TCGIS neighbors want community ‘anchor’ to remain

School discusses razing former St. Andrew’s church building and constructing more efficient and larger building

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Twin Cities German Immersion School (TCGIS) neighbors are concerned that the school has already made up its mind about razing the old St. Andrew’s Church building at 1031 Como Ave., and is moving with a sense of urgency on the project that may not be necessary
“I’m very opposed to the possibility that the church could be razed,” stated Muriel Gubasta during a community meeting on Apr. 9. She attended grade school at St. Andrew’s, along with all six of her children.
Gubasta thanked school staff for holding the informational meeting, and stated, “I’m very happy to see this as a school.”
Photo right: About 100 people attended an informational session in the former church building that the school uses as a cafeteria and gym space. A majority of those present raised their hands to let school representatives know they were neighbors. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
But she encouraged the TCGIS to take its time making a decision and not rush into anything. “Let’s not rush to failure,” Gubasta said. “You have a lot of people here who really love this beautiful space.”
Fellow neighborhood resident Kate Konkel agreed and pointed out that TCGIS isn’t the first school to operate in the space. In fact, it was preceded by the French Immersion School, which was only there a few years.
“The history of schools in this area has been transient,” Konkel said. “This building is very much a part of this neighborhood and the history of St. Paul.”
According to TCGIS Facilities Committee Chair Nic Ludwig, “We’re not set in stone. The board has not approved any of this. This is the first of hopefully many listening sessions.” Ludwig pointed out that he spends time every day considering the issues around tearing down or keeping the existing Byzantine-Romanesque structure built in 1927.
However, Ludwig observed that the school board could vote on this issue within the next few months to keep with a schedule that opens the new space for the 2019-2020 school year.
Photo left: TCGIS Facilities Committee Chair Nic Ludwig (front) and finance chair Sam Wallig explain the choices driving the school during a community meeting on Apr. 9. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Residents were concerned that this doesn’t give them much time to investigate options, such as raising money to save the former church building.
A space crunch
When the tuition-free, K-8 German Immersion School moved to its current location in the fall of 2005, organizers planned for three sections in grades K-4 and two sections in grades 5-8. Based on the lack of attrition at the school, planners are working to figure out how to expand to three sections for grades 5-8 for a total projected student population of 613 in the 2021-22 school year.
The school began experiencing a space crunch this year.
“Teachers and students are already using hallways and other nooks,” pointed out Ludwig. Some teachers don’t get prep time because they are sharing their classrooms with other teachers. The kindergartners and first graders have gym in the cafeteria. The school has eliminated spaces such as the computer lab and plans to eliminate the boardroom/gathering room next year. Next, they’ll need to rotate students through lunch, but that will cut into the time that the space is also used for students to be active.
Planners project that the school needs four additional classrooms, two specialty spaces, four special education/student auxiliary spaces, five administration/staff spaces, gym space and a larger cafeteria for the 2019-2020 school year.
When some in attendance questioned how much of this was necessary, TCGIS Principal Ted Anderson stated, “We don’t spend a lot of time talking about our wants. We talk about our needs.”
Finance Committee Chair Sam Wallig pointed out that whereas St. Paul Public Schools typically received about $15,000 in funding per student, TCGIS receives $10,000. TCGIS is a public charter school, but it is not part of the St. Paul Public School district.
Number of students
Of the 560 students at TCGIS, 250 come from St. Paul, 50 from Roseville/Falcon Heights, and 130 from Minneapolis, so planners want to remain in the area they’re in. Plus, TCGIS is working with Central High School, which has added a German tract that is in its second year for TCGIS students to move into seamlessly.
Each year, the school receives more student applications than there is space for. Priority is given to siblings and students of staff, observed Anderson.
The school currently employs 80 full-time staff and nine part-time. This is projected to increase to 90 full-time and ten part-time.
Some attendees expressed their concern about the number of students at the school and stated that they don’t think this site can handle more.
Steve Green, a neighborhood resident since 1983 and a former member of St. Andrew’s, said, “I’m opposed to your expansion.” He cited existing traffic problems that will get worse with more students. He encouraged TCGIS to put a cap on enrollment where it is now.
