Adult Basic Education program is moving west on Lake St.

Ground breaks on new $29 million facility next to YWCA and South High’s football field in early 2017

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Minneapolis Public Schools Adult Basic Education (ABE) program will be moving a few blocks west to a new building that will be under construction in early 2017.
The new property is located between the YWCA and South High School’s football field.
Currently, Adult Education occupies 54,000 sq ft in a three-story building at 2225 E. Lake St. known as the Brown Institute. However, the property was sold and is being transformed into a large commercial and residential development by L & H Station.
The first phase of L & H Station development, the five-story, 100,000-sq ft Hennepin County services building, is nearing completion. As part of the $8 million sale of that 6.5-acre parcel, the Minneapolis School District (MPS) was granted up to eight years to relocate its immigrant-focused Adult Basic Education from the “Brown” building to make way for future housing at the site. As part of the 2015 “leaseback” deal with the county, the school district can stay on the property without any assessment against the district for the first three years.
Photo right: The Adult Basic Education program is being displaced by the construction of Hennepin County’s new service building and a large commercial and residential development at 2225 E. Lake St. The school district had three years to vacate the Brown Building before penalties were applied. The new Hennepin County building is nearing completion. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
MPS opted to construct a new 87,000 sq ft educational building at 2005 E. Lake St. to house its Adult Education programs, as well as its Transition Plus, a program geared toward 18- to 21-year olds. Many students in the T+ program come from South High.
The new $29 million facility will open in the fall of 2018. That price tag includes the purchase price of the property (9 plats) for the new building of approx. $3.8 million and the site demolition budget of $429,840.
While the South High School booster club is concerned that the new building will thwart plans to expand the football field and track, the school district’s plan was supported by the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization (CNO), which seeks to have more “eyes on the street,” according to Phillip Koski, who represents CNO on the project task force.
This stretch of E. Lake St. is already difficult because of the cemetery on the north side. The Corcoran Midtown Revival Plan calls for mixed use with a multi-story building that houses commercial at the ground level and residential above commercial to create a vibrant street.CNO supported the school district’s plan and helped MPS assemble the properties it needed at Lake and 21st.
Photo left: The former buildings at 2005 E. Lake St. have all been torn down and the lot is ready for a new 87,000-square-foot facility that will house the Minneapolis Public School Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Transition Plus programs. The new property is located between the YWCA and South High School’s football field. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Several of the buildings on the site across from the Soldiers Memorial Cemetery were demolished in 2016. The demolition of the remaining building at 2019 E. Lake St. was approved by the Heritage Preservation Commission and City Council in late 2016.
New building tailored to program needs
The design proposes a three-story building along Lake Street consisting of three parts—a wing for each program and a communal center at its heart. This central space, known as the “Town Hall,” will be a social hub and provide common meeting rooms for both Minneapolis Public Schools and the community.
Classrooms and specialty education areas will be tailored to specific needs, and the programs will realize a synergy by sharing areas of overlap—social zones, meeting rooms, staff work areas and teacher collaboration.
The design follows recommendations outlined in the Hiawatha/Lake Station Area Master Plan, creating a pedestrian-friendly urban environment with active uses and civic open space. Welcoming entrance plazas from both Lake St. and the short-term parking to the south bring users into the same central space, whether arriving by transit, bicycle, car, or on foot. A courtyard and school bus drop-off in the middle of the block provides a safe and pedestrian-friendly outdoor amenity with access controls that allow it to be closed off and flexible for programming. The 121-stall surface parking continues the plaza design, with an additional 39 parking stalls provided underground.
The southern street that bisects the site, 30½ St. S., and the alley will be vacated.
The project will be a welcoming learning environment for adults, provide space that is both flexible and specialized, and be a place that fosters an active and inclusive sense of community, according to city documents.
Transition Plus currently occupies approximately 64,000 square feet in two levels of the Wilder School at 3320 Elliot Ave. S. in Minneapolis.
Neither the Wilder School nor the Brown building were designed specifically for these programs, resulting in inefficiency of space, function, and operation, according to documents filed with the city.
An advisory group comprised of various Minneapolis Public Schools staff, Board of Education members, parents of students, a City Council member, and members of the community formed a collective voice in determining the site location, establishing vision and goals, and reviewing the design. Additionally, representatives from both the Adult Education and Transition Plus program provided detailed input and feedback for the spatial program and design submitted.

Article appeared in the March 2017 Longfellow Nokomis Messenger.

