How much traffic can 46th St. and Hiawatha handle?

Residents question Reuter Walter representatives during a community meeting on Oct. 9. Reuter Walter has proposed razing the former Bridgeman’s near Minnehaha Park at 4757 Hiawatha Ave., and constructing a six-story, 85-unit structure. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Residents discuss traffic, parking, and air quality issues sparked by proposed developments near Minnehaha Park

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Can the 46th St. and Hiawatha Ave. area handle all the traffic caused by development there?
Residents aren’t sure, and they have been voicing their concerns at local meetings, including one on Oct. 9 at Brackett Park.
There were two developments that night on the agenda, Reuter Walter’s proposal for the former Bridgeman’s property and Hayes Harlow Development’s proposal for Minnehaha and 46th (see related article on page 1), but overall five projects are currently being reviewed for the area. Plus, just north is the upcoming Snelling Yards development and Amber Apartments building, and to the east will be the redevelopment of the Ford plant.
“That’s a gigantic increase in car traffic,” said one resident.
Another stated, “It’s going to be a traffic nightmare.”
Citizens are asking for a traffic study. Others also asked for air pollution and air quality studies to be done in the area.
Council member Andrew Johnson clarified that a traffic study couldn’t be used to deny a project. “It can be used to mitigate traffic impacts,” he explained and stated that he will push for one to be done.
Johnson said that it is important to him that traffic flow well in this area, but that includes vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, and buses.
“It’s not easy as there’s a lot of competing interests here,” he said. “How do you make 46th St. adequate for not just now but 10, 20 years down the road?”
Parking concerns
Residents have also been expressing concerns about parking at these buildings, which are sometimes providing less than one parking spot per unit.
The 4757 Hiawatha Ave. project proposes 59 stalls for 85 units; the Oppidan phase 2 high-density option next door proposes 96 stalls for 96 units; the Minnehaha 46 building proposes 27 stalls for 54 units, and the Lander Group proposal for the Greg’s Auto site has 37 stalls for 37 units.
“Where are everyone’s friends going to park?” questioned one resident. Another pointed out that most couples have two vehicles.
Six-story, 85-unit building
Reuter Walter has proposed razing the former Bridgeman’s near Minnehaha Park at 4757 Hiawatha Ave., and constructing a six-story, 85-unit structure.
Reuter Walton decided not to include commercial space in this development because it will be located on the same block as the new Cub Foods development, explained Brasser. “Speculative retail space in apartment buildings is difficult to fill,” he stated.
A citizen argued that the location is a “gold mine,” especially on the weekends. “You’ve got to see the lines at Sea Salt,” he said.
Others pointed out that visitors wouldn’t be able to see the first floor of this building from Minnehaha Park to know if a restaurant or coffee shop was there. There’s also an issue with parking, which could prevent a business from moving in as it did for so many years on the lower level of the building at the 46th St. light rail station. Venn Brewing finally moved in after years of negotiation with neighbors regarding parking on the streets nearby.
Some residents expressed concern about the proposed height at 4757 Hiawatha Ave., which will be about the same as the five-story Lowa46 building just to the north that will house Cub.
“I kind of feel like you are the 6.5-foot person standing at the front of the concert,” a resident stated.
The next meeting on this project will be on Nov. 8 at the Neighborhood Transportation and Development Committee.
Photo below: There are five developments being proposed or in progress around Minnehaha and 46th. Being proposed are the Hayes Harlow Development’s project at Minnehaha and 46th, the Lander Group project at Greg’s Auto location at 4737 Minnehaha, the Oppidan phase two project, and Reuter Walter’s project at the former Bridgeman’s property. Under construction is the first phase of the Oppidan project that includes 148 market-rate apartments and penthouses, a 45,000-square-foot Cub Foods grocery store, 3,000 square feet of small-shop retail, and a large public plaza. (Graphic by Tesha M. Christensen)

Minnehaha 46 housing project made affordable by design

Smaller units, fewer amenities planned for new 54-unit building at 46th and Minnehaha

