More than a decade ago, the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) developed a vision for the development of the Upper Mississippi River. Entitled “Above the Falls: A Master Plan for the Upper River in Minneapolis,” the resulting document was intended to provide guiding principles for land-use policy and parks development on the east and west banks of the river. Among the plan’s recommendations were expanded trails and parkland, greater neighborhood access to the river, and a regional park that would extend from Plymouth Ave. to the Camden Bridge.
Guidelines from the Above the Falls (ATF) plan, approved in 2000, have been reflected in many park initiatives in the intervening years, including efforts to extend West River Road, add riverfront trail extensions and build a new MPRB headquarters alongside the river. Some of the plan’s implementation strategies have also been followed. Among these has been the creation of the ATF Citizen Advisory Committee and the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership, two groups that are now collaboratively involved in stewarding future developments along the river.
In 2010, efforts to redevelop the Upper Mississippi received a major boost with the establishment of the Minneapolis Riverfront Development Initiative, led by the MPRB. A design competition yielded RiverFirst, “a 20-year vision for Mississippi riverfront parks that builds on our community’s rich river heritage and passion for parks, nature, and wildlife.” Approved in March 2012, RiverFirst is intended to serve as a “basis for coordinating with the City of Minneapolis to update the Above the Falls Master Plan.”
The RiverFirst initiative includes proposals for specific parks and recreational amenities, including hiking and biking trails, wetlands and a beach. Additionally, there are recommendations for developing surrounding neighborhoods, including residential and mixed-use commercial construction. The objective is to provide easier park and river access to the public while fostering business growth that can produce jobs in the area. The Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support has also conducted a health impact assessment, the results of which are informing how riverfront redevelopments should positively affect the health and wellbeing of residents.
While the RiverFirst initiative represented a more detailed framework for developing the riverfront, it does not mandate the go-ahead for any specific park or project. The process of making those determinations began formally in June, when the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership and the ATF Citizen Advisory Committee hosted a kickoff opening public informational meeting. Officials presented the RiverFirst vision and spoke about how it differed from the original Above the Falls Master Plan, including changes that reflected a shifting land redevelopment market and evolving community priorities. Residents at the meeting were asked to provide feedback on the updated plan so that officials could incorporate public comments and concerns into planning revisions.
A second community meeting was held in October, at which city and park officials presented a refined outlook on planned next steps for redeveloping the Upper Mississippi in Minneapolis. Representatives discussed realities on the ground that affected decision-making about priority projects set to proceed. Among the influencing factors mentioned were conflicts with commercial properties, volatility in the real estate market, and challenges associated with transitioning from industrial to non-industrial environments.
The community feedback portion of the October meeting was lively and extended well past scheduled time. Residents voiced their opinions about such topics as which areas should be developed first, whether modern or traditional structures should be built, and how areas should be zoned. The most overwhelming sentiment was that the riverfront should be developed for people who live and spend the most time in the community, not commercial companies employing people who leave the area after the workday. Multiple residents expressed frustration that more of the discussed area has yet to be specifically designated for housing. One community advocate noted that in the past decade North Minneapolis lost 7,700 residents, or 11 percent of its population. She suggested that the river’s redevelopment should be seen as an integral component of increasing population density on the Northside.
Officials are in the process of further revising plans to redevelop the Upper Mississippi in Minneapolis, and community members still have an opportunity to provide feedback. A third and final community meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, December 10, at MPRB Headquarters (2117 West River Road). This meeting begins a formal public review period of 45 days, after which the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will work to approve a final plan. The MPRB-endorsed plan will then be sent to the Minneapolis City Council for review.
Advocates in Camden and other North Minneapolis communities have urged residents to attend the final meeting on revisions to the Above the Falls Master Plan. Community leaders note that the Mississippi River is a defining geographic feature of the area, and how it is developed will have important residential, recreational and economic impacts that will affect North Minneapolis for decades to come. Those who are unable to attend the meeting can still make their opinions known by completing a survey at the project website minneapolisparks.org/AboveTheFalls. Also available there are slideshows with detailed info on proposed enhancements and a link to a video of the October 16 meeting at the MPRB headquarters.