When illness hit Blue Moon owner, neighborhood offered support

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Blue Moon coffee shop (3822 E. Lake St.) owner Lisa Berg (photo right) is almost done paying off her medical bills, thanks to neighborhood residents and friends who donated $20,000 through Go Fund Me.
“That was a godsend,” stated Berg. “It blew me away.”
After insurance, Berg was left with $40,000 in bills from her hospitalization and subsequent rehabilitation. “I’m a pretty low-income person, so it was a jolt,” admitted 58-year-old Berg. She dug into her life savings, but still came up short.
That’s where the Go Fund Me came in.
As she wrote on the fundraising page: “Your help will go directly to pay the bills. It means so much to me because although asking for help feels difficult, I have to.”
She had to relearn everything
Two winters ago, Berg was fighting what she thought was just a cold that hung on and on. “I just thought I had a bug,” recalled Berg, but she was so very tired. One day her sister and niece visited and could tell that things weren’t right. They called an ambulance.
At Regions, Berg was diagnosed with influenza that led to kidney failure. Following her hospital stay, she spent five weeks at Walker Methodist Health Center.
“I had to learn everything again,” said Berg. “How to walk. How to count change. Sitting up in bed. Dressing myself.”
She praises both the staff at Regions and Walker Methodist for their care and hopes to be able to get to Walker Methodist soon to thank staff personally, although she’s waiting until she doesn’t have to maneuver through the snow. “It was kinda hard—they really work you,” remarked Berg. “But the staff there is outstanding.” Her wonderful occupational therapist started crying when she took her first steps.
Berg left the rehabilitation facility in a walker and returned to her second-story apartment in St. Paul. It was six months before she could make it down the stairs. Each day she practiced stepping down one step and then up. Down and up. Then she added another. Then she could make it down five steps. Finally, she made it down all 17 steps and sat on a bench. To celebrate, she posted on Facebook. “I’m outside!” she wrote.
Through her recovery, Facebook has been a solid source of support. Berg has appreciated the encouragement over each small accomplishment. “Sometimes I’d just cry out of gratitude,” recalled Berg.
She hasn’t been able to make it into her coffee shop much, but when she does, it’s been wonderful. “It’s so nice to go in there and see people,” said Berg. “I just like being there.”
She doesn’t drink coffee at home but indulges in her favorite when she’s there: a little espresso in a dark roast topped with brown sugar cubes.
“Having been fortunate enough to be in good health my whole life, I’m working hard to view parts of the past year as a fleeting illness, a recuperation, and a strength-building exercise,” wrote Berg in a Go Fund Me update to supporters. “And, of course, sometimes I feel sad about it and tired of it. But the coolest things for me are the healing and the good care I experienced and the love of all of you.
Whether or not you are supporting me financially, you are all supporting me in your words and good thoughts.”
22 years as Blue Moon
Berg started working in the food industry when she was in graduate school earning a degree in chemical dependency. She began baking bread and croissants at night in the Gelte’s kosher bakery on Hennepin Ave. in 1984, and then transferred to a day position baking pastries and tortes. Eventually, she rose to manager. Her time at Gelte’s was life-changing, and Berg points to owner Dennis Gelte as a role model for how to run a business and manage staff.
“He taught me how to be gracious and kind and also mindful of the business at the same time,” said Berg.
She left in 1992 to help a friend at Cafe Weird and the offshoot, Weird Kitchen Catering, cooking simple but delicious vegetarian dishes.
Then Cindy Kangas approached her about opening a coffee shop off E. Lake St. in a building owned by John Kolstad. Cindy managed the construction while Berg focused on financing. They gutted the space to the exterior wall, tore down the suspended ceiling, and pushed out the back wall to add a bathroom.
The Blue Moon opened on Oct. 23, 1994. “It was quite an adventure,” said Berg. For several years, Kangas and Berg operated a second coffee shop on Franklin, but divided the business when Berg realized she didn’t like splitting her focus.
Berg has always strived to provide a quality coffee beverage that is consistent no matter who is making it. She does this in part to recognize that people pay a lot of money for their beverages. Plus, others spend their whole lives picking coffee beans and getting them to coffee shops like hers. “That’s a big deal,” said Berg. “So I want to be a good caretaker for their work.”
Gina Palandri was one of the first baristas at the Blue Moon. “Lisa has provided jobs for people (like myself), provided a great, safe space for all the community, supported other local businesses, and provided neighbors with coffee and lattes,” she remarked.
Berg has worked hard to create a space where everyone is welcome, including the LGBT community. She’s never wanted to be surrounded by people who agree with her all the time and finds the diversity stimulating.
Her staff has echoed the customer base and is an “eclectic bunch of people.”
They’ve pitched in to keep the place running during her illness. The coffee shop has continued to stay open 365 days a year, just like always. It wasn’t closed for even a day due to her illness because of the staff.
“I’m very fond of all of them,” said Berg. “I hope I convey to them my gratitude every day.”

Article appeared in the January 2017 Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.