“This is a beautiful building. It’s unique. It shouldn’t be torn down,” Green said.
Buy or lease?
The school’s facilities committee has spent the last year looking for space and has considered buying and leasing, which is expensive in the long-term. The spaces nearby are either too big or too small, according to Ludwig. TCGIS isn’t interested in having two campuses because of the duplicated administration costs.
The Mission Orthodox Presbyterian church across the street wasn’t interested in selling and plans to lease that space didn’t work out. The school is working with the city on the possibility of using parking at the nearby Como Pool.
As charter schools cannot own property, the current site is owned by the TCGIS Building Company. To purchase the site and renovate it, the building company issued $9 million in bonds that are paid by the lease payments the school makes. Bond payments are currently between $500,000 and $560,000 a year. The state of Minnesota pays up to 90% of the lease payments, up to $1,314 per pupil unit. A portion of the lease payments can be used to improve the building, and this fund currently has about $400,000.
Old buildings need work
The projected maintenance costs at the former church building, or the Aula, are estimated to be $1,195,000 over the next seven to 10 years, while the classroom building needs about $535,000.
Photo left: To solve its space needs, the Twin Cities German Immersion School has considered a variety of options, including tearing down the existing Byzantine-Romanesque structure built in 1927. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
The long-term maintenance needed on the former church building includes: a boiler ($120,000), water heaters ($20,000), windows/doors ($75,000), roof ($500-750,000), masonry ($120,000), sound dampening ($10,000), and an optional sprinkler system ($100,000).
Items at the classroom building include: a boiler ($120,000), asbestos in the boiler room ($40,000), unit heaters and thermostats ($65,000), water heater ($10,000), roof ($150,000), south windows ($65,000), north windows ($65,000), and entry doors ($20,000).
Spread over seven years, the annual cost of maintenance is $250,000. That will consume most of the surplus—which is $260,000 this year, pointed out finance chair Sam Wallig.
The school’s growth may support a new bond issuance, but the school can’t support the projected maintenance costs plus additional bonds, said Wallig. The school could restrict enrollment to two sections per grade, but that wouldn’t be enough to pay the maintenance costs and make the bond payments.
If the school doesn’t build and offers three sections, programming will suffer from lack of classroom space and the maintenance costs of the Aula, according to Ludwig.
A new building
The proposed three-story, 20,600-square-foot-addition built on the site of the Aula would have two gyms on the first floor. The second floor would house classrooms.
A phase two addition on the east side would add a total of 23,150 square feet on three levels.
The project cost is an estimated $5.7 million. Ludwig pointed out that project costs will go up if the school waits.
The next steps are to meet with staff and user groups to develop a schematic design, and to create a construction plan, while also completing a bond underwriter review.
District 10 Community Council’s Land Use Committee anticipated hearing about the project at its May meeting, and from there it will need to go to the city council.
An anchor
“This is an anchor place in this community,” pointed out Mary Burnison. “It’s more than a building.” She added, “It’s holistically, organically a part of this community.”
Ludwig responded that he has lived in the neighborhood for the past seven years. “I also like the church building,” he said.
However, school representatives have met with companies that have worked on this building in the past to figure out the scope of the work needed and to obtain quotes, and believe that it is more cost effective to raze the former church building.
Andy Ashton’s family moved to the neighborhood because of TCGIS, and his father-in-law attended school at St. Andrew’s. He pointed out that the building is important to his family, as well, but it is more important that the school stay in the neighborhood.
Some residents proposed keeping part of the church building, such as the facade, retaining the shell, or reusing pieces within a new structure. However, Ludwig noted that the existing footprint of the church building is not large enough to add the space needed.
Ninety-seven-year-old John Forliti’s dad began attending St. Andrew’s at age 14. Forliti is happy to see a school community active at the former church. “Whether people went to this church or not, it’s still an anchor,” he pointed out.
Upcoming meetings
Neighbors expressed a desire to be more involved in what happens at the school. They were encouraged to attend public board meetings and facilities committee meetings (second Thursdays at 6pm), which are posted on the school’s website.

