Minneapolis community group celebrates "Roof Depot" victory
MINNEAPOLIS – A celebration took place Sunday for a community-led effort to buy a controversial piece of property in Minneapolis.
The city will be selling the Roof Depot site in the East Phillips neighborhood to a group of activists and neighbors.
"There's just no way I could stop fighting for it," said Steve Sandberg, a board member for the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute, the nonprofit behind the purchase.
Joe Vital, who lives in the neighborhood and volunteers with EPNI, says he's still in a bit of shock that they were able to make this happen.
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The city wanted to demolish the building, but EPNI was concerned a demolition would release pollutants, and that the city's plan for a new maintenance facility would bring even more pollutants.
"For decades this community has become accustomed to getting the short end of the stick when it came to the city," Vital said. "We have polluters next door to residential. It just made it very hard to live here and thrive in this neighborhood."
The battle over the property went back many years. This past winter, protesters occupied the site. They disrupted a city council meeting. Now, they're looking toward planning the future.
"Our anchor tenant is aquaponics," Sandberg said. "We're gonna grow food there in an enclosed environment."
Beyond the community garden, the vision includes a cafe, bike repair shop, food truck kitchens, and space for community groups. Ownership shares will eventually be offered to neighborhood investors.
"It's something that will enrich this neighborhood," Vital said. "Something that is going to be for the community for them to thrive."
The final financial step of the purchase is $3.7 million due in September. Sandberg says they have investors lined up who have already pledged that money. The state legislature during the latest session put money toward the purchase as well.
Vital says there's still more than 100,000 square feet available for lease.