Le Town Talk Diner to open in September

New owners to redefine French food by serving up everyday family recipes

 
By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
When the Town Talk Diner reopens as Le Town Talk Diner & Drinkery in September, it will redefine what French food is.
“We want people to be welcome here and not be scared because it’s French,” remarked owner Emilie Cellai Johnson who is opening the restaurant at 2707 E. Lake St. with her husband Ben.
“We want families with kids to come in. Couples on a date. Groups of friends,” said Emilie.
They will be serving up French comfort food, the sort that Emilie grew up eating in Marseille, France. There will be bouillabaisse, a fish soup with cod, mussel, shrimp, garlic and saffron. It’s a Marseille specialty.
You’ll also find steak haché a ground beef patty smothered in the sauce of your choice: Peppercorn sauce, caramelized shallot, creamy mushroom or Beurre maître d’hotel. It’s a popular dish at French cafes.
And the croque-monsieur a toasted sandwich with ham, Swiss cheese and béchamel sauce, is worth noting.
The menu of everyday foods from France includes breakfast, small plates, salads, entrees and desserts.
Julien Masson, a culinary school friend of Johnson’s from Marseille, has created a list of champagne cocktails as well as a roster of drinks built using French spirits. Groups of four or more will be able to order cocktails as a “cascade,” served in an absinthe fountain.
FRENCH MOTHER, ITALIAN GRANDMOTHER
Emilie grew up in a household that cooked really good food. Growing up in France, her mother cooked French items and her grandmother on her father’s side cooked Italian.
“My husband always says that when we go to France we eat food, talk about food or plan the next meal,” said Emilie. “We are passionate about food.”
She attended culinary school in Marseille and spent several years working in Paris at a restaurant at the top of the Eiffel Tower. “I had the best view of Paris every day,” Emilie noted.
A friend in Minnesota told her that the Hotel Sofitel was hiring, and a few months later she moved to Minnesota. “A year turned into 12,” said Emilie.
She and her husband live in St. Paul, just across the river with their 2-year-old daughter and dog.
Ben, who works for the Neighborhood Development Center, will keep his full-time job at the Midtown Global Market.
ART DECO GETS A TWIST
The Johnsons had been looking for a site for their new restaurant for two years. The Town Talk Diner space had everything they were looking for. It was the right square footage. There was already a kitchen.
The couple had frequented the diner before it closed three years ago, and loved the concept of craft cocktails and a casual food atmosphere. “It was very welcoming to everyone,” said Emilie. “It felt very comfortable.”
They plan to keep the diner counter as a bar, and are using the old diner chairs. They’re giving the Art Deco the old-world feel of a French cafe.
“We respect what was here, but we’re giving it a twist,” explained Emilie. “We’re not trying to recreate what was, but to create something new.”
They’ve installed a new hardwood floor using reclaimed wood in the dining room, and have added banquettes.
IT’S THE NEW EAT STREET
“All of our neighboring restaurants have been very supportive,” said Emilie. “They’ve made us feel very welcome.”
She’s excited to be on Lake St., pointing out how many different types of restaurants there are. “People are attracted to the area,” said Emilie.
“It’s the new Eat Street.”

Published in the September 2014 Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger. 

Winery and cider house to open soon on E. Lake St.

Urban Forage Winery & Cider House part of E. Lake St. renaissance

by Tesha M. Christensen

  

Someday, Jeff and Gita Zietler will run a winery/cidery/meadery on E. Lake St.

They will gather fruit from urban apple trees and raspberry bushes, pick dandelions and lilacs, and intercept useable but not saleable fruit from food co-ops and natural food stores that would otherwise go to waste and ferment it into something delicious.

Someday, they will make tasty beverages that fall in the range between grape wine and beer that rarely ever make it to store shelves. This includes honey mead, dandelion wine, sparkling apple cider and pear champagne. They’ll put them on the shelves and make sure they get the attention they deserve.

Right now, they’re putting in the sweat and tears to make that dream a reality.

STARTING WITH A FORECLOSURE

Last year, the Zietlers bought a foreclosed building at 3016 E. Lake. Gita had seen the building on Lake Street up for sale for almost two years before they took the time to look at it.

Jeff admits he was hesitant to look at a property on E. Lake St. “I lived in Seward in the late 90s and early 00s and at that time hadn't had a very positive impression of E. Lake Street,” he observed.

But now he feels like Lake Street is a really good fit for their business. “Initially it was mostly about the price, but now we feel like a part of something larger -- a renaissance that seems to be taking place on E. Lake between Hiawatha and the river,” said Jeff. “Since we bought it, so many new, innovative businesses have opened in this corridor, and that really confirms that this is the right place to be.  My initial skepticism that this was the right place to build a business is gone.”

