Hennepin Avenue construction to begin in Uptown Minneapolis on Monday
MINNEAPOLIS — In two days, an important corridor lined with dozens of businesses in Minneapolis' Uptown district will be getting a major facelift. Phase one of a two-year construction project is set to start, impacting drivers.
The city is working to reconstruct Hennepin Avenue South between West Lake Street and Douglas Avenue. The first phase will rebuild West Lake Street to 26th Street.
But some businesses along that stretch are bracing for a major economic impact.
Right outside Bobby Bead in Uptown, traffic is flowing, but road closure signs are hard to miss.
"We're all apprehensive, terrified, but we must remain," said Robert Sorenson, owner of Bobby Bead.
MORE NEWS: The Drivers Cooperative may be the solution if Lyft, Uber leave Minneapolis
Sorenson has been in Uptown for three decades and has seen the ups and downs.
"Uptown was popular when I first started selling my jewelry in 1970," he said.
Sorenson said his business survived COVID and the unrest following the murder of George Floyd, but he doesn't know if his business will make it through construction.
"All of our customers will have to walk several blocks after finding a place to park that blocks away, too," Sorenson said.
He said his customers rely on parking right outside and shopping, a luxury they won't have starting Monday.
"It's a struggle and it will remain a struggle for the next couple years," Sorenson said.
A few blocks away, Marquita Winters is worried about the longevity of her business, Quitas Kloset.
"I worry the fact that there's pretty much little to no foot traffic already within this building, that it's just going to decrease even more," Winters said.
She's now thinking about ways to advertise to bring more people in.
The city says the update will improve space for pedestrians, bikers and drivers, but businesses hope to be around to see it.
"It'll never return to the exciting destination spot that has brought thousands of tourists into this area," Sorenson said.
Metro Transit buses will be detoured to Lyndale Avenue via Lake Street or 31st and 24th streets. Traffic lanes will be closed or restricted and parking lanes will also be closed. Pedestrians will use detours around the work areas.
Because construction crews will use heavy equipment, residents in the area can expect an increase in noise, vibration and dust in the work areas.
The second phase of the project will reconstruct Hennepin Avenue from 26th Street to Douglas Avenue in 2025.
The city says the update to Hennepin Avenue will improve space for pedestrians, bikers and drivers. The layout also allows for space for stations for the future Metro E line.