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
The new five-story building proposed at 46th St. and Minnehaha Ave. will be affordable by design, according to developer Sean Sweeney of Hayes Harlow Development.
While working for eight years in San Francisco, Sweeney was a part of affordable housing and market-rate projects, and saw the challenges of both, he told citizens gathered at a community meeting on Oct. 9. In Minneapolis, he continues to hear that the city needs more affordable housing, but he pointed out that getting the federal subsidies and tax credits for those projects can be very time-consuming.
Photo right: The existing building at the corner of 46th St. and Minnehaha Ave. offers 12 transitional housing units that share four bathrooms with low-cost rents ranging from $450-650 a month. Sweeney said they considered keeping the building, but determined it was too run-down to rehabilitate. It will be replaced with a five-story structure that will have 54 apartments and retail space on the first floor. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Instead, he has decided to construct buildings that are affordable by design. “We’re building smaller units,” he said, “and keep the building tight, simple and efficient.” This helps keep rents lower, Sweeney explained.
A new, 38,452-square-foot building will replace an existing structure that Sweeney said he’s been told is an “eyesore in the community.”
The existing building has 12 transitional housing units that share four bathrooms with rents ranging from $450-650 a month. Sweeney said they considered keeping the building, but determined it was too run-down to rehabilitate. The mechanicals needed to be upgraded and additional bathrooms would be needed.
This project does not include the building that houses Solid State Records on the east.
54 units, 27 parking stalls
According to Sweeney, when they approach a new site, they ask the following questions: What is most needed? What is the best use at this site?
At Minnehaha and 46th, they determined the need was housing units and commercial space. They were drawn to the site because of its proximity to the light rail station and bus lines, and believe that most of their building residents will use transit instead of their vehicles.
“We think this is a great area,” said Sweeney.
Photo left: Pete Keely of Collage Architects (left) and Sean Sweeney of Hayes Harlow Development explain their development proposal during a community meeting on Oct. 9. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
The current plan calls for 54 housing units spread out over five floors, with 2,900 square feet in retail space on the first level along 46th. A parking lot with 27 units is planned for the back of the property with access off the alley, along with parking for one bike per unit.
“We looked at underground parking,” noted architect Pete Keely of Collage Architects. “But we get about as much and we save $600,000-700,000 by not going underground.”
Photo right: A new, 38,452-square-foot building proposed at 46th St. and Minnehaha Ave. will offer studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units with rents expected to range from $900 to $1,200. (Graphic submitted)
Other buildings in the metro area that Sweeney has developed that have fewer cars than residents include the Ray Apartments in St. Paul, the Lyndy in Lyn-Lake in Minneapolis and the Central in Minneapolis. “There are proposals on the table in the city for projects with 49 units in two separate locations that are planning no parking at all. The city is very supportive of the reduced parking requirements,” stated Sweeney.
They anticipate adding 15-20 cars a day to the local traffic.
Stepped-back design
In order to avoid placing a tall, five-story wall next to residences on the north side, developers have proposed a stepped-back design that moves from five foot from the property line on the first floor to 11 feet away to 30 feet away on the upper floors.”
With that approach, the first floor is 9,982 square feet, the second and third floors 9,465, the fourth floor 8,296, and the fifth floor 7,283.
Units on the first floor will resemble townhouses with walk-up entries and space for a garden and patio in front.
Studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units will be available with rents expected to range from $900 to $1,200. One-bedrooms at the nearby Oppidan/Cub development are expected to start at $1,200, Sweeney pointed out in comparison.
Storage is planned for the center of the building. There will be a small, 10×20 roof deck on the top floor.
Construction will likely begin next April and last 10-11 months with completion in early 2020.
Smaller units, more affordable
“I think the trend will continue to focus on smaller units and afford­ability,” stated Sweeney. “I believe people want to live in great neighborhoods and those neighborhoods will be ones that feature a multitude of housing options at different price points, walkability, transit, and neighborhood-serving commercial. The creation of those neighborhoods will hopefully work to improve people’s live, reduce car dependency and help combat climate change.”
The Neighborhood Development and Transportation Committee will consider this proposal at its Nov. 8 meeting and decide whether to provide a letter of support.

Oppidan considers townhomes or five-story apartment building

In the second option, a five-story building with 96 units of workforce housing would be built. It would include a parking garage with 55 cars and a surface lot with space for 41 cars next to the existing parking lot for the Lowa46 building. (Graphic submitted)