When they looked at the structure, the water was shut off and the roof leaked, but overall, the bones of the building were good, and the price was in a range that they could afford. “If it had been selling at the pre-recession price, we might not have even looked at it -- especially given that the street was less vibrant back then than it is now,” said Jeff.

They didn’t expect to have so much in common with their neighbors. “Our business neighbors are a mix of immigrants and long-time Minnesotans, running small businesses similar in scale to what we are planning,” remarked Jeff. “We're a mixed family, so it felt like a comfortable fit in many ways. This is one of the things we love about E. Lake St.: it's pretty unassuming, but there's a lot going on below the surface, good things.”

In the basement of their building is 1,200 square feet with 9-foot ceilings, glass block windows and an antique jail cell. “Not exactly the picture of a winery, but a unique space, large enough to accommodate all of the equipment for a small winery and a nice cool year-round temperature,” said Jeff Zietler. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Jeff and Gita Zietler are proud of the work they’ve done to rehab this foreclosured building at 3016 E. Lake St., which included tearing up carpet and linoleum and then redoing the hardwood floors beneath. The building was formerly a hair salon, pawn shop and jewelry store named Diamond Jim’s, among other things. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

INVESTMENT AND SWEAT EQUITY

A landscape architect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Jeff has done as much of the work on their building as he can.

First was the clean-up. He removed layers of old flooring and refinished the original wood floors, painted and fixed up a myriad of little things. They hired contractors to fix the roof, reconnect the water and fix damage that was the result of the pipes freezing. They discovered that the air conditioning unit didn't work and that the furnace was on its last leg, so they hired a contractor to replace both.

“There was a lot of investment that went into it that partially offset the initial low purchase price, but we still felt like we got a great deal,” said Jeff.

They have rented out the street level as an office for a company that places personal care assistants in people's homes, and the lower level is vacant.  They're in the process of applying for a conditional use permit and parking variance with the city in order to be able to run a business on the lower level. 

Downstairs, they have 1,200 square feet of space waiting for them to fix up. 

Their first piece of professional-grade equipment – a 300 liter Italian-made stainless steel fermenter – arrived in June. The test run was 14 gallons of dandelion and lilac wine. “We don’t have the building finished yet, or the licenses to sell, but I’m ramping up my home winemaking in preparation for going professional,” wrote Jeff in their blog.

HOMEBREWER SINCE COLLEGE

Jeff made his first batch of hard cider while he was a college student at the University of Minnesota 20 years ago. “It wasn't very good, but I kept making batches and over the years started making wines and ciders that people really seemed to enjoy,” stated Jeff. “Gita and I are both pretty avid gardeners and foragers, and I'd make wine from whatever was seasonally available in the area.” 

If their garden had a good year for growing carrots, he would mash them up and make a batch of carrot wine. In the spring he makes dandelion wine. When he notices fruit on the wild mulberry trees that grow almost everywhere, he collects enough to make a batch of mulberry wine. 

“It's all about using what's at hand, and the results are usually surprisingly good,” observed Jeff.

He isn’t trying to outdo California or France or Chile in making a great Cabernet or Sauvignon Blanc.  “Rhubarb and sour cherries and dandelions and carrots and apples grow like weeds in our climate, and make wonderful beverages of their own – and most of them are not commercially available, so I want to be the one to introduce them to the market,” he stated. 

Jeff added, “Foraging is how I've always made wine and cider, and scaling up to production on a commercial scale could be challenging. My vision is that we will be able to work with a number of partners who will pick organic fruit from their own trees or gardens or surplus fruit from consenting landowners, and give it to us in exchange for finished product or a modest payment.” He also hopes to intercept non-saleable fruit and vegetables from local markets that is too aesthetically unappealing to sell at a market, but is still perfectly suitable for juice extraction and fermentation.

HEARTBREAK OVER LAWS

The Zietlers, who live in the Merriam Park neighborhood of St. Paul, have been frustrated by the laws governing wineries. Rural wineries (located on agricultural land of three acres or more) pay 1/10 of the licensing fee of an urban winery, can also produce hard liquor, sell their products on site, and sell samples and drinks by the glass. In contrast, urban wineries pay a much higher licensing fee, but cannot have a taproom or even sell bottles on site.

 “The laws that have loosened up fees and regulations for brewery taprooms and microdistilleries have not yet made it to wineries,” Jeff observed.

Earlier this year, the Zietlers recruited the help of Representative Jim Davnie and Senator Patricia Torres Ray in order to pass new legislation to change that discrepancy. “But the farm wineries came out strong against it, and the bill died in committee,” stated Jeff. “I was kind of heartbroken after that happened.”

But he hasn’t given up. Instead he’s working to gather support from others. “When I try again, I think I'll have the public support that I was lacking last time,” Jeff observed.

KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN TO LAUNCH

The Zietlers plan to launch a Kickstarter campaign in September to raise $20,000 to buy equipment and fermenters. If their permits are approved and the Kickstarter campaign is successful, Urban Forage Winery and Cider House will begin making wine and cider in the winter or spring of 2015. 

Follow their progress at http://urbanforagewinery.com/

County happy to anchor L & H Station Development

New facility in South Minneapolis will be one of six replacing downtown Century Plaza

by Tesha M. Christensen

  

Imagine a Hennepin County Service Center conveniently located in your neighborhood. Now add retail businesses and offices next to it along Lake Street. Place a green roof above a 100-space parking area.

Situate multi-story apartment buildings, some with units that walk out directly to the street and others that overlook the lightrail station along Hiawatha. They have balconies and terraces. Inner courtyards provide space for gardens and gatherings. Rain gardens and green roofs are sprinkled throughout the development, designed to help with stormwater management (while exceeding those standards). Underground parking is available for the apartments. A bike trail follows the lightrail tracks.

Add in a one-third-acre area set aside for the farmer’s market and urban park, one that includes a stage area for outdoor concerts as well as indoor bathrooms. Envision a 6 a.m. yoga class filling the park.

These are all pieces of the current proposal for the 6.4-acre site at Lake and Hiawatha. It’s very similar to an earlier plan for the site, except that the county building is the anchor for the L & H Station Development rather than Minneapolis School’s adult basic education program.

LOCAL MEETING WELL ATTENDED

Local residents learned about the plan during a public meeting on Thursday night, April 3 held at the Brown Building, the facility owned by the Minneapolis School District that currently sits on the property. The entire parcel at 2225 E. Lake St. is owned by the school district, and the district and county are negotiating for the sale of the land. The cost is estimated at between $7-9 million.

“It’s nice to see a packed house for such an important project,” stated Corcoran Neighborhood Organization Land Use Committee Chair Philip Koski.

“How can we make buildings that aren’t the same old?” asked City Council member Alondra Cano. “This project is about people and collaborations.”

“We couldn’t be more excited about this development,” said Don Sabre of Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department.

Putting together a 100,000-square-foot county facility, retail, mixed-use housing and a farmer’s market is a magical formula, according to developer Jack Boarman of BKV Group. “It’s a wonderful opportunity.”

The current plan varies slightly from the one presented four years ago. Instead of the school district anchoring the site, a county social services building will. This six-story building will run along Lake St. and 22^nd Ave., which will give the school district several years to vacate the Brown. The shift also allows the farmer’s market area to be one-third larger, making it more like an urban park.

Phase one on the northwest side includes 125 housing units, retail and office and the 100,000-square foot county facility. There will be between 3 to 4 phases in all, spread out over several years, as developers are sensitive to the needs of the school district.

“It’s all about you. It’s all about us. It’s all about community,” said Boarman.

 

 

Commissioner Peter McLaughlin

1 IN 5 RESIDENTS USE SOCIAL SERVICES

The county facility will be “a one-stop experience for folks to get their needs met,” according to Sabre. It will be similar to one in Brooklyn Park that opened in October 2012 and the Bloomington location that opened in February 2014.

The county is decentralizing its services and intends to open four more several social service hubs throughout Hennepin County, including this new one in south Minneapolis and others in Hopkins, north Minneapolis, and downtown Minneapolis. It plans to close its large downtown Century Plaza building in 2015. 

“The beauty of this hub is the great transit access on Lake and Hiawatha,” observed Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin.

Sabre pointed out that 1 in 5 south Minneapolis residents use the services provided by his department. “We serve Corcoran neighbors,” Sabre stated. “We want to do a better job.”

He expects 950 people to be in and out of the county building a day. They will have just under 300 employees, whose hours are staggered.

450 HOUSING UNITS

There will be a mix of 450 housing units in this development, with both affordable housing and market rate options, that house between 600-800 people. There will be smaller units of 550 square feet with one bedroom, and also larger units with four bedrooms for families. Taller apartment buildings will sit near the lightrail line, while townhouse units will ring the edge near existing single-family homes.

Meeting attendees asked questions about parking. Some expressed concern that there be enough while others envisioned a development that didn’t support cars, and pushed for a pedestrian boulevard.

Boarman acknowledged that parking must be supplied within the development, and not push out into the streets or neighborhood. He pointed out that a parking and traffic study will be done soon to study the area, taking into account traffic at the YWCA across the street.

Sabre pointed out that county employees are encouraged to use public transit and given discounts on a metro card.

Currently, the Met Council rents space for a Park-and-Ride lot at the site. The future of the lot for commuter parking has not yet been determined.

ABE AND TRANSITION PLUS

Currently, the building on the site is used for the school district’s adult basic education program, and its Transitions Plus program for ages 18-21 with disabilities is supposed to move into the building in 2015.