Committee formed to save St. Andrew’s Church building

Editor’s Note: the following was received after deadline. Watch for more comprehensive coverage in the following months.
Neighbors in the Warrendale neighborhood of Como Park formed a neighbor-led ad hoc committee to prevent the demolition of the former St. Andrew’s Church. Demolition is being considered by the Twin Cities German Immersion School (TCGIS). The committee is circulating a petition calling for “the proposed plan for the St. Andrew’s Church Structure be delayed until June 2020.”
According to Bonnie Youngquist, the project delay would provide:
— Time to select 1-2 architects to review the needs of the school and offer alternative solutions and estimates
— Obtain expert advice from Thomas Zahn, former Preservation Planner for the City of St. Paul.
— Meet with Thomas Fischer, UMN professor, Director of the Minnesota Design Center, and Dayton Hudson Chair in Urban Design
— Time to get a second opinion on the condition of the Aula roof and provide an additional cost estimate for maintenance
— Generate alternative solutions not previously considered
— Time to determine whether or not a historical designation is feasible.
The committee says that they aim to connect community stakeholders to create a viable solution for both the Warrendale neighborhood and TCGIS as they develop their expansion proposal. Neighbors say that they have been working with the school to resolve issues, but there is still much to be done even at the current size. Neighborhood concerns include parking, noise, traffic flow, bike and pedestrian safety, etc.
Built in 1927, St. Andrew’s Church is a Romanesque building is listed as a “Site of Major Significance” in the 1983 Historic Resources Survey (the most recent completed for the neighborhood). The structure has a designation in Larry Millet’s “American Institute of Architecture’s Guide to the Twin Cities” as, “one of St. Paul’s best Period revival churches.”
“The former St. Andrew’s Church is a historic structure that has served as a meaningful community anchor and a visible symbol of the stability of the surrounding neighborhood for nearly a century,” according to neighbor Mary Burnison.
According to the committee, the proposed demolition of this building also does not support the District 10 Community Plan.

