 Top and Bottom Right: Weis builders survey the tunnels located underneath the Pillsbury A-Mill; Bottom Left: Outside of A-Mill under construction.
Built in 1881, the historic Pillsbury A-Mill was once the
largest flour mill in the world. It was in operation until 2003. Now, it is one
of three Minneapolis structures designated as a National Historic Landmark and is
undergoing a massive redevelopment into 251, affordable-housing
artist lofts by Dominium, a Minnesota based real estate owner and developer.
Currently, Dominium is working on making the building once
again hydropowered (the conversion of water into energy). The A-Mill’s location
next to St. Anthony Falls, in addition to an 16- by 25-foot preexisting historic
tunnel system (originally used to convert river water flowing through the
system to mechanical power for milling flour inside the building) makes it ideal
for hydropower. The City helped this project by conducting a study helping
inform Dominium of the feasibility of using the tunnel system for implementing
hydropower in the A-Mill. A five-foot diameter pipe from the Mississippi River located above the
falls will transfer water through a tunnel under Main Street to a drop shaft,
where it will drop into a turbine spinning at 600 rotations a minute generating
600 kilowatts of energy. The water will be emptied out below the falls without
any endangerment to wildlife and/or the aesthetic appearance of the falls. It
is expected to generate clean, renewable and efficient energy to meet about 70%
of the property’s electrical needs and will be completed by December. In
addition, Dominium also will use efficient hydrothermal energy from the water
flowing through the tunnel system for heating and cooling the building.
So the public can enjoy the historic tunnel system, Dominium
is in talks with the Mill City Museum to allow them to have guided
tours and an interpretive space inside the basement and tunnel of the A-Mill. In addition,
Dominium worked closely with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the National Park Service, the State
Historic Preservation Office, the City of Minneapolis and Xcel Energy throughout
the planning and design of the project.
Already 100 percent leased, a grand opening celebration for
the A-Mill is being planned for late 2015 or early 2016.
 Top: New Greenway Heights apartments located on the Midtown Greenway with 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom units; Bottom Left: Family oriented community spaces: Bottom Right: mail area. (Photos by Lisa Ventinque)
On September 10th, Greenway Heights hosted a
celebratory open house. Located at 2845 Bloomington Avenue South in
Minneapolis, Greenway Heights is an affordable housing apartment building for
larger families and contains 42 two to four bedroom apartment units on the Midtown
Greenway. The open house included tours
of the units and offered attendees the opportunity to interact with the project
management team, City leaders, and building residents.
Greenway Heights was co-developed by PRG and Phoenix
Development and is the product of years of community planning efforts by the
East Phillips Improvement Coalition (EPIC), which saw the need for affordable
larger family units in the neighborhood. With rents ranging from $840-$1,087
and amenities that include balconies, a youth activity center, a fitness room,
an indoor play area, and a community room, the apartments were in extremely
high demand.
"Phoenix developed both this
affordable project and a market rate project on the Greenway. The opportunity
to create housing along the Greenway affordable to large working class families
is especially satisfying," said Loren Brueggemann, principal Phoenix Development Company.
Sources of funding for Greenway Heights include the City of
Minneapolis, City Real Estate Advisors, Dougherty & Company LLC, the East
Phillips Improvement Coalition, the Family Housing Fund, Hennepin County, the
Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation, the Local Initiatives Support
Corporation, the Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency,
and U.S. Bank.
 Images provided by Peace Coffee
Peace Coffee began in 1996, roasting and distributing
fair-trade, organic coffee to local Natural Food Co-ops and specialty grocers like
Lund’s and Kowalski’s. It wasn’t until 2010 that Peace Coffee opened its first
retail store in the Longfellow neighborhood, and since then has opened
locations in the Cappella Tower in downtown Minneapolis and in Richfield. The
company is also committed to environmental preservation, using compostable products
whenever possible and delivering coffee beans by bike across the Twin Cities
year round!
Owned by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
(IATP), a nonprofit, Peace Coffee’s core mission is to benefit small coffee
farmers. With a social mission at heart,
the company believes in forming strong relationships with the farmers they
source from in Central and South America, Ethiopia, Sumatra, and Laos. Peace
Coffee also places a strong importance on community building in Minneapolis and
is involved with Open Streets; farmers markets throughout the city; and the
arts, including the Minneapolis Fringe Festival, In the Heart of the Beast, and
Pillsbury House Theatre.
Peace Coffee employs 75 people and distributes to over 1000
retailers nationwide, from small coffee shops to large stores such as Target
and Whole Foods. The growing interest in coffee keeps Peace Coffee on its toes,
always coming out with new seasonal drinks and roasts to keep things
interesting. This fall, Peace Coffee has a “Nocturnal Brew,” a dark roast with
beans sourced from Ethiopia and southern Laos. At the coffee shops they are
offering a seasonally appropriate Harvest Moon Latte, made with organic
pumpkins from Big River Farms located at Marine on St. Croix in Minnesota.