Richard Doty of the Minneapolis School District noted that the district is considering several options for where the ABE and Transitions Plus programs will be moved.

Several people spoke out in support of keeping the programs there.

“The school district wants to be a part of where we go with this,” stated Robert Doty of the Minneapolis School District.

Last year the district rejected an $83 million multi-use development plan for the parcel because the cost to replace the Brown Building was more than it was willing to pay.

Art in all directions

Utility boxes on East Lake St. feature 20 Longfellow artists

Longfellow is home to some amazing artists. And now more people know about them thanks to an art installation along East Lake Street that features 20 artists.

Earlier this year, 10 utility boxes along East Lake Street and five on the Midtown Greenway were covered with artwork. The 10 boxes on East Lake Street are under the "I'm A LoLa Artist" theme, which is a series of public art installations the Longfellow Community Council (LCC) and the League of Longfellow Artists (LoLa) have coordinated throughout the neighborhood.

In 2012, a series of 56 posters were placed in storefronts along East Lake Street that included an image of a LoLa artist, an image of their art, and a quote from them as to why they do what they do. This idea was replicated on the utility boxes.

"I believe there are double benefits to the art on utility boxes: it takes what can be an eyesore and makes it visually interesting," said Longfellow artist Bob Schmitt of Laughing Waters Studio. "But also it is featuring not just the work of artists, but the work of artists who live/work in this particular Minneapolis neighborhood."

"The primary goal of the project is to prevent and reduce graffiti," noted Spencer Agnew of the Longfellow Community Council (LCC). "Utility boxes in their natural state are a blank canvas for graffiti and are frequently tagged. Other neighborhoods, like Kingfield, have had success preventing graffiti by installing public art. LCC has taken a similar approach in the past through mural projects at neighborhood commercial buildings, but this is our first utility box art project."

Schmitt was responsible for selecting which artists were featured on the utility boxes. With an eye to whose work would look good enlarged to that scale, Schmitt also factored in compatibility with another work and coolness of their quotes.

His own work is featured at Lake and W. River Parkway. Schmitt is a landscape painter, art teacher, designer, gardener, with a passion for children and their families.

“I paint the landscapes I love (Lake Superior, Minnehaha Falls) but in the traditions of Chinese brush painting. I hope to convey hope and peace in my work,” said Schmitt.

Before pursuing art full-time by opening Laughing Waters Studio, he owned a graphic design business for 25 years. See more at http://www.laughingwatersstudio.com.

“The whole experience of LoLa has been this uncovering of an incredible group of artists residing in this little corner of the city,” observed Schmitt. “In the past, Lowertown, NE Minneapolis, Seward were known to be hotbeds of artistic talent and showcased in their art crawls. Who knew that this quiet little corner of Minneapolis contained so many and such a variety of art and artists.”

He added, “Another richness of LoLa, and by extension this great streets project, is that it represents people who are professional artists and making their living that way, to people who are just creating for the love of creating, to inexperienced or young artists who are just beginning to show their work.”

The utility box project was funded by a grant from the city of Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling Division through the "Innovative Graffiti Prevention" program.

ABOUT LOLA
The League of Longfellow Artists is dedicated to bringing to light the treasures of artistic expression created by artists living or working in the Greater Longfellow neighborhood of south Minneapolis (the geographic area defined as east of Cedar Avenue to the Mississippi River, and south of 28th Street to the Crosstown).

Having begun in the summer of 2009 as a small grassroots effort initiated by artists Anita White and Bob Schmitt (and creatively named by neighborhood activist Shirley Nielson), LoLa now flourishes as an annual art crawl that is managed as an artist-run community.

During its first year, 42 artists were featured at 20 different sites. Last year, it had grown to 69 sites and 115 artists. This year, expect 150 artists at 80 sites.

LoLa is committed to raising the visibility of local artists in the Longfellow neighborhood and to building a true sense of community for these artists.

Throughout the year a variety of informal gatherings are offered to support neighborhood artists around topics, types of work, use of electronic media and more. Learn more at lolaartcrawl.com.

Gandhi Mahal owner seeks self-sufficiency for his restaurant

This year he has invested in 12 garden plots scattered throughout the city, a tilapia tank in his basement, and rickshaws that avoid the use of fossil fuels

by Tesha M. Christensen

Be the change. Start small. Lead by example. Lake Street restaurant owner Ruhel Islam believes this is how you build community.

After a 2010 trip with HECUA (Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs) to his home country of Bangladesh, Islam, the owner of Gandhi Mahal restaurant, came back inspired. He was no longer content to just talk about the issues. He wanted to take action.

