9/27/2024 -- New Housing Ordinance Set To Ramp Up Office-To-Residential Conversions

Housing

Minneapolis Passes Housing Ordinance To Streamline Office-To-Housing Conversions

The Summary: On Tuesday, Mayor Jacob Frey signed a city ordinance that simplifies the conversion of unused office space into housing units. The move aims to address the rising demand for housing amidst a backdrop of empty office buildings left in the wake of the pandemic.

Adapting to Changing Downtown Dynamics: In the press conference, Frey emphasized that while downtown Minneapolis will continue to be a central hub, its use will evolve, shifting from a 9-to-5 office model to a more vibrant, mixed-use environment.

Key Features of the Ordinance: The new ordinance allows conversion projects to undergo administrative review, bypassing the need for Planning Commission approval, thus cutting review times by up to two months and removing public hearings from the process. Additionally, the ordinance temporarily suspends the requirement for inclusionary zoning for affordable units in projects of 50 units or more.

Looking Ahead: The $92 million Groove Lofts project is set to begin welcoming tenants next month. City leaders hope this and similar projects will pave the way for a more diverse and bustling downtown Minneapolis.

Politics

❯ VP Debate Prep: Governor Tim Walz has been preparing for the Vice Presidential debate with US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg who is standing in as JD Vance. On the GOP side, Minnesota congressman Tom Emmer has been role playing as Tim Walz to help prepare Vance. The debate is October 1st.

❯ Dems Fundraising Advantage: Heading into the home stretch of the 2024 campaign cycle, Minnesota Democrats hold a $2.5M cash advantage over Minnesota Republicans. Both parties have broken fundraising records this year.

❯ Harris/Walz Lead in MN: Vice President Kamala Harris leads former President Donald Trump by 5 points in Minnesota, with Harris receiving 48% support compared to Trump's 43%, according to a recent poll. The poll also shows Harris has a slightly higher favorability rating among Minnesotans than Trump.

Business

❯ Yelloh Shuts Down: Yelloh, formerly known as Schwan's, is ending its 72-year-old frozen food home delivery service and will permanently retire its iconic yellow trucks. The company cited declining sales and increased competition from home delivery apps.

❯ Respite Center Advances: Lakeshore Care has received city approval to establish a 24-bed medical respite center for homeless individuals in Uptown, despite strong opposition from neighboring businesses. The project faced delays and controversy, with business owners raising concerns about safety, lack of community engagement, and the qualifications of the for-profit company behind the center.

What Else We’re Reading…

Duluth Mayor Taking Heat For His Girlfriend’s Involvement In City Business

New emails obtained by the Duluth Monitor show that Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert’s girlfriend, who is not a city employee, has been involved in city business. According to the emails, Reinert’s girlfriend, Amber Gurske, asked city staff, including the public information officer, to take action on a handful of items. Since the original story came out, Reinert has called for an internal review on the matter.

Read more on the developing story here.

GAME: Weekly News Quiz

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Sports 🏀

Moving On! Lynx Sweep First Round 🏀

The Summary: The Minnesota Lynx won their first round playoff match-up against the Phoenix Mercury advancing them to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs.

Phee On Fire: Napheesa Collier put on a scoring clinic in both games, scoring 38 points in game one and 42 points in game two. The latter performance tied a WNBA postseason record.

Up Next: The Lynx will now play the Connecticut Sun who swept the Indiana Fever in round one. Their semi-final match-up begins September 29th and will be a best of 5 series.

Other Sports:

🏒 The Minnesota Twins sit 2.5 games back of a playoff spot with just three games remaining. Their playoff hopes are dependent on losses from Kansas City and/or Detroit.

⚽ Gopher Volleyball won a dramatic five set match against the #7 ranked Wisconsin Badgers.

Quick hits

Headlines From Around The Twin Cities ✔

❯ Minneapolis, St. Paul rank in the top five cities to live in for people with disabilities (Kare11)

❯ MSP Airport is building its first-ever sensory rooms to reduce travel stress (MPR)

❯ Twins owner Jim Pohlad has his house burglarized as part of a string of high-profile robberies (MN Sports Fan)

❯ A Woman was shot and killed while working on art project outside Lowertown Lofts building in St. Paul (Kare11)

❯ Minneapolis opened Graco Park, a new riverfront park in Northeast Minneapolis (WCCO)

❯ An anonymous donor is giving $1.5M to save a downtown Minneapolis homeless shelter (Star Tribune)

The Final Word: What a time to be alive 🏀

With the Twins all but out of the playoffs (trust me, I hope this statement comes back to bite me), I have put all of my sports faith in the Minnesota Lynx. Watching Napheesa Collier put on a historic performance in round one of the playoffs made me think about how lucky we are to have both her and Anthony Edwards, two of the top basketball stars in the world, right here in Minneapolis. Now let’s get a championship(s).

-Patrick