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George Floyd Square: City moves forward with plans
The City of Minneapolis is moving forward with plans to redevelop George Floyd Square in Minneapolis.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The City of Minneapolis is moving forward with plans to redevelop George Floyd Square into a community site. A meeting on Monday evening discussed ideas for a nearby gas station, street designs, and memorials.
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Nearly every day, George Floyd’s aunt, Angela Harrelson, visits the intersection where her nephew was killed in 2020.
"I was able to work through that process because of the love I’ve received from the 38th and Chicago community," she said.
The site will forever bear Floyd's name and has become a sacred place for many – as Angela witnessed on morning at the memorial site. "This gentleman rolled up, got off his bicycle, said ‘Good morning, George.’ Then he got back on his bicycle and left. I went, ‘Wow. That was so touching. that was really touching.’"
The city is now finalizing plans to revitalize the area with three street design concepts, all of which include spaces for pedestrians, gatherings, and art while preserving the community-created memorial. The current proposal would integrate the memorial into the sidewalk, moving it from the street.
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On Monday, the city also began seeking community-based developers to submit proposals for redeveloping "The People’s Way," the gas station that became a rally spot following Floyd's death just steps away..
KingDemetrius Pendleton, an independent journalist and owner of the "Listen 2 Us" photography studio at George Floyd Square, expressed his hope that the redevelopment would remain community-driven.
"People in the community should have a big say," said Pendleton. "I would love to see them give it to the community… let the people in the community deal with this process."
Angela Harrelson echoed those sentiments.
"Just having a memorial here is not enough. They have to focus on the needs of the community," she said.