities for two-wheel mobility all reflect sturdy growth of this economical, healthful, environmentally sound, and social-fabric-friendly way of getting around.

Creative Leadership, Sustainability, Transportation

Freewheel's Winter Expo--Courtesy Freewheel

Getting in Gear: Local Innovations--From Knobbies to Pogies to Rims--for Winter Biking

Brian Martucci Wednesday, December 18, 2013

The burgeoning winter-biking scene wouldn’t be possible without the bike designers, entrepreneurs, co-ops, fests, expos, zines, and coffee shops that give the community its innovative edge and vitality.

Creative Economy, Design, Entrepreneurship, Strong Local Economy, Sustainability, Transportation

Cedar - Riverside/West Bank, Downtown, Lake Street, Uptown/Lyn Lake