Minneapolis plan includes open container ‘social districts’ and pedestrian mall
Visitors in downtown Minneapolis pose with a statue of Mary Tyler Moore found along Nicollet Mall. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - In what they’re calling a "downtown action plan," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and a group of nearly two dozen industry leaders are proposing changes to the heart of the city that include turning Nicollet Mall to pedestrian-use only, streamlining the process for investing in vacant buildings, and doubling-down on the Warehouse District for sports and entertainment options – including a "social district" that would allow open containers of alcohol.
What we know
Mayor Frey announced the plan on Monday, touting the "unified vision for the future of downtown" as one that would be a comprehensive strategy to make the downtown area of Minneapolis a "24-7 destination for residents, visitors, and businesses."
The Downtown Action Council, chaired by Frey, and composed of stakeholders in regional business, labor, nonprofits, real estate, arts, and sports— will be the overseeing of the plan.
"We’re bringing together a group of leaders that know how to execute and get things done, and we’re going to continue to transform downtown Minneapolis into a place where people – from all walks of life and from all places – want to be," said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in a statement accompanying the plan. "Together, we are building the next phase of Minneapolis, and we’re doing it right."
Nicollet Mall, social districts
According to Frey, the plan will look to "transform ideas into action" while creating a pedestrian mall where the current bus route-only Nicollet Mall currently resides, allowing for outdoor seating, public art displays and year-round entertainment, as well as, possible ice skating and increased green space.
"Nicollet Mall could be a pedestrian utopia," Frey said at a media event on Monday. "It could be a place where we’re getting both people onto the street, and buses and traffic off of the street."
As part of the plan, the group will also look to further invest in the Warehouse District as a prominent location for both nightlife and sports, in part by adding new signage and billboards, improving lighting and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, offering more year-round events and potentially creating "social districts" that could allow open alcohol containers, such as Anoka has done in past years.
To further promote investment in the downtown region, the plan would also look to make it easier for businesses to re-use properties, and for investors to convert vacant offices into housing. The plan would seek to expedite the city’s permitting processes, while reducing red tape and ordinances, and advocate for building code changes and sources of funding options.
"Now is the time for all of us – government, private sector, nonprofits, and activists – to come together to keep elevating downtown Minneapolis to its full potential," said Minneapolis City Council member Michael Rainville in a statement. "By working together, we’re creating a downtown that’s vibrant, welcoming, and accessible to all."
Previously, a Vibrant Downtown Storefronts Workgroup conducted several listening sessions in 2023 to determine how initiatives to "revitalize downtown" could be expanded and implemented.
According to a press release, Minneapolis has experienced a 45% increase in foot traffic since 2023, with nearly 70% of downtown workers returning to downtown locations at least once a week.