* Article appeared in the May 2018 St. Paul Monitor.

Central Lutheran School seeks $450,000 in GoFundMe campaign

‘In order to pay our faculty, staff, and many bills, we must raise lots of money quickly.’

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Staff members hope that a GoFundMe campaign will keep Central Lutheran School (CLS) open. The 130-year-old school (775 Lexington Pkwy. N.) seeks to raise $450,000 through the campaign, enough to cover payroll and pay down old debt.
Photo right: Citing deep financial trouble, Central Lutheran School launches GoFundMe campaign to raise $450,000 and keep the school doors open. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
This may give the school time to reboot and move to a new funding model, according to Principal Elizabeth Wegner.
She pointed out that staff has spent the last eight months getting the school’s books and accounts in workable shape to try to understand its cash flow issues. An angel donor paid for accounting services, which provided staff its first accurate numbers in January.
“Now, we have a good grip on our issues,” said Wegner. “We needed to get the word out quickly and involve more than our usual mailing list.”
“The story is simple. We are in deep financial trouble,” explains the GoFundMe page. “In order to pay our faculty, staff, and many bills, we must raise lots of money quickly. If we don’t, the great things we do for Jesus at CLS will end, and the school will close. Act now and be very generous, more generous than you thought you could. It is time to SOS (Save Our School).”
In its first 18 days, the GoFundMe campaign had raised $10,321.
As the school struggles to find new revenue streams, the five full-time and two part-time teachers who manage the 80 students in the K-8 school have been working at lower pay for the last couple of months. The school’s separate year-round toddler care and preschool section, with 34 students, gets some state and county funding.
The funding model of the one-story 27,000-square-foot yellow brick school building has changed over the years. While tuition covered most expenses at one time, today roughly 80% of CLS students receive some form of financial aid, and more than half receive free or reduced-price lunches. Only about five families can pay the full tuition.
The mission-based school does not turn away students based on financial need.
A chunk of the school’s $950,000 operating budget is paid by four Lutheran churches: Bethel Lutheran, Emmaus Lutheran, Jehovah Lutheran, and St. Stephanus Lutheran.
Immigrants have always been part of CLS
Students and families come from many different ethnic, economic and religious backgrounds.
In the last 5-6 years, the ethnic profile at CLS has changed drastically.
“We went from about 70% white and 30% other to 50% white, 30% African American with a large portion of that number being immigrants from East Africa (Eritrea and Ethiopia), 15% Karen and 5% other,” remarked Wegner. “This brings challenges in the areas of ability to pay tuition, as families achieve their footing in a new country, and also language barriers. However, we are still close-knit and revel in our differences.”
The school itself was started by immigrants from Germany, who started their school before they’d even started their churches.
When the school association came together and built the current facility, there were about 600 students attending.
These association churches experienced a shift in membership as people moved from the city to the suburbs in the 1970s and 80s, taking members to other churches. That, in turn, affected enrollment and funding at CLS, as did the 2008 recession.
When Wegner and her husband started at CLS, K-8 enrollment was 225 with a small preschool.
A family affair
CLS has been a family affair for the Wegners.
“From when we first walked in when we were looking for first grade for our son, there was a feeling of family and community,” remarked Wegner. “This atmosphere, plus a Christ-centered focus and our commitment to mission and ministry at CLS, keeps us at this school.”
Her son Ben graduated from eighth grade at CLS in 2006, and her daughter Abby in 2009. Both are now educators. Husband Bruce is the head custodian.
Wegner began working at CLS as the music director in 1998. In 2014, the school board asked her to take on administrative duties, as well.
She’s found much to love about CLS.
Diversity sets school apart
“Other than the big draw of family and community, the rising level of diversity sets us apart,” Wegner observe. “Also, because of combined grades, each child has a two-year relationship with each teacher (except kindergarten which is a single grade). We all know each student and family very well.”
In knowing each child personally, the staff knows their strengths and challenges. “We work together to address these,” Wegner pointed out. For example, if an upper-grade student has trouble in reading, a lower grade teacher is right there to suggest other resources.
There is a time in the day for Reader Friends during which older students and younger students read together.
Because CLS only uses St. Paul Public School busing in the afternoon, its school day is 7 hours long. This allows for a 25-minute outdoor recess period for each class every day.
CLS implemented a new curriculum in 2016 grounded in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM). The school also offers social studies, art, music (vocal and instrumental) and PE throughout the school year instead of by quarter or trimester. Plus, students compete on sports teams, play in musical ensembles, and participate in choir trips. Students focus on giving back to their community and recently donated Play-Doh to the cancer ward at Children’s Hospital.
Wegner hopes people consider donating through the GoFundMe campaign, and she also asks for prayer.
“Come over and visit us. Meet our faculty and kids,” she encouraged. “Spread the word!”
To donate to the GoFundMe campaign go online to www.gofundme.com/saving-central-lutheran-school.
For more information or to schedule a tour of the school, contact Elizabeth Wegner at ewegner@clssp.org.

