MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey's Vibrant Storefronts Work Group announced its recommendations Tuesday to change the downtown experience.
The group came together late last year, and its big ideas include closing off Nicollet Mall to traffic and making it pedestrian-centered.
"We asked a central question, which is, 'How do we create a vibrant downtown?'" said Frey, as he discussed recommendations with the press.
"It's going to include how our downtown workforce operates. It's going to include how we transition from office space to residential. It will be having a more organic approach and more flexible approach with how we zone, how we regulate and how we authorize storefront use on Nicollet Mall and beyond."
They expect a number of their ideas to take years to play out.
One immediate first step will be to dedicate a team for planning, small business support and business licensing.
They will also start a deeper dive study of the Warehouse District to begin intervention.
"The work of this task force leans in on all components of this three-legged stool," said Lisa Goodman, a Minneapolis City Council member. "How to make businesses succeed, how to make residents' voices louder and how to create services to support them."
On their long to-do list is to find ways to provide lower-cost or flexible leases to businesses.
They also want more people to live there.
"We have our work cut out for us all," said Mitch Kelly, the VP of The Engine is Red, a downtown business. "There's real challenges, issues and roadblocks."
The group plans for a budget of $150,000 to start the work in the second half of this year. In 2024, they expect a budget of $750,000 to continue as an annual expense.
Many of these plans to revitalize downtown need approval or permits to get going.
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