MINNEAPOLIS — In the heart of Uptown, construction crews and traffic cones are everywhere. Hennepin Avenue is under construction, and while the road is getting fixed in phases, the project is expected to last 2 years.
Understandably, many business owners are concerned for their bottom line. Just this week, Uptown Art Fair organizers cited construction as the reason they canceled this year.
But a community resource center located on the construction route off the corner of Lagoon Avenue is putting a positive spin on the situation. Tyler Phillips opened the Totally Committed Resource Center in Nov. 2022.
The center has a gym with personal training and group fitness and space for eight small businesses to operate.
"With the individual business owners we have in here, they're extremely innovative and smart, and they've found ways to let their clientele know, 'Hey, this is where we have to park,'" Phillips said.
Antonio Williams is founder and co-executive director of T.O.N.E. U.P. or Teaching Ourselves New Examples to Uplift People, an organization offering re-entry programming for people who were incarcerated.
"We're about helping people who are the least desirable in our society," Williams said. "I'm a person with lived experience of incarceration."
Williams said they moved into the center back in February and, although they knew construction would begin, it felt like a lot all at once. Still, he views it as a chance to network.
"This gives people opportunity to get out their cars and walk around and explore your blocks, explore your neighborhood," he said. "You know, at least saying hi, waving, smiling."
Down the street at Red Cow where the road is even more torn up, operations and beverage director Ian Lowther is giving off a similar positive vibe.
"That's the only option right now," Lowther said. "Weekdays are a little slower, weekends are still having a decent crowd. The really nice thing is that the neighborhood is really coming out to support us."
On Thursday afternoon, at least a dozen people were dining at the restaurant, which is located on Hennepin between West 26th and 27th Streets.
According to the city, the construction is designed to improve spaces "for people to walk, ride transit, bike and drive." Those at the Totally Committed Resource Center say they'd like the walkability to kick in now.
Meanwhile, some are wondering whether Uptown is safe.
According to the Minneapolis Police Crime Dashboard, and 9 people were shot in Uptown, or Ward 10, so far this year. That's one more person than last year at this time. In total last year, 36 people were shot in that area. That's compared to 13 people shot Downtown in Ward 3, over the same time frame.
But business owners said they don't have any overwhelming safety concerns, as crimes are lower this year compared to last.
"I've left my car overnight many nights in this lot or in other lots and it's been fine," Lowther said. "Safety in Uptown? It's really quiet at night."
"I haven't seen an overabundance of any type of crime," Phillips said. "Compared to about a year ago, I think that's a good change … I'm from Lino Lakes, I'm from the suburbs and I know how it might look from not actually being here but my main message is come check us out."
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