* Article appeared in the May 2018 St. Paul Monitor.

Como Harbor coming in late 2019

New space at Como Zoo will more closely resemble natural habitat for sea lions and seals and be home to Sparky

Photo above: Como’s seals and sea lions have been living in a space built in the 1930s during the WPA as Monkey Island. The freshwater area was retrofitted for seals and sea lions in the 1970s, and an amphitheater added. (Photo courtesy of Como Zoo)
By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Minnesota’s beloved Sparky at Como Zoo is getting new living quarters this year, thanks to a public-private partnership.
In addition to providing a healthier home for the sea lions and seals in the heart of Como Zoo, the $20 million makeover in the existing Seal Island and amphitheater area will also improve the public experience.
Como’s seals and sea lions have been living in a space built in the 1930s during the WPA as Monkey Island. The freshwater area was retrofitted for seals and sea lions in the 1970s, and an amphitheater added.
One of the biggest changes that the new 64,500-square-foot Como Harbor will bring is a transition to salt water.
Photo right: Sparky loves the play and interaction with his humans, and doesn’t mind “hamming it up” for the camera. (Photo courtesy of Como Zoo)
The new heated saltwater environment will minimize the eye and coat irritation that can be caused by freshwater environments pointed out Como Marketing and Public Relations Manager Matt Reinartz. It will increase the animal’s enjoyment of their environment as it will more closely resemble their natural habitat.
Also, because the water will not freeze, they can stay in the same place year-round. Currently, Como Zoo must move pinnipeds off Seal Island every fall with the approach of freezing temperatures, leaving it empty almost half the year. The new design allows for easy underwater transfers from one area to the next.
With the new design, the public will be much closer to the animals and their care and training. At the underwater viewing areas, they will be a pane of glass away. At the care and training stations, the public will see how they live behind the scenes.
Acknowledging that animal training is key to their well-being by keeping them active and engaged, the new facility features a state-of-the-art training facility.
Other upgrades include larger and better bathrooms, a new and better restaurant, and a new picnic area. All of the areas will be fully wheelchair accessible. Plus the design features a shade structure over the new amphitheater.
Pacific coastline design
Designed to reflect a northern Pacific coastline, the exhibit will include rocky outcroppings where seals and sea lions can bask, deeper pools for diving, a natural substrate, and trees and shrubs to provide natural shade throughout the day. The new design will feature an indoor, underwater viewing area similar to the one at Polar Bear Odyssey.
Photo left: The new Como Harbor will open in late 2019. It will feature two saltwater pools and an indoor, underwater viewing area similar to the one at Polar Bear Odyssey. Designed to reflect a northern Pacific coastline, the exhibit will include rocky outcroppings where seals and sea lions can bask, deeper pools for diving, and natural substrate, trees and shrubs to provide natural shade throughout the day. (Image courtesy of Como Zoo)
The updated space will have two new pools, a 5,000-square foot central exhibit pool, and a 900-square foot “Cove Habitat” pool that will dramatically expand the swimming areas for up to eight seals and sea lions from 146,000 gallons to 244,000 gallons.
When Seal Island is renovated, all the seals and sea lions will be housed together, rather than in groups of two or three which makes it more efficient for training.
Working to rehab animals
“Como is one of the last free zoos in the country. It is also the sixth-most visited, outdrawing the main zoos in New York and Los Angeles,” pointed out Reinartz.
The current Seal Island could not be upgraded for salt water, and the aging infrastructure needed more maintenance. The habitats were not built with training and updated standards of animal management. The space was not expected to meet the new standards and regulations for marine mammal care and conservation about to be released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, and other governing bodies.
Photo right: “Sparky is an ambassador for conservation education through the 2 million-plus visitors to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory each year, including 500,000 school age kids taking part in some educational programming. Today we see multi-generations visiting and making connections with the animals like Sparky, and our hope is that this will continue for generations,” said Como Marketing and Public Relations Manager Matt Reinartz. (Photo courtesy of Como Zoo)
“If Como does not make the necessary changes, our ability to receive new animals in the future will be limited. Como has been an approved facility working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to bring in animals from the wild that are deemed unreleasable,” said Reinartz.
All of Como’s seals and sea lions are rehabilitated animals—wild animals that had been injured and were rescued but had a physical limitation that prevented a return to the wild.
Subee, for example, was found eight years ago injured on the coast of California and was recommended to Como because the staff has experience with older animals and so could deal with her possible arthritis issues as she ages. Sparky V was the second oldest captive sea lion in North America when he passed away after performing for more than 20 years.
Chino, another seal lion, was found near death with a fishing line caught around his head. The scarring made it impossible for him to fish on his own and so he was deemed nonreleasable. When he arrived at Como, he was underweight and had pneumonia. With the care of the Como team, he recovered and thrived, gaining over 500 pounds. Now he is in a breeding group at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha.
Vision for the future
The update to Seal Island follows the $15 million Polar Bear Odyssey that opened in June 2010 and the $11 million Gorilla Forest that opened in June 2013. These new exhibits are elements of a larger strategic vision for Como, according to Reinartz.
“The new Como Harbor will be the most dramatic example of Como’s vision for the future. The public experience will be more intimate, and the conditions for the animals will be greatly improved,” he said.
Reinartz added, “Sparky is an ambassador for conservation education, through the 2 million-plus visitors to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory each year, including 500,000 school age kids taking part in some educational programming. Today we see multi-generations visiting and making connections with the animals like Sparky, and our hope is that this will continue for generations.”
After seeking funding for several years, the 2017 Minnesota Legislature approved $15 million for the project. Como Friends, the non-profit partner of Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, is raising the remaining needed $4.9 million with gifts from Minnesota foundation, corporations, and individuals.
“This continues the success of the city’s public-private partnership with Como Friends, which has invested more than $38 million in projects and programs since 1999,” said Reinartz. Lancer is also investing in the project to pay for a food service building.
The Marine Mammal Building will remain open during construction, so visitors can continue to see Sparky and the other seals and sea lions, along with the penguins and puffins.
The new Como Harbor will open in late 2019.

