Work began earlier this year to prepare the Upper Harbor site for the City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Phase 1 Public Infrastructure Project. Site work this spring and summer included removal of non-native vegetation and railroad tracks. Structure demolition, site grading and shoreline grading are underway, to prepare for street and park construction in 2023-24.

The 2023-24 Public Infrastructure Project includes:

• Constructing a new north-south parkway
• Reconstructing Dowling Ave N and 33^rd Ave N
• Improving the Dowling & Washington Ave N intersection
• Constructing riverfront multi-use trails through the site
• Constructing 20 acres of public park with restored shoreline running the length of the site
• Constructing new or upgrading existing public utilities to support the planned uses on the site

Reminder that the equipment used for this work is large and heavy and can be extremely dangerous if people are not alert around it. Stay away from it at all times. Please, above all, impress upon any children to stay away from material piles and equipment parked on or near the job site.

Check out a couple of recent videos of the demolition work in progress from Mississippi Watershed Management Organization and Star Tribune.

Recent Grant Awards for Upper Harbor Redevelopment

In August the Hennepin County Board awarded the City a $743,482 Emergency Response Fund (ERF) grant for soil cleanup costs associated with construction of the new, 20-acre riverfront park at the former Upper Harbor Terminal site. The County acknowledged the following impacts of the redevelopment of the Upper Harbor:

• The project will be the largest single land addition to the Minneapolis park system in decades and is part of a broader vision of transforming the formerly industrial riverfront
• The park project includes restoring and revegetating/reforesting old industrial riverfront land and shoreline

In August the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) awarded a $2.6 million grant to the MPRB for shoreline and habitat restoration work and a pedestrian overlook at the Upper Harbor. Visit the MWMO project page for more information.

Thank you to our partners at Hennepin County and MWMO for their support and investment in this once in a generation redevelopment.  

Upper Harbor Project Webpages

Visit the City’s Upper Harbor project related webpages for more information:

• Department of Community Planning and Economic Development’s Upper Harbor redevelopment
• Department of Public Works’ Upper Harbor Public Infrastructure/Street Construction project

Visit the MPRB Upper Harbor Regional Park project page for more information on the park project.

Stay Informed

For the latest Upper Harbor news, updates, and engagement events:

• follow the City of Minneapolis on Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor
• sign up for the Upper Harbor email subscription list for general project updates
• sign up for the Upper Harbor Public Infrastructure email subscription list for Public Works project updates

For reasonable accommodations or alternative formats please contact:

• City of Minneapolis: john.louis@minneapolismn.gov
• Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board: canderson@minneapolisparks.org

People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000.  TTY users can call 612-263-6850. Para asistencia 612-673-2700, Rau kev pab 612-673-2800, Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay 612-673-3500