In 2011, they planted a garden in the backyard of employee Riz Prakasim, who resides in the Corcoran neighborhood. They planted late, but still managed to harvest 2,000 pounds of vegetables. This year, they have recruited 12 partners in Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs. Each landowner has provided a plot for a garden. Some are small, such as the single raised garden bed at Minnehaha Liquor and the containers outside Gandhi Mahal’s doors. Others are larger. There is a site manager for each location, and one coordinator to oversee them all. High school and college students are tending the gardens.

This year’s goal is to grow 10,000 pounds of vegetables. Some of the produce will be used fresh. Some will be frozen and canned for use over the winter in Gandhi Mahal’s kitchen.

Having homegrown vegetables is just one piece of Islam’s overall plan to be self-sufficient. He also intends to raise his own chickens, farm tilapia and possibly shrimp in his basement, and place bee hives on his roof (for honey in his signature mango lassi). Islam is not sure how long this overall effort will take and what pieces will come first, but he is confident his dream will be achieved.

And when it does, Islam hopes to offer a complete economic model for others.

Part of Islam’s drive to be self-sufficient is rooted in his own culture and home country of Bangladesh, where he grew up on a far that his family still runs.

“I want to know where the food is coming from that I cook here,” explained Islam.

Islam is also concerned about the food chain here in America. As a restaurant owner, Islam has faces food shortages this winter. He was unable to buy eggplant, corn oil or naturally raised chicken from wholesalers. Onions tripled in price, and ginger rose from $18 to $28 a case to $50.

The food industry is not secure, he pointed out. Most of the farmers in the U.S. are over 65, and young people are opting for careers in medicine or law instead of agriculture.

“Gardening is very important,” said Islam.

There is no long-term supply of food, and the problem of not enough food for people becomes apparent during disasters.

Islam pointed out that the American food system is based on fossil fuels. He encourages others to buy local and grow local.

 “We’re hoping to chain people’s mindsets about how we view and interact with our food chain,” said Prakasim. “A food chain based on fossil fuels is not sustainable.”

Islam noted, “Food is the true wealth.”

A PLAN TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT

By late summer, Islam hopes to install a 500-gallon tank in his basement to house tilapia. The waste will be used to fertilize gardens and grow the cilantro, tomatoes, chilies and more they use in the restaurant. The tilapia themselves will be fed with chicken scraps.

“We are starting an aquaculture,” noted Islam.

He is also working with researchers at the University of Minnesota that are dedicated to making basement gardens a reality. New technology will port sunlight from the roof into the basement with zero loss. “We really want to work on the cutting edge of technology to propel indoor farming forward,” said Prakasim. He pointed out that Europe is 20 years ahead of the United States. “We’re playing catch-up,” Prakasim observed.

Another slice of Bangladesh will hit local streets later this summer when it is time to harvest vegetables from Gandhi Mahal’s 12 garden plots. Rickshaws are being specially built to transport vegetables from the garden to the restaurant and thereby avoid using any fossil fuel.  A Kickstart campaign will kick off on Thursday, July 11. Proceeds from dinner at Gandhi Mahal that day will go towards the campaign.

“I can’t wait to see those,” said Islam. “It’s very exciting.”

In the kitchen, all the used cooking oil is gathered and picked up by Cat Biodiesel for use as biodiesel.

“Teamwork makes this possible,” stressed Islam.

He operates on the principal that the more you give, the more comes back to you. Every Tuesday night, 10% of every meal goes to MN350, a group dedicated to building a climate movement in Minnesota. Proceeds from dinner every second Wednesday go to the Midtown Farmer’s Market.

Islam offers a community room for use free of charge to non-profits and community groups such as the Longfellow Restorative Justice Committee and the Longfellow Business Association, two groups he is active in. Other groups, such as the Permaculture Research Institute and HECUA, have held classes there.

A few months ago, the restaurant was designated a World Peace Site.

“We have to be the change we want to see in the world,” said Prakasim. It’s a lesson he’s learned from Islam, and one he’s passing along.

It’s been just five years since Islam opened up his Lake Street restaurant, but he has joined the ranks of those who have made a mark on the community and transformed East Lake Street into a place that can stand as its own destination location.

The new E. Lake Street

by Tesha M. Christensen

Lake St. between the river and Hiawatha is no longer the vacant space people drive through on their way to the busier sections west of Hiawatha.

Instead, it is coming back to life, filling up with innovative new restaurants and businesses.

In the past few months, two new restaurants have opened their doors on Lake Street: Parka Restaurant at 4023 E, Lake St. and Zeke’s Unchained Animal at 3508 E. Lake St. Forage Modern Workshop has opened next to Parka in the former carpenters’ union building.

The redevelopment will continue with a new grocery store at 3815 E. Lake St. and two new tenants at the former Molly Quinn’s building.