* Article appeared in the May 2018 St. Paul Monitor.

Future repairs, master plan ahead for entire Minnehaha Creek

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Minnehaha Creek is getting attention in Minneapolis this year.
The first project will fix erosion problems that sprang from flooding in 2014, while the second will create a master plan for the 39 acres of parkland along the creek.
Both projects were discussed during two identical open houses in April.
FEMA repairs this fall
In 2014, the Twin Cities saw the wettest first half of the year since modern-day record keeping began in 1871, with June 2014 being the wettest month on record. Coupled with a long winter and late snowmelt, this extreme precipitation led to a record flow on Minnehaha Creek and prolonged flooding throughout most of the spring and summer, according to the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD).
MCWD, together with the city of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MPRB), are working together to repair the erosion caused by flood damage, improve water quality, and improve access to the creek.
Thirteen places have been highlighted for work that will cost a total of $1 million. Of that, $500,000 will come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and must be spent by June 2019.
Work will begin in September 2018 and be finished by June 2019.
Photo right: Citizens attended an open house on Apr. 17 open house at Lynnhurt Recreation Center to learn more about upcoming projects occurring around Minnehaha Creek. An open house was also held on Apr. 12 at the Lake Nokomis Recreation Center; both provided the same information. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
The project has been divided into three areas. The first, west of 35W to Emerson, involves four sites. The second, from 35W east to Portland, has two sites in need of repair.
The remaining seven site projects are at Minnehaha Park.
The project includes a few walls constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s that are part of the Ground Rounds historic district. The historical society will weigh in on whether to remove or fix these walls.
At Minnehaha Park, the bridge at the base of the falls was eroded by high water. Nearby, stormwater and hillside run-off damaged the trail. In other areas, a rock slab collapsed, riprap was washed away, and boardwalk was undermined.
Most of the erosion issues will be solved by installing riprap (large stones), live plant stakes, and plants to stabilize the soil, explained MCWD Project and Land Manager Tiffany Schaufler.
Throughout this process, planners have also identified 13 storm sewer outfalls that drain directly into the creek as top priorities. The MPRB and city will work to figure out the best way to filter out pollutants from these outfalls and incorporate these solutions in future work near the creek, said Schaufler. This might include rain gardens, underground storage, or other types of soil infiltration methods. The report is new, and planners are still digesting the information, she pointed out.
Master plan in the works
In the early 1900s, the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board began acquiring property along the Minnehaha Creek—even though the city of Minneapolis only extended to Franklin Ave. at the time and everything farther out was farmland.
Under the direction of Theodore Wirth in the 1920s and 1930s, the creek was straightened in many places, and the parkway/carriageway installed.
Photo left: Lisa Goodard of Minneapolis Public Works chats with Nokomis resident Teresa Miller during the Apr. 17 open house. Miller is keeping a close eye on water issues in the area, concerned because of the perpetual flooding in her backyard that is adjacent to Solomon Park. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Eckbo Plan guided improvements along the creek. The roadway was paved its signature pink, and bicycle and walking trails separated. The pedestrian bridges were built in 1978.
“Since then, no master planning has been done,” pointed out MPRB Project Manager Adam Arvidson. “We’re overdue.”
He’s leading a comprehensive look at the parkland to fashion a master plan that looks ahead 20-30 years.
A Community Action Committee (CAC) is in the process of being formed and will begin meeting soon. A plan is expected to be created and approved by the MPRB of commissioners in January 2019.
Among the questions raised are whether MPRB should extend its system of trails all the way west of Lynnhurst Park to the city line. Right now, the trails head north at the parkway to Lake Harriet and do not extend any farther west.
Another question is whether more canoe launches should be added. Currently, there is one near Lyndhurst, one at Lake Nokomis, and one proposed for Lake Hiawatha.
Public input was solicited at two open houses in April, and a survey is available online at the MPRB project website to collect comments. Citizens can also sign up to receive project updates.