Community feedback on Cub site options will be solicited at Nov. 1 meeting

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Oppidan is considering a low-density and a high-density approach to the south end of the property that will soon house a Cub and a five-story apartment building with 148 units.
Drew Johnson of Oppidan asked for feedback on the two options during the Oct. 2 Neighborhood Development and Transportation (NDTC) meeting.
The proposal will also be discussed during a community meeting on Nov. 1, 6-7:30pm, at the Hiawatha School Recreation Center, 4305 E. 42nd St.
Lowa46, the five-story structure on the north end of the lot along 46th St. and Snelling, will be complete in 2019. Cub Foods is expected to open in April or May, and the apartment complex in June or July.
Phase two of the project involves the two-acre triangular shaped area on the south side, between the old Bridgeman’s and Dairy Queen.
Photo right: Drew Johnson of Oppidan shares two options for development on the south side of the Cub parcel with Neighborhood Development Transportation Committee members during the Oct. 2 meeting. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
This parcel was part of a 12-acre area identified as a Town Center site in a 2002 study based on neighborhood input. This plan provided the framework for Oppidan’s vision for high-density use at the site. The plan called for 450 units of housing clustered around the light rail station and 95,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, pointed out Johnson. In 2013, the study was updated, and a goal set to expand diverse multi-family housing options near the light rail station.
“We’re taking our framework from these documents, but we want to get feedback,” stated Johnson.
Two options
In the low-density option, Oppidan proposes the construction of eight townhomes in a row along the Min Hi Line. The front doors and parking would face west (towards the six-story apartment building that has been proposed by Reuter Walter on the old Bridgeman’s site).
However, the planning documents seem to support a denser plan, observed Johnson.
In the second option, a five-story building with 96 units of workforce housing would be built. It would include a parking garage with 55 cars and a surface lot with space for 41 cars next to the existing parking lot for the Lowa46 building. Access will be from the south along Nawadaha or north from 46th and the Snelling Ave. extension.
The new building would offer 580-square-feet studios (15 total), 750-square-feet one-bedroom apartments (37 total), 950-square-feet two-bedroom units (22 total), and 1,000-square-feet two-bedroom units (22 total).
While the Lowa46 building on the north side will be market rate with rent prices at about $2 a square foot or $1,800 for a one bedroom, Oppidan is proposing that the building on the south be workforce housing with rent prices at about $1.30 a square foot or $900 for a one-bedroom. This would be possible through the use of low-income housing credits, a national program that the state administers, said Johnson.
One of the major factors that will determine whether the high-density option is even possible is whether the large Xcel transmission tower is moved, observed Johnson. Oppidan would apply for a Met Council grant to help with the “extraordinary costs of moving the tower.”
Is community input valued?
Some have questioned whether Oppidan really factors in community feedback, as it didn’t seem to affect the grocery store chosen at the site.
According to Johnson, Hyvee was interested in the site but wanted the amount of parking you’d find in a suburban neighborhood. They said they’d come if the parking lot size was doubled, and the city wouldn’t agree to that. On the other hand, Cub was willing to work within the regulations at the site.
Also, for every person that suggested another option such as Aldi’s or Trader Joe’s, there were people saying, “I love Cub,” said Johnson.

Which neighborhood can adopt more drains?

Como, Hamline-Midway, and Macalester-Groveland accept the adopt-a-drain challenge for cleaner water

