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‘Floyd Square’ future becoming clearer
Minneapolis officials are providing a better idea of what George Floyd Square could look like in the future after the city unveiled updated plans for a revitalized 38th and Chicago in south Minneapolis.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - After spending nine months seeking input from residents, city officials on Tuesday unveiled their plans for a revitalized George Floyd Square.
What we know
The plans opt for keeping the area around East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue open to traffic while repairing the aging streets and expanding the sidewalks, which are frequented by tourists.
"It will be ADA accessible, and really providing those wide sidewalks to be accommodating of people…" said Nathan Koster, the city’s transportation planning manager.
The plans also call for selling the defunct Speedway gas station, which the city purchased in 2023. It plans to sell the property to an organization that will use it to serve the community.
The city also plans to integrate memorials into future developments, with input from artists.
In addition, the plans allow Metro Transit D Line and Route 5 bus services to return, something small business owners welcome.
"The business owners right now — we’re suffering," said Dwight Alexander, who owns Smoke in the Pit. "That’d help a lot because that’s everyday traffic and advertisement for us."
Plan opposition
Others were not as keen on the plans.
"Why reconstruct a street if people are just going to be sleeping on it?" asked Jenny Jones, who lives near George Floyd Square.
Jones also questioned the city’s involvement in the project.
"If the city killed a man — city people on city time killed a man — they don’t have a say in how that man is memorialized," she said.
The city did not have an estimate for the cost of the project, but noted it has about $5.5 million set aside for it.
Project organizers plan to share their plans with the city council in November, with construction expected to start in 2025.