 Mayor Jacob Frey is condemning the Minneapolis City Council for overriding his veto of Council Action 2025A-0151, a move that significantly delays progress at George Floyd Square and goes against the community’s wishes. By pushing forward with the exploration of a street closure at E 38th St. and Chicago Ave. S, the Council is not only wasting as much as $500,000 in taxpayer money but also undermining years of community engagement.
The Council’s vote:
-
Delays progress at George Floyd Square until at least mid-2026.
-
Costs up to an additional $500,000 in taxpayer dollars, on top of the $2.2 million already spent.
-
Ignores the wishes of the community, as evidenced by years of overwhelmingly clear feedback.
-
Disregards the voices of surrounding businesses who have repeatedly voiced opposition.
-
Ignores the spirit of State Law, which requires 50% of adjacent property owners not object to a pedestrian mall.
-
Relies on gerrymandering, manipulating the boundaries to exclude the input of neighbors.
-
Lacks vision, with no clear plan for meeting the community’s needs or a timeline.
-
Delays other planned Public Works projects around the city in order to cover the unbudgeted cost.
“The Council’s decision is a betrayal of the community’s wishes and a colossal waste of time and tax dollars,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “Why the Council is content to let this site sit idle, without any meaningful development and no legitimate plan, is beyond me. Our City staff have worked tirelessly alongside the community to bring forward a thoughtful, community-centered vision. Yet, this plan is being ignored by a small minority, which is simply not good governance.”
The City has invested more than $2 million on community engagement and staff resources for George Floyd Square since 2020—efforts that the City Council requested. Today’s decision will add up to an additional $500,000 in costs, all to reach a conclusion we already know: A pedestrian mall is not viable without the support of the surrounding property owners and cannot happen without manipulating the process to exclude the voices of those directly affected.
Instead of respecting the results that emerged from years of engagement, the Council is opting for a technical maneuver to gerrymander a small pedestrian mall that will undoubtedly face even more legal and logistical challenges. This action is not only a slap in the face to the democratic process, but it also undermines the long-term viability of George Floyd Square and delays critical infrastructure improvements this community deserves.
“Overriding the mayor’s veto and moving forward with this pedestrian mall plan is not just a poor decision—it’s fiscally irresponsible,” said City Operations Officer Margaret Anderson Kelliher. “On top of the $2.23M already spent on engagement, we will have to delay other projects around the city to cover the unbudgeted cost of further studying a plan that the community opposes, and the law doesn’t support. This is a disservice to residents.”
“Our staff worked tirelessly for years to engage community members and develop a flexible-open concept that balances reverence for George Floyd Square with community needs for transit, emergency services, and flexible space for gatherings.” said Public Works Director Tim Sexton. “Work was slated to begin this year, however today’s decision means that critical infrastructure upgrades for this community will not begin until mid to late 2026 at the earliest.”
Flexible-open concept
The Council’s move dismisses years of community engagement that informed the development of a “flexible-open” concept for the intersection at E 38th St. and Chicago Ave. S—which would allow traffic and transit to continue to flow while maintaining the ability to close the square to vehicles for public events.
In addition to creating a memorial that could be closed to traffic for public events, the flexible-open concept—originally set for construction this fall—included critical infrastructure upgrades to the area, including:
- Green stormwater systems.
- Upgraded street lighting.
- New sidewalks and bike lanes.
- Replacement of lead drinking water pipes.
- Green spaces and planted boulevards.
- Restored Metro Transit service on one of the city’s busiest routes.
- Expanded areas for future memorials and art installations.
Mayor Frey is again calling on the City Council to reconsider their vote and to return to the flexible-open concept plan that the community supports. It’s time to stop wasting resources and delaying progress. The community deserves action, not more delays.
| 