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Which St. Paul neighborhood can adopt more storm drains over the next year? The challenge has been accepted by the Como, Hamline-Midway, and Macalester-Groveland neighborhoods.
As of Oct. 1, 630 storm drains have been adopted by local residents.
The official breakdown of the competing neighborhoods:
• Como/District 10—197 participants have adopted 297 drains.
• Hamline-Midway—103 participants have adopted 159 drains.
• Mac-Groveland—115 participants have adopted 174 drains.
“Unlike adopting a pet or a child, storm drains are pretty easy to take care of,” remarked Hamline Midway Environment Committee member Lucia Hunt. “By signing up, a neighbor commits to watching a drain and making sure it stays clear of garbage, leaves, ice, and other debris. This means visiting the storm drain every month or two and sweeping it clean, weeding around it, and tossing litter into the trash. Chopping ice buildup in the winter is a great way to keep our streets clear and dry during slush season.”
Hunt first learned about the Adopt-A-Drain program while going through the Master Water Steward coursework when they were all encouraged to adopt their own drain.
“There is an education component to the Master Water Steward program, and instead of coming up with a unique idea, I thought about how to increase adoption rates in my neighborhood,” recalled Hunt. “I wanted to start a friendly competition between the neighborhoods to inspire some pride and pleasure in water conservation.”
The competition between neighborhoods began in August.
What washes down the drain…
“Water quality issues are making the news more and more here in Minnesota. We talk a lot about the impact of agricultural practices, but our urban impact can be just as damaging to the water bodies we love and are connected with,” observed Hunt. “Some of us use pesticides and fertilizers on our lawns, rake our leaves into the street, or are careless with our wrappers and garbage. It is important to realize what happens to all that stuff when it goes down the drains.”
“Many people do not know that our storm sewers go directly into lakes and rivers without any filtration,” remarked Jenni Abere, who administers the Adopt-A-Drain program out of Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education. “Also, many people don’t know that leaves and grass (in excess) actually pollute lakes and rivers.”
Phosphorus is one of the most troublesome pollutants in stormwater runoff. When leaves, lawn clippings, animal wastes, fertilizers, and soil are picked up by stormwater runoff and are carried directly to local lakes and streams, they provide the lakes with excess phosphorus. This excess phosphorus increases algae growth and is why lakes turn green.
“All of the water, plastic bottles, straws, leaves, and road grime go straight through the underground pipes to the Mississippi River—unfiltered, untreated, and unseen,” stated Hunt.
“We do not have any surface water in the Hamline Midway neighborhood, so everything appears to just ‘go away.’ However, if you take a stroll along the riverbanks, it’s a real eye-opener when you see all that trash accumulating and even worse is the invisible nutrient load flowing downstream.”
District 10 Como Community Council Executive Director Michael Kuchta pointed out that storm sewers are the tributaries for Como Lake.
“What washes down the sewer grates goes directly into the lake—trash, excessive nutrients, and who knows what else. It’s the equivalent to manure and fertilizer runoff into the Minnesota River. It directly degrades water quality,” stated Kuchta. “In our case, anyone walking past could see and smell the consequences this summer—green water, algae blooms, and all kinds of trash in the water and on the shoreline.”
40,000 pounds of debris diverted last year
By adopting a drain, participants commit to keeping it clear of leaves, trash, and sediment. These simple steps keep debris from washing down the storm drain and becoming pollution in local waterways.
Last winter and spring, St. Paul participants diverted more than 40,000 pounds of debris from metro area lakes and rivers.
The Adopt-A-Drain program began in 2014 with support from the city of St. Paul and Capitol Region Watershed District. It was subsequently piloted in Bloomington, Roseville, Maple Grove, and Minneapolis, with support from those cities plus Nine Mile Creek and Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed Districts.
“There is a surprising number of people who are not ‘official’ adopters but who have been cleaning out their storm drains for years,” Hunt commented. “They understand that the work they do benefits the entire neighborhood and that those individual civic actions make the Midway a better place to live.
“If you are considering adopting, look for one that you walk by or live by so it’s not a hassle to visit it. You can even give your drain a name! Sign up at Adopt-a-Drain.org and pick one or two drains, or go all out and adopt an entire intersection to call your own.”
Kuchta added, “We’re in this friendly competition with other neighborhoods because it provides a fun way for all of us to take a simple, specific step to start turning things around. If residents adopt a drain, if they keep catch basins and gutters clear of grass clippings, leaves, and other debris, it makes an immediate, positive impact on Como Lake. Plus, you get a nice-looking sign for your yard.”
This fall, District 10 is also partnering with the city’s public works department to spread the word that it is illegal to rake leaves into the street.
4-year-old adopts a drain
When four-year-old Miriam Hansen walked past the Adopt-A-Drain exhibit at the State Fair, it was a no-brainer for her family. They adopted a drain.
Photo left: Miriam Hansen checks her drain daily. “Drains need to be clean so the water can drain down it,” explained the four-year-old. (Photo submitted)
“My daughter’s pre-K class focused on learning about rivers,” explained her mother, Jill Hansen, of the Mac-Groveland neighborhood, who was inspired by her daughter’s excitement. “As a part of this, they included drains and where the water goes.”
During family walks, they started paying attention to the storm drains they walked past and cleaning them as needed. “We had many conversations about water, the animals living in and around the river, and the effect trash can have on them,” said J. Hansen. “It was exciting for our daughter. The connection she made with helping the earth and animals was caring and beautiful.”
Miriam checks her drain daily. If she notices that the drain near hers that was adopted by neighbors needs to be cleared, she is very prompt in telling them so.
“Drains need to be clean so the water can drain down it,” explained the four-year-old. “The water goes to the river. We can’t let garbage go down it because then the fish could eat it and die.”
J. Hansen appreciates the Adopt-A-Drain program.
“I love that it empowers the community to play a small part,” said J. Hansen. “If we all do a small part it can make a big difference.”

