Featured Stories

Outside Nic on Fifth, courtesy Nic on Fifth

The Two Towers: New Minneapolis Highrises Are Poised to Change Downtown Living

Chris Dall Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Architects, developers and city officials hope that two new apartment towers, which are changing the skyline of downtown Minneapolis, will transform street life and commerce with an influx of new residents and new businesses.

Creative Economy, Nightlife, Reuse / Rebuild, Shopping, Sustainability, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

Downtown

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

Rail~Volution Recap: The Power of Millennials and Transit Planning in the Twin Cities

Brian Martucci and Kyle Mianulli Wednesday, October 15, 2014

The message of this year's Rail~Volution conference in the Twin Cities was clear: To attract and retain top talent in the coming decades, cities must meet Millennials' preferences for effective transit options.

Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, Emerging Technologies, Regionalism, Strong Local Economy, Sustainability, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

Downtown, Downtown/Lowertown

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

Small Scale, Big Deal: An Innovative Idea Exchange at UIX

Matthew Lewis & Claire Nelson Wednesday, August 13, 2014

"What's next for your city?" That the question Urban Innovation Exchange (UIX) will explore at its first national convening this September 24-26, 2014 in Detroit.

Arts and Culture, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, Design, Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy, Regionalism, Reuse / Rebuild, Strong Local Economy, Sustainability, Talent Dividend, Transit Oriented Development

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

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

Installing the Boyces' array, courtesy EcoMetro Tour

Solar Twin Cities: Where Urban Farming, Social Justice, Green Tech and Sustainable Living Meet

Camille LeFevre Wednesday, May 21, 2014

A sneak peek at the solar initiatives of a Twin Cities homeowner, nonprofit and entrepreneurial restaurant/farm featured during the EcoMetro Sustainable Living Tour on May 31 sponsored by the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society.

Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership, Design, diversity, Emerging Technologies, Emerging Technology, Energy, Entrepreneurship, Green Jobs, Strong Local Economy, Sustainability, Transit Oriented Development

University, Saint Anthony Park, Southwest, North Side, Downtown/Lowertown

Revelers do the brew at Dangerous Man, courtesy Dangerous Man Brewing

Twin Cities Brew Boom Taps Into Placemaking, Entrepreneurship, Neighborhood Synergies

Brian Martucci Wednesday, May 07, 2014

Since the passage of the Surly Bill 2012, craft-beer entrepreneurs have rapidly opened breweries with taprooms in neighborhoods throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul. All are doing their part to turn neighborhoods into top-of-mind destinations.

Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Entrepreneurship, Nightlife, Strong Local Economy, Transit Oriented Development

Central Avenue, Midway, Saint Anthony Park, Lake Street, Southwest, Downtown/Lowertown, Warehouse/North Loop, Northeast

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

Creative CityMaking: Minneapolis' Model for Diversity in Placemaking

Brian Martucci Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Creative CityMaking, Intermedia Arts’ bold placemaking, problem-solving collaboration with the City of Minneapolis, recently received a three-year grant that promises to deepen the initiative’s reach in previously unimaginable ways.

Arts and Culture, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, diversity, Philanthropy, Transit Oriented Development

University, North Side, Uptown/Lyn Lake

A new bus stop on the future Nicollet Mall? courtesy James Corner Field Operations

Third Time's a Charm? Another Redesign for Minneapolis' Nicollet Mall

Frank Edgerton Martin Wednesday, March 19, 2014

James Corner, who re-imagined New York City's wildly popular urban destination, the High Line, is the latest to re-envision Nicollet Mall's potential as a vital, urban public space.

Design, Transit Oriented Development

Downtown