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Business leaders release plan to revitalize downtown Minneapolis by 2035

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Published  November 25, 2024 10:22pm CST
Minneapolis
FOX 9

Downtown Mpls revitalization plan announced

City officials have announced their plan to revitalize downtown Minneapolis. FOX 9's Maury Glover has more.

The Brief

    • Downtown Minneapolis is seeking to reinvent itself after the pandemic's impact.
    • The Downtown Council unveiled a 10-year plan called "Downtown by Design," and focuses on four priorities: cultivating neighborhoods, ensuring safety, improving accessibility, and creating an appealing atmosphere.
    • Proposals range from pedestrianizing Nicollet Mall to adding amenities like an outdoor skating rink.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Since the pandemic, downtown Minneapolis has struggled as the steady stream of office workers it used to count on hasn't returned. Now some city boosters believe they have a blueprint to revive downtown for the next decade and beyond.

"We've had enough time to dust ourselves off that we feel like we can actually confidently set our trajectory for the next ten years now," said Ben Shardlow, chief of staff for the Minneapolis Downtown Council.

The Downtown Council released a new report titled "Downtown by design" that lays out a 10-year plan to reimagine the city's core by 2035.

The wide-ranging proposals are all centered around four strategic priorities: cultivating neighborhoods, foundational safety, hassle-free systems and an irresistible vibe.

"It's a plan for us to develop a downtown that really meets the needs of people working and living and visiting downtown and really focusing on delivering a great experience for people when they're here," said Shardlow.

Some of the ideas have been talked about before, like making Nicollet Mall pedestrian only and removing or repurposing the U.S. Post Office to better connect downtown to the riverfront.

But other suggestions include building an outdoor skating rink and an indoor playground and transforming the skyways to bring people downtown when they aren't going to a concert or sporting event.

"This is meant to be a comprehensive vision that can stand the test of time over a 10-year time span and account for everything that we need to do," said Shardlow.

The Downtown Council says previous 10-year plans resulted in the new Vikings stadium and the renovation of Nicollet Mall.

The council believes this new plan will set downtown Minneapolis up for success well into the future.

"The challenge has been to whittle it down into something that we feel like we can deliver on, and we believe that we've done that with this plan," said Shardlow.

Minneapolis