Founded by the creators of The Nerdery in 2015, PRIME Digital Academy is an intensive program that teaches students the fundamentals of computer programming in just 18 weeks. PRIME’s students come from diverse backgrounds and varying levels of technical experience (including those with zero programming experience), making it an ideal option for those seeking a career in computer programming. |
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For Chelsea Okey, a PRIME Graduate, army veteran, and graduate
of the University of Minnesota, PRIME helped launch her career as a software
developer. After debating going back to school for Computer Science, Chelsea chose
PRIME because its short length, affordability and the relevant skill set the
program teaches. Now, Chelsea is a software developer at SmartThings, and accredits
PRIME for preparing her for the fast pace of the tech industry and giving her a
foot in the door for networking.
While technology is an evolving industry, Chelsea states
that more diversity is necessary to bring new ideas, building stronger
end-products. One PRIME’s greatest benefit is the opportunity it gives those
from non-technology backgrounds a chance to be a part of the field.
The City of Minneapolis and Mayor's Office is a strong supporter and
partner of PRIME. In March, Minneapolis
along with 20+ other cities was officially named a TechHire city by the
President of the United States. As part
of this initiative, the City's employment and Training Division is offering scholarships for future PRIME students
who qualify as low-income. Students
simply need to fill out the application and request scholarship
assistance. If they qualify, they will
be connected through PRIME.
For more information or to apply for PRIME, you can contact the City or visit the PRIME website.
Mayor Betsy Hodges and the City of Minneapolis in partnership with
EMERGE and Creating IT Futures Foundation have announced the launch of a free
10 week IT-Ready career certification program geared specifically for young
adults aged 18-24 in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood.
The IT career training is part of the Mayor and City’s TechHire
initiative which aims to increase the number of women and people of color
working in the tech sector by providing nontraditional, accelerated technology
training and support.
“With an 8.36% increase in tech job employment gains Minnesota is leading
the nation according to the latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics,” said Mayor Betsy Hodges.
“For Minneapolis to remain competitive we need to make sure our
workforce supply matches the needs of employers and engages the genius of our
diverse population.”
Information sessions and application help for the program are available
September 17, and September 24 from 12:00-2:30 p.m. at the Brian Coyle
Community Center (420 15th Avenue South, Minneapolis).
Find more information and an application here.
The Cedar Riverside IT-Ready program is funded by the City of
Minneapolis, Creating IT Futures Foundation, and the Pohlad Family Foundation.
WalletHub’s “2015’s
Most and Least Educated Cities” analysis compared 150 U.S. metropolitan areas
using nine metrics, including percentage of high school diploma holders and
highest average quality of top universities, to see where well-educated
citizens flock to – and avoid.
Minneapolis is named the ninth most educated city with Ann
Arbor, Michigan holding the crown at first.
America’s Top Ten Most Educated Cities:
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Washington, D.C
- Madison, WI
- Provo, UT
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Seattle, WA
- Boston, MA
- Lansing, MI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Raleigh, NC
 Top: Rendering for Commons at Penn; Bottom Left: Guests enjoy sneak peak reception; Bottom Middle: Devean George of Building Blocks; Bottom Right: City of Minneapolis Council Member Blong Yang
On September 10, the Commons at Penn Avenue, located at 2205
Golden Valley Road in North Minneapolis, hosted a sneak peek hard hat tour
showcasing the 47-unit affordable apartment development. The apartments are the
first project by local non-profit, Building Blocks. Founded in 2011 by
Minneapolis native and former professional basketball player Devean George,
Building Blocks empowers youth and families through life skills mentoring and
development of affordable housing.
The development is comprised of one-, two-, and
three-bedroom units featuring modern appliances and spacious floor plans.
Amenities include bike storage, a fitness center, laundry facilities, a picnic
area, and an outdoor playground. In addition, Wirth Co-op will be anchoring the
first floor and is expected to open in early 2016. Funding for Commons at Penn
came from Minnesota Equity Fund/Great Lakes Capital, City of Minneapolis,
Hennepin County, Metropolitan Council, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, Pohlad
Family Foundation, Family Housing Fun, Local Initiatives Support Corporation
(LISC), and Sunrise Bank.
An interest list is currently being formed and new residents
are expected to start moving in mid-December 2015. For additional leasing
information, click here.
 Images provided by Friends of the Cemetery
Cinema in the Cemetery will feature two spooky films this
fall to provide family fun in the spirit of Halloween:
Poltergeist
Saturday, September 26, 8pm
Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery
2945 Cedar Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Fees:
Advance (through September 19): $5 ($6.17 with service fee)
General (September 20-26): $8 ($9.27 with service fee)
Purchase
a Ticket
Hӓxan: Witchcraft Through The Ages
Saturday, October 3, 8pm
Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery
2945 Cedar Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Fees:
General: $10 ($11.34 with service fee)
Purchase
a Ticket
If there is inclement weather, the events will be rescheduled
for October 3rd (Poltergeist) and October 10th (Hӓxan:
Witchcraft Through The Ages).
More Information
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