U-Haul, Starbucks, and Domino’s proposed for Hiawatha and 42nd

Neighbors concerned about increased traffic, lack of green space and auto-oriented businesses

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
A proposed U-Haul, Starbucks, and Domino’s would transform the Hiawatha and 42nd St. intersection on the east side if approved by the city.
The seven-bay Wash Me car wash on the northeast side will be demolished to make space for two buildings to house a Starbucks and a Domino’s. The proposal was reviewed by the city’s planning commission for the first time on Apr. 12.
City staff expressed substantial concerns about the proposal, due to the location and number of drive-through lanes, principal entrances, and buildings on the site, as well as the lack of pedestrian connections to Hiawatha Ave.
The design includes a 1,928-square-foot building to house the Domino’s on the south side of the site with a drive-through window for call-ahead orders. North of that would be a 2,196-square foot building to house the Starbucks with a double lane drive-through window of its own. Both would be one-story buildings, with a total of 17 parking spaces. One pedestrian connection is planned to 42nd St. but there are none planned for Hiawatha Ave.
The one entrance would be located on the west side of 42nd paired with an exit, and the Domino’s drive-through lane would exit about thirty feet from Hiawatha Ave. on 42nd St.
The Domino’s one-half mile south of this location is expected to close and relocate to this site.
A Starbucks at 4700 Cedar next to Tom’s Popcorn Shop is in the final stage of construction and will open soon.
Illustration right: Neighbors are concerned about how two drive-through businesses on the corner of 42nd St. and Hiawatha Ave. will affect a traffic pattern that they say is already congested. (Graphics submitted)
The 6,765-square-foot Wash Me building at 4155 Hiawatha was constructed in 1985 and is valued at $550,000, according to city property tax records. It is owned by Wash Me Corporation based out of Edina, which also operates car washes at 3957 Nicollet Ave. in Minneapolis and 8940 Excelsior Blvd. in Hopkins. A representative could not be reached for comment.
Too much traffic already
“Two drive-through businesses at an intersection already experiencing traffic issues is unacceptable,” remarked Ericsson resident Jeff Gehardson. He pointed out that he lives 300 feet from that intersection. He already has trouble turning onto his street, and often drives two blocks over to Nokomis to enter 42nd. Plus traveling west across
Hiawatha is already difficult and inefficient because of the timing of the lights and the light-rail trains.
“I am pro-development in the city. I am pro bike. I am pro mixed use. This proposal is frustrating, to say the least,” he said. “Stand alone businesses that depend on dozens upon dozens of $10 sales mean very high traffic. We are not suited for it at all.”
Longfellow resident Bev Tuck doesn’t think this spot is big enough to support these two businesses, and she is concerned this plan doesn’t have enough green space.
“The developers and architects are always from Edina, or Eden Prairie or some other suburb coming into our neighborhoods and taking our land for their investment purposes. They pretend to ask for our input, but they hope to override it,” remarked Tuck. “Traffic congestion and lack of green spaces do not affect their lives—they don’t live here.”
U-haul to raze one building, preserve the other
The U-Haul being proposed on the southeast side of the intersection is farther along in the city review process, and public comment was taken during an Apr. 23 hearing.
The 2.18-acre site at 4225 and 4251 Hiawatha Ave. is currently vacant.
U-Haul plans to raze the large factory building on the south side to construct a five-story climate-controlled, self-service storage center (photo left provided). This building most recently housed Woof Pack Doggy Day Spa, American General, Metropolitan Security, and Hiawatha Commercial Auto Care.
The small building that formerly housed Taylor Star 1 Automotive will be turned into a showroom with model storage rooms for rental selection. Plus, an array of packing and shipping supplies, including cartons, tape, and packing materials, will be for sale.
This building was originally a Mobil Service Station opened by Navy veteran, Bernard “Bum” Flanery in 1957. The Flannery Brothers, Tim and Brian, now own and operate Flannery Brothers Automotive at 2720 E. 42nd St.
Over 250 people have signed a change.org petition aimed at preserve this historic building. U-Haul plans to keep the iconic Pegasus horse and install antique gas pumps to give the nod to the history of Longfellow while still looking toward the future, according to U-Haul Southern Minnesota President Chris Bohlman.
The service station is also a nod to U-Haul’s history.
“For decades, well before we had company-owned stores, the business of U-Haul truck and trailer sharing was conducted out of small service stations like this one that would serve their communities as U-Haul neighborhood dealers. That practice dates to 1945,” observed Bohlman. “To this day, our dealers play a pivotal role and account for the bulk of our network across the U.S. and Canada with more than 20,000 locations.
“U-Haul celebrates history, culture, and legacy. We have a track record of preserving historic buildings, and we stand passionately behind our adaptive reuse program.”
Green initiatives
Through its adaptive reuse of old and often vacated properties for new U-Haul stores, the company helps eliminate blight, cuts down on new building materials, and keeps old building teardowns out of landfills, said Bohlman.
Photo right: A proposal before the city would tear down the existing Wash Me car wash and replace it with two one-story buildings to house a Starbucks and Domino’s Pizza. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
U-Haul also offers and promotes several green programs. Customers gift used furniture and household goods to one another at the Re-Use Centers at U-Haul stores.
Through the Take a Box, Leave a Box program, customers drop off and pick up used boxes in useable condition for free so that they may be reused. U-Haul uses furniture pads made from recycled denim, and biodegradable packing peanuts made of corn and potato starch, which keeps styrofoam out of landfills.
“Our sustainability platform demands we make an effort to find store and dealer locations that are within a few blocks of public transportation to reduce the need for excess driving,” pointed out Bohlman. He believes that being just a few blocks from a light rail terminal will significantly cut down on traffic and benefit the neighborhood.
The Hiawatha Ave. location will accommodate families that require access to and from downtown, and all of the neighborhoods to the south of town.
There is currently just one U-Haul facility in Minneapolis. It’s located at 3545 Nicollet Ave. and is on 0.43 acres of land.
“The Twin Cities are arguably the most underserved metropolitan area in all of North America with regard to U-Haul self-move and self-storage facilities,” said Bohlman.
Currently, more than half of U-Haul’s customers in Minneapolis proper are driving outside the city. “As a major proponent of sustainability and green business, U-Haul wants to be able to help Minneapolis lower its carbon footprint while providing time-saving solutions,” stated Bohlman.
In 2016, Minnesota’s U-Haul traffic ranked #3 in the nation based on annual migration trends reports when comparing arrivals versus departures for one-way U-Haul truck traffic. In 2017, St. Paul and Minneapolis remained the two largest markets in the state for arrivals and departures of one-way U-Haul customers by a substantial margin.
U-Haul is a sharing-centered business focused on helping people meet a very basic need, Bohlman pointed out.
Sustainability studies show the presence of every U-Haul truck placed in a community serves as a potential substitute for 19 personally-owned SUVs and pick-ups on the road.
“Fewer vehicles on the road means less traffic congestion, less pollution, less fuel burned and cleaner air. When communities share a vehicle to meet the needs of many, everyone wins—especially proponents of less traffic and a better environment,” said Bohlman.
LCC opposes auto-centered business
During a community meeting hosted by the Longfellow Community Council last summer, residents showed concern for increased traffic, the addition of a surface parking lot, an auto-orientated use, building height and design, according to a letter written by LCC Board President Melissa Erjavec to the planning commission.
She pointed out that the U-Haul proposal is in opposition to several plans calling for a reduction of auto-oriented businesses in the area. The 46th and Hiawatha TOD (2009) Strategy and the 46th and Hiawatha Area Station Master Plan (2001) envisioned residential and office space at this site.

