Nicollet Mall revitalization pitch includes removing buses, loosening liquor laws
MINNEAPOLIS -- The City of Minneapolis is exploring new approaches to revitalizing downtown, from filing empty storefronts to making the Nicollet Mall a pedestrian-only zone.
That's just the tip of the iceberg on a long list of recommendations by the Vibrant Downtown Storefronts Workgroup. The overall idea is to make downtown a destination for people to work, live, and visit -- from the North Loop to Loring Park and, of course, Nicollet Mall, which in recent years has been somewhat beleaguered by closures, crime, and desertion.
Buses and light foot traffic are pretty much all anyone currently sees along the mall. A big reason for that is the empty storefronts. That's one of the issues the committee is trying to tackle head-on, whether it's pop-up markets like what happened at the Dayton's building this winter, or incentivizing businesses to have better streetside access and window transparency so they're more inviting.
Another option being considered is changing liquor laws to allow open containers at things such as block parties.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says nothing is off the table at this point.
"Is there one single way of getting there? The answer is no. But we want to be flexible in our approach," Frey said. "We want to provide organic solutions and we want to make sure that we're accommodating not what once was 10 years ago, but what is gonna be the stage in five years from now."
The Mayor said that storefront occupancy is currently at around 60% to 65%. The goal is to reach at least 80%. How those stores get filled is where the city wants to be creative.
Loon Cafe owner Tim Mahoney believes more needs to be done to make downtown Minneapolis a destination for people to work, live and visit.
"Just by opening up Nicollet Mall and taking the buses and stuff off there, that's not gonna make it vibrant. We need people down here. We need workers down here, we need people that live down here, we need to bring back the city, and the only way you're gonna do that is by the business people coming back downtown, and the security being here that they feel comfortable to walk from the hotel, to the office, to the Loon, to the ballgames," Mahoney said.
Others WCCO News spoke with Tuesday agree that until there is a true sense of safety, people will avoid downtown.
"Nobody wants to come down here. You know, they're afraid of getting shot," said Melinda Morgan. "I dont come down here at night, only in the day."
The workgroup wants to "build back the strength of MPD as a trusted law enforcement agency," but also emphasize non-police strategies like outreach groups, social workers, and technologies. They still want to have the MPD and business owners better collaborate to stop crimes like shoplifting.