Mending and sustainability go hand-in-hand for Mobile Menders

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
When Como resident Jenny Losey learned about Mobile Menders in August 2017, she quickly signed on as a volunteer.
“I thought it sounded like a really unique way to do something I enjoyed while helping out the community,” recalled Losey.
Today, she serves as the group’s Community Outreach Coordinator and also helps organize the Dress for Success event in the Midway area.
Photo right: The mission of Mobile Menders includes education. Como resident Jenny Losey staffs a table during an event. On average, an American throws away 70 pounds of clothing and textiles per year. From January through August 2018, Mobile Menders’ 245 volunteers have repaired about 1,350 pounds of clothing. (Photo submitted)
“We live in a society that quickly makes assumptions about a person based on their appearance—including how they dress. Being able to help people have clothing that fits, zips, and looks decent helps provide a measure of dignity to someone no matter what their situation is,” remarked Losey. “On a broader level, helping to teach people about sustainability and mending helps reduce waste in our community which in turn creates a better environment for us all.”
On average, an American throws away 70 pounds of clothing and textiles per year. From January through August 2018, Mobile Menders’ 245 volunteers have repaired about 1,350 pounds of clothing.
“We are helping keep clothes and textiles out of the landfills by mending items and educating people how important it is to mend your clothing and textiles,” stated Mobile Menders Founder Michelle Ooley, who is passionate about helping people understand how their choices can affect the environment.
“Recycling is such a powerful word, and people can feel overwhelmed,” observed Ooley. “Getting your clothes mended is a simple way to start.”
Self-taught
Ooley is a self-taught seamstress who learned by reading various sewing blogs and watching videos. It involved a lot of trial and error and a good seam ripper, she remarked.
She was inspired to form Mobile Menders after volunteering at an Earth Day work event through her employer at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in April 2017.
Photo right: “Clothes are so important to people, and they hold such a powerful emotional connection,” commented Mobile Menders founder Michelle Ooley. “We all have a favorite shirt, sweatshirt or pants. A story often goes along with an article of clothing. I’ve met some truly wonderful people that volunteer with Mobile Menders. It’s not only providing a much-needed resource to the community, but also to the volunteers and myself. It really is something to witness when you can mend someone’s shirt when they didn’t think you could.” (Photo submitted)
At a Fix-It Clinic event held at Union Gospel Mission, Ooley hemmed pants, replaced buttons, and fixed rips.
With one hour left, a man named Jim came up to her with two items needing repair: a bathrobe with a rip in the seam and a jacket that needed a new zipper. She told Jim that she could repair his bathrobe, but the jacket would need additional time. She asked for his cell phone number and told him she would replace the zipper and return the jacket in about two weeks.
“He couldn’t believe that I would do that for him,” recalled Ooley.
Two weeks later, Ooley met up with Jim to return the jacket. “Jim was moved to tears when I gave him his repaired jacket. He said it was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him,” said Ooley. She was moved to tears, as well.
She knew she had to do something more. Mobile Menders was born.
Emotional connection to clothes
“Clothes are so important to people, and they hold such a powerful emotional connection,” commented Ooley.
“We all have a favorite shirt, sweatshirt or pants. A story often goes along with an article of clothing. I’ve met some truly wonderful people that volunteer with Mobile Menders. It’s not only providing a much-needed resource to the community, but also to the volunteers and myself. It really is something to witness when you can mend someone’s shirt when they didn’t think you could.”
She is always touched by the joy on a child’s face after their stuffed animal is repaired at a mending event. “Every item that someone brings to an event is important to them, so it’s important to us,” said Ooley.
Photo left: Mobile Menders volunteers have a variety of skills. Some sew at events and others act as greeters. (Photo submitted)
Losey remembers fixing a sweatshirt that had once belonged to the owner’s sister who passed away. Her cat had ripped it up, and it needed some patching. Another time, she worked on letting out a suit coat for a man at a recovery center who didn’t think he’d ever own another suit in his lifetime.
While Losey loves to sew, it wasn’t always that way. Her mom tried teaching her to sew when she was in middle school, but she couldn’t complete a project without a lot of help, so she gave up on it.
“About two years ago, I decided to try and tackle making Halloween costumes for my kids, and got the sewing bug,” she said. “I found a large online community of sewists and lots of YouTube tutorials to help me out when I got stuck, and quickly progressed into sewing a lot of my own clothes.”
Mending in the neighborhood
Mobile Menders was part of a Ramsey County Fix-It Clinic at Black Stack Brewing (755 N. Prior Ave.) on Sept. 22, and returned to the neighborhood for several events in October.
Mobile Menders had a table at the Hamline Elementary School’s Fall Festival on Oct. 6 for the second year in a row and demonstrated how to take an old t-shirt and turn it into a reusable bag.
Photo right: Mobile Menders was part of a Ramsey County Fix-It Clinic at Black Stack Brewing (755 N. Prior Ave.) on Sept. 22, and returned to the neighborhood for several events in October. The next one will be at Galtier Community School to offer a Make Your Own Superhero Cape during the Fall Festival on Thursday evening, Oct. 25. (Photo submitted)
Also in October, Mobile Menders began a partnership with Hamline Elementary School to provide free mending services to the students and their families in their Family Resource Room. “It’s a project that we have been working on for several months and are excited to get it started,” remarked Ooley.
Mobile Menders will also return to Galtier Community School to offer a Make Your Own Superhero Cape during the Fall Festival on Thursday evening, Oct. 25. Last year, over 150 fleece capes and masks were handed out to students. Each student then had the opportunity to go to a station and decorate a cape.
Like an old-fashioned quilting circle
“Mending events remind me of old-fashioned quilting circles where we all sit around talking and sewing,” remarked Losey. “I’ve met so many amazing people—both volunteers and the clients bringing in clothing to be mended. Lots of them stick around to chat or learn what we’re doing to their clothing, and I’ve heard all sorts of interesting stories.”
Some Mobile Menders volunteers sew, and others act as greeters at events.
“We all have different skills and it’s so cool to sit at a table and have a variety of people all work together to solve a mending problem,” observed Ooley. “It’s very collaborative in nature.”
For more information go to www.mobilemendersewing.com.