Plus, the installation of artwork on utility boxes along Lake St. has brought the creativity of the area up a notch.

“Let’s be honest, 10 years ago East Lake was a bit of a dump,” remarked Kris Kiel of HOLOS Creative.

Today, the energy on E. Lake St. helped Longfellow earn one of City Pages Highest Distinctions: 2013 Best Neighborhood.

ART ON THE STREET

The utility box art installation along E. Lake St. features 20 local artists on 10 utility boxes, all members of the League of Longfellow Artists (LoLa), which helped coordinate the project with the Longfellow Community Council (LCC).

 “I believe there are double benefits to the art on utility boxes: it takes what can be an eyesore and makes it visually interesting,” said Longfellow artist Bob Schmitt of Laughing Waters Studio. “But also it is featuring not just the work of artists, but the work of artist who live/work in this particular Minneapolis neighborhood.”

 The primary goal of the project, according to Spencer Agnew of LCC, is to prevent and reduce graffiti. “Utility boxes in their natural state are a blank canvas for graffiti and are frequently tagged. Other neighborhoods, like Kingfield, have had success preventing graffiti by installing public art,” he observed.

The utility box project was funded by a grant from the city of Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling Division through the Innovative Graffiti Prevention program.

TRANSFORMATIVE WORK

For several years now, East Lake Street has been struggling. Redevelopment on E. Lake St. in the 1960s and 70s replaced much of the traditional retail storefronts with auto-oriented designs. That, coupled with lingering effects from the 2006-08 reconstruction project and the economic downturn, left the street inactive. There have been more commercial vacancies on this portion of Lake Street than the rest of the Street from Hiawatha to Lake Calhoun combined, according to Redesign.

“Vacancy levels lead to blight and disinvestment. People feel like their neighborhood is not being taken care of,” noted Eddie Landenberger of Redesign, who has been helping to change that trend and fill empty buildings.

“It’s transformative work,” stated Landenberger.

Most recently, Redesign has focused on the vacant Molly Quinn building at 3300 E. Lake St. A collapsed foundation had doomed the property to vacancy since 2008. There wasn’t a bank that would provide capital until Redesign stepped in and cleaned up the messy issues. “It was one of those impossible buildings,” remarked Landenberger.

By fall, there will be two new tenants at 3300 E. Lake.

The former Peterson Machinery site is also undergoing a $4.5 million transformation. A few buildings will be razed and the Peterson structure renovated to house a grocery store with character.  Owner Joel Ahlstrom envisions a store that will resemble the one his grandfather once ran years ago at 2700 17th Ave. S.

LIVE LOCAL, SHOP LOCAL, HELP YOR NEIGHBORS

The E. Lake St. area has had the dubious distinction of having one of the highest vacancy rates in the city of Minneapolis, noted Scott Cramer of Northern Sun (2916 E. Lake St.).

He has seen recovery start at the Lake and 27th triangle and spread out from there.

Even at its worst, E. Lake St. was supported by a wonderful community that believed in living local, shopping local, and helping your neighbors, noted Kiel.

“Independently-owned businesses like The Craftsman, Harriet Brewing, Gandhi Mahal, and Miller Upholstering recognized something special about the area and chose to open shop here,” said Kiel. “Midori’s, El Norteno, and others stuck around through the challenging road construction and the community supports them.”

Gandhi Mahal’s owner Ruhel Islam is a prime example of a business owner focused on helping his community. Local non-profit organizations are welcome to use a community room in the restaurant free of charge, and he regularly donates food to various worthy causes.

This year, he is embarking on a project to provide his restaurant with vegetables grown from local garden plots, tilapia farmed in the Gandhi Mahal basement, and honey from rooftop hives. Islam hopes to offer a complete economic model for others.

“Teamwork makes this possible,” stressed Islam. (See related story on page ??)

Northern Sun is also leading by example. The first solar garden in Minneapolis will soon be installed on its rooftop. It will have the capacity to produce 40 kilowatts of clean, solar energy—enough to power 8-10 homes.

“There are wonderfully creative businesses opening up all the time that draw people from all over the city – Harriet Brewing, Trylon Microcinema, Peace Coffee, Gandhi Mahal, The Craftsman, Longfellow Grill, Prairie Woodworking, Merlin’s Rest, and the list goes on and on,” said Kiel.

The irony, according to Kiel, is that the residents haven’t changed much over the past 10 years. “We’ve always know this was a great place to be!” said Kiel. “The biggest change is that the secret is getting out and more people are choosing to live in this area.”

“I see younger folks moving in and asking for amenities they’re used to going to malls for and wanting them in their neighborhood,” said  Landenberger. They want variety and choice, he added.

“Lake Street is a destination location and a awesome commercial corridor to frequent,” stated ZoeAna Martinez of the Lake Street Council.