CAC to investigate reduced pumping options at Hiawatha Golf Course

The charge for the Community Advisory Committee from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is to make recommendations to the MPRB Commissioners in support of any changes to the golf course property or perpetuation of current uses, with attention to priority, sequencing, timing, and funding. About 100 community members attended the first CAC meeting on March 28 at the Nokomis Recreation Center. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Some question scope of project and push for putting everything on the table, including 18-hole golf course

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
The future of Hiawatha Golf Course is being considered by 18 community members who have been appointed to a Community Advisory Committee (CAC).
Their charge from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is to make recommendations to the MPRB Commissioners in support of any changes to the golf course property or perpetuation of current uses, with attention to priority, sequencing, timing, and funding.
“What should we do with this property with the reduced pumping scenario? Our job is to answer that question and come forth with recommendations to the park board,” said CAC Chair David Kaplan, who is also a board member of the Standish-Ericcson Neighborhood Association.
The CAC will work to understand past investigations, conducted by the MPRB and others, to gain a reasonable understanding of water management conditions on the golf course property and nearby private properties. They are also tasked with becoming knowledgeable about past and current use of the property, including communities served by the current golf course.
Members will act as primary contacts on the project within the community.
Photo right: Community Advisory Committee Members (left to right) Kathryn Kelly, Joan Soholt and Tara Olds are among the 18 people who are studying what to do at the Hiawatha Golf Course. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
CAC members are Anne Painter, Chakra Sankaraiah, Craig Nichols, Damon LeFlore, David Kaplan, Duane Whittaker, Joan Soholt, Kathryn Kelly, Matt Hilgart, Nathan Shepherd, Roxanne Stuhr, Sean Connaughty, Sean Keir, Sheila Terryll, Tara Olds, Teresa Engstrom, Tim Clemens, and William Means. Members represent groups such as a representative from the Anishinabe community, a golf coach, cross-country skiers, a Standish-Ericsson Neighborhood Association board member (who is serving as the CAC chair), a college professor, a landscape designer, a marine archeologist, member of the Friends of Lake Hiawatha, and more.
State Senator Patricia Torres Ray said that she is working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to assign a staff person to the group.
The committee’s first meeting was held on Mar. 28, and was attended by about 100 community members. Upcoming meetings are set for Apr. 30 and May 30 from 6:30-8pm (locations to be determined).
Minutes and handouts from the first meeting, and other items included in the CAC member binders, are available on the MPRB project web site.
“We want to make this as transparent as possible because this is an issue that affects all of us,” pointed out Kaplan.
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) Board Member Brian Shekleton told those gathered that he has been attending meetings about the Hiawatha Golf Course since 2014, and he looks forward to being a resource.
“We have a partnership with the park board and the city of Minneapolis such that when any one of those entities does work along the water body, we all work together to think through the planning,” said Shekleton. “Our mission is to help people, entities, companies, and units of government to have better water quality when they do a project.”
CAC member Sean Connaughty, of Friends of Lake Hiawatha and the MPRB volunteer steward of Lake Hiawatha, discussed a grant he has received to work on mitigating the large stormwater sewer pipe that drains into the northwest part of Lake Hiawatha. He plans to share updates with the CAC as the project progresses.
“I think cleaning up the lake can be an exciting goal for all of us,” said Connaughty.
Disagreement regarding scope
Some CAC members, as well as community members, questioned the scope of the project and thought it was ‘putting the cart before the horse.’
“This has not been what some of us had been told,” observed CAC member Kathryn Kelly. “We’ve been told that everything is on the table, including an 18-hole golf course.”
MPRB Assistant Superintendent of Planning Services Michael Schroeder responded that he had discussed the issue with legal counsel, and was directed to follow the resolution in its entirety that was approved by the park board of commissioners last August and not pick certain pieces of it to use as the CAC charge. That resolution, he pointed out, begins by instructing the CAC to look at a reduced pumping scenario with the perpetuation of golf in some use.
“Any changes to our instruction need to come from the Board of Commissioners itself,” said Kaplan.
Treat each other as neighbors
With the help of MPRB Community Outreach, Equity & Inclusion Manager Radious Guess, ground rules for how the CAC will operate were agreed on.
These include: speak from your own experience, respect all voices, and listen to understand. Don’t just wait to speak, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Speak with intention, no assumptions, ask for what you need to offer what you can, treat each other like neighbors, and seek common ground. The group should focus on compromise, with no screaming, think ecologically, and come with an attitude of collaboration, respect for science, and be transparent.
What the process looks like
After coming to an understanding of the project and getting to know the site and its various needs, the CAC will begin imagining possibilities—that is, thinking big for the future and developing guiding principles, according to MPRB Project Manager Tyler Pederson.
CAC members will then refine their big ideas, figure out how they fit into the larger Hiawatha-Nokomis Master Plan, and develop a focused vision before identifying a preferred direction.
The next step will be documentation–putting the plan on paper and developing recommendations to present to MPRB. Following that, the draft plan will be shared with a 45-day public comment period.
After it is approved by MPRB, the plan must also be adopted by the Met Council.
It may require alignment with permitting agencies: US Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota Office of State Archaeologist, city of Minneapolis, and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District.
Information from the two other advisory groups, the Technical Advisory Panel and the Project Advisory Committee, will be shared during the process.
“We’re at the very beginning of this process, even though we’ve been here for many years,” pointed out Pedersen.
Work will be fluid
Next up will be forming a consultant team. MPRB has already received three proposals from companies that have a variety of staff members in areas such as engineering, landscape architecture, recreation specialists, golf course architecture, ecological engineering and more. Interviews will be ranked by MPRB staff members, and a recommendation of one proposing consultant will be sent to the board of commissioners for contract approval.
MPRB is also seeking a cultural advisor from the Dakota community.
While some questioned how the group could plan without knowing all the answers related to the water issues, Schroeder acknowledged that they would make course adjustments as they go.
“Your work here will have to be somewhat fluid,” he stated. “As we learn information from other sources, we’ll bring it back to this group.”
Those with comments are encouraged to email tpederson@minneapolisparks.org or fill out an online comment form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/lake-hiawatha.