Some neighbors upset with new parking fees at YWCA Midtown

Y management says the new system will relieve congestion and misuse of the lot by non-members using the private lot

(Editor’s note: Reporter Tesha M. Christensen is a neighborhood resident and has been a member of the Midtown YWCA since 2013.)
By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Some neighborhood residents and Y members are upset that the Midtown YWCA is now charging for parking.
They’re questioning why the change was made without member input, why other options weren’t considered, and why very little notice was given.
Most of all, members are upset about what amounts to a minimum $180 increase in fees for those who drive a vehicle to the YWCA on the heels of a project that closed the locker rooms for the entire summer.

Photo right: Neighbors are worried about traffic back-ups along 22nd Ave. once the new parking gates are active. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Ericsson resident Kristen Olsen is so bitter and disillusioned about the added cost and the lack of member involvement in addressing the parking situation that she canceled her membership and moved to the St. Paul JCC across the river. She had joined the YWCA in 2013.
“The parking fees amount to a substantial increase in our monthly fitness costs,” pointed out Olsen. “For my family, it’s a $15 per month increase.”
Olsen doesn’t think that the ‘solution’ is consistent with the problem identified by the YWCA, which is unauthorized parking by non-members.
“If that is truly the problem the Y is trying to solve, it could be easily addressed by installing a parking gate that scans a member card to get in, or offering two hours of free parking for members, then charging for extended visits,” said Olsen. “Instead, the Y is assessing a cost on its own members to fix a problem caused by non-members. It doesn’t seem fair to impose a penalty on members for a problem they didn’t cause.”
Olsen added, “The Y gave very little notice of the cost increase and did not include members in discussions about the problem and how it might be addressed. The Y had info sessions and sought member feedback on remodeling the locker rooms, for example. Why didn’t it include its own community and all the stakeholders in a change to the parking lot that affects almost every member who uses the club? They lost a lot of goodwill in how they rolled out this change, in my opinion.”
Letter/email sent mid-August
Members received a letter around Aug. 16 that was dated Aug. 3 and lacked the signature of a specific staff member. Instead, it was signed by “YWCA management.” An email also went out that day.
The letter announced that the YWCA Midtown was implementing a new pay parking gate system to “relieve the congestion and current misuse” of the parking lot. Installation began in August.
The YWCA has been charging for parking at its Downtown location since 1998, and about the same at the Uptown location, according to spokesperson Corinne Mattli.
Photo left: It cost about $200,000 to install the new system, which includes four parking gates and software to interface with a billing system. There is one entry and three exit gates. The YWCA Board voted on the change in June. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
There will be a 20-minute free grace period for members and program participants entering the lot who are picking up or dropping off. After that free period, parking rates at the gate start at $1 for up to 1.25 hours; 1.25-2.5 hours costs $2; with an increasing fee up to $20 for six or more hours. Credit cards will be accepted at the exit lanes, and a cash/coin/credit “pay-on-foot” station will be available. Members have the option to set up an auto-load parking card for $15 a month plus tax that will reload automatically with a monthly debit withdrawal. Members can also opt to get a stored value card that can be loaded with funds for a 10 percent credit on the total value purchased.
Families who receive their fitness memberships on scholarship based on their income will receive a free parking pass.
It cost about $200,000 to install the new system, which includes four parking gates and software to interface with a billing system. There are one entry and three exit gates. The YWCA Board voted on the change in June.
The YWCA did not have an estimate of how much the system will cost each year to maintain, nor did staff provide numbers on how much revenue the parking fees are expected to generate. Midtown YWCA General Manager Alex Aguilar stated that they expect it will take a few years to garner the $200,000 the system cost to install.
Currently, the Y is replacing about six gates at the Uptown location each year after drivers run into them.
The Midtown YWCA has about 20 bicycle spaces and plans to add additional bicycle racks, according to Aguilar.
The lot remains for members only
YWCA representatives point out that the area around the Midtown location has changed drastically since the Y moved in 18 years ago. There’s a new Hennepin County service building across 22nd Ave. S. with a paid parking lot, and the Park-and-Ride there was removed. The next phase of that project will add about 500 housing units. The light rail station at Hiawatha and Lake St. sees about 30,000 riders each week. Plus, the school district is wrapping up construction of a new Adult Education Center on the west side of the YWCA.
“It’s become more and more difficult to maintain the parking lot as a private privilege to our members,” stated Aguilar.
The Midtown lot has 178 spaces, and there have been signs in the lot for years that designate it as a member-only lot.
A few years ago, the Y’s 4,800 members received parking permits to place on their rearview mirrors when in the lot to identify themselves.
However, YWCA management contends that it has been a personal safety issue for staff to enforce that it is a member-only lot when drivers refuse to cooperate. “There have been too many incidences to count,” said Aguilar. A few cars have been towed.
Although the issue has been non-member use, the new system does not scan a member’s card before a car may enter the lot, nor does it scan a membership card when payment is made. There will continue to be signs in the lot stating it is a member-only lot, and a new sign will be placed by the entry gate. Staff will not be patrolling the lot to ensure compliance with the requirement that only members park in the lot, but if they notice that a particular vehicle seems to be a problem repeatedly, they can access video footage to help figure out if the vehicle belongs to a member or not.
The YWCA has not hired specific staff to patrol the lot and don’t plan to. Instead they have opted for an automatic system.
Some members not convinced
“This really is a last resort,” stressed YWCA Minneapolis President and CEO Luz Maria Frias. “We have a history of taking other measures with no success.”
Not all members agree with that statement, however.
“The case that the Y has made for the parking fee is not convincing,” wrote Standish-Ericsson residents Doris Overby and Dick Taylor in a letter to the Y on behalf members on Aug. 20. “In fact, the Y’s own rationale undermines the need for a parking fee. Why? Because their core reason is to deflect the wrongful use of the parking lot by non-members. One demerit of this policy is that it imposes an extra cost on many members, the very people not responsible for the problem.”
The two suggested that the fixed cost of the new parking system could be spread out over more years and the rate charged to members be reduced.
A second letter on Aug. 29 continued their argument against the new parking fees.
“The members of the Minneapolis YWCA are stakeholders with rights and genuine interests. They deserve respect and consideration. Our grievances beg to be redressed.”
On behalf of themselves and others, they suggested that a meeting be held with members.
The YWCA is not planning to hold a meeting.
“Unlike in the case of the locker room renovation for which we solicited feedback regarding the preference between the number of showers versus lockers, this was an operational and financial decision that falls well within the purview of the YWCA management,” stated Frias.
She stressed that the Y is a private non-profit—not a government entity—and doesn’t need to seek public input in decisions.
Frias added that they have heard from bicyclists and transit users who thank them for not imposing a fee for a parking lot on them.
Others think that parking should be included in their membership fees.
“The cost is not a pittance for many people. It’s $180/year. If a business (and the Y is a business) wants clients, they need to provide parking just like Target does, the bank, and even the post office does,” stated Corcoran resident Gaylyn Bicking.
“Some people have no choice but to drive due to the distance they live from the Y,” pointed out Bicking. “Some have young children. Some are elderly. Walking during our long, dark winters is problematic for women and older people.”
Corcoran resident John V. Burling pointed out, “Every paying member subsidizes everything that goes into the Y, presumably at all locations, with their dues whether they use a service or not.” Burling noted that some people don’t use the free childcare or the waterslide; they haven’t been in the sauna or the steam room; used the basketball courts or the treadmills; or participated in the women’s triathlon or any other group classes. Yet, a membership includes all these things–and should also include parking as an amenity.
The YWCA did not provide figures on how many memberships have been dropped because of the changes to the parking lot. Nor did they provide information on the last membership rate increase.
Concern about mistreatment
Twenty-five-year YWCA member Dick Taylor of Powderhorn and six-year-member Doris Overby of Standish have not yet decided whether they will remain YWCA members, and say it hinges upon the YWCA response to the parking issue, as well as an incident that happened to Overby while collecting signatures at the Midtown YWCA on Aug. 20. She was told to leave the property.
According to a letter posted publicly on the Standish-Ericsson e-Democracy forum, “Members were eagerly signing the letter when the assistant manager and the security official approached Ms. Overby in such an unfriendly way that she was made to feel hurt, embarrassed, confused, frightened, and defensive.”
Taylor and Overby stated, “We are alarmed and dismayed at the discourteous and unnecessary treatment meted out to Doris; we are disappointed by a lack of responsiveness to our concerns. The lack of response is simply a continuation of the lack of respect that has characterized this matter from the beginning.”
When asked for details about the incident, Frias and Aguilar declined to comment.
Taylor and Overby are asking for a written apology made to Overby by the CEO; a review of the protocol for staff member interactions with members that guarantees mutual respect so that the YWCA lives up to its own goals and mission; and a forum open to all members to discuss both aspects of the matter.

Eighty-five apartments may replace former Bridgeman’s

Former Bridgeman’s, recently Somtaste Restaurant, may be razed for a proposed six-story apartment building

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
The former Bridgeman’s near Minnehaha Park could soon be razed and replaced with a six-story apartment building.
Developers believe that there are many people interested in living this close to a regional park.
“We really like its location and the proximity to the regional park and falls,” said Reuter Walton Development developer Kyle Brasser.
The 85-unit, 65,000-square-foot structure at 4757 Hiawatha Ave. would offer studio (500 square feet), one-bedroom (about 650 square feet) and two-bedroom (about 1000 square feet) apartments. Rents are expected to range from $1000-2,000.
It will also have an exercise room, common area and bike center on the main level.
Photo right: The proposed 85-unit structure at 4757 Hiawatha Ave. would offer studio (500 square feet), one-bedroom (about 650 square feet) and two-bedroom (about 1000 square feet) apartments. Rents are expected to range from $1000-$2,000. (Graphic submitted)
This apartment building would be located next to the commercial buildings along Hiawatha Ave. and Nawadaha Boulevard, and provide more housing density. It is not being built in the middle of a block of single-family homes, Brasser pointed out. It will be just south of the strip mall that houses Pet Supplies Plus, Anytime Fitness and Dreamers Vault, among other businesses.
Reuter Walton decided not to include commercial in this development because it will be located on the same block as the new Cub Foods development, explained Brasser. “Speculative retail space in apartment buildings is difficult to fill,” he added.
Reuter Walton has built about 20 ground-up developments within Minneapolis. Several are located in the Uptown, University of Minnesota and Downtown areas. This will be the company’s first development in the Longfellow neighborhood. Currently, Reuter Walton is constructing an apartment building in the Mac Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul at Snelling and St. Clair.
It would take about one year to construct the 4757 Hiawatha Ave. building. Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2019.
Parking tops the list of concerns
The Reuter Walton proposal was presented to the Neighborhood Development and Transportation Committee (NDTC) in September.
They received positive feedback regarding the need for apartment housing in the area and were told there is an appetite for mixed housing in this corridor, according to Brasser.
Photo left: The former Bridgeman’s Restaurant at 4757 Hiawatha Ave. was most recently home to Somtaste restaurant. Reuter Walton proposes to raze the existing structure to construct a 6-story apartment building. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
The majority of comments were about parking.
Reuter Walton is planning to provide 59 indoor parking stalls on the main level and a sub-level lot for the 85-unit building. “For city planners, that’s an acceptable ratio,” said Brasser, “but there’s concern from residents that it isn’t adequate parking.”
Because of these concerns, developers are exploring ways to provide more parking on site.
Given the proximity to the light rail station at 46th St., developers expect apartment dwellers to use public transit. But they acknowledge, “we’re still a far cry from people relying on that as their main source of transportation,” said Brasser.
He believes this is a broader issue that the city needs to address for the area.
For the buildings they have constructed within Minneapolis, Reuter Walton typically has a .7-.85 ratio, or 70 stalls per 100 units. The 4757 Hiawatha building is on the low end of that ratio, which is part of why they’re hoping to add more parking stalls.
At the NDTC meeting, residents also questioned traffic flow to this site, which is currently accessed by the Nawadaha frontage road that follows Hiawatha and then turns east to connect with Minnehaha Ave.
The roadways around the area are expected to change in the future, as the plan is to extend Snelling south of 46th.
This development will be on the agenda for the Longfellow Community Council meeting on Tues., Oct. 9 (6-9pm), and in front of the city planning commission in November.
Other new apartment buildings in the area include:
• a 4-story, 37-unit building at 4737 Minnehaha Ave. (at the current Greg’s Auto) by The Lander Group
• a 4-story, 55-unit building at 4553/4561 Minnehaha Ave. by Hayes Harlow Development, Left Lane Corporation, and Twin Cities Home Rental
• a 5-story, 80-unit efficiency building at Hiawatha and 45th by RS Eden (Amber Apartments)
• a 5-story, 148-unit, mixed-use building that will house Cub Foods at 46th and Hiawatha by Oppidan
• two 5-story buildings at Snelling Yards, 3601 E. 44th St., by Lupe Development Wall Cos. and Ecumen with 130 units of workforce affordable housing and 121 units of senior housing