PROPERTY OWNERS URGED TO ATTEND HISTORIC DISTRICT MEETING
Joe Ring, chair of PPERRIA’s livability committee, urged property owners to attend an information meeting about a decision they will be asked to make in September. It will be about proceeding with an application for federal designation of most of the neighborhood as a historic district. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 19, 7 to 9 p.m., St. Frances Cabrini Church, 1500 Franklin Ave. SE.

Ring said the neighborhood has been pursing the goal of possible historic designation for eight or nine years. The area proposed for designation is bordered on the south by I-94, on the east by Emerald Avenue, on the west by Williams Avenue SE, and on the north roughly by University Avenue.

Ring said property owners will receive a packet of information in September from the state historic preservation office. They will be asked to respond within 30 days whether they want the neighborhood to proceed with the application for historic designation. The federal application, however, specifies that if 51 or more percent of the property owners vote to opt out of the designation, the process stops, he said. Ring suggests in a flyer that property owners look at the national website for information about historic designation at www.cr.nps.gov/nR/.

At the July meeting, a consultant will present the findings of a study and qualifications required for federal historic designation. Ring said the findings can also be used later if the neighborhood decides to seek local historic designation by the city.

ROUTE OPTIONS OPEN UP FOR PARKWAY MISSING LINK
The route to be recommended after an eight-month study to fill the three-mile “missing link” in the city’s 50-mile Grand Rounds parkway could be an “inner loop” along the river or an outer loop through Southeast and Northeast, Andy Mickel said at the meeting.

Mickel, Prospect Park representative on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board citizens’ advisory committee that will comment on the location and design of the parkway extension, said members were told that a route through rail and industrial areas could help heal the area with greenery and create a destination. He said residents near the East Hennepin/Highway 280 industrial areas live the farthest from a park area.

Tom Johnson, planning and engineering consultant hired by the Park Board to work on a route for the missing link, said H.W.S. Cleveland, landscape architect, envisioned the “green necklace” of parkways and open space around the city in 1883. He identified the gap and called it the missing link. The gap is through Southeast and Northeast Minneapolis between St. Anthony Parkway and the river road. Johnson said it had been assumed the link would fill that gap, but the option was raised to route the parkway along the river.

Johnson said area state legislators support efforts to fill the gap and that Hennepin County has contributed funds for the study. Johnson said the Park Board will consider proposing a bonding bill in the 2008 legislative session to fund construction to fill in the link. Johnson said Jon Gurban, park board superintendent, also wants the study to identify additional park and open space. Johnson said it could include something like the Lake Harriet Band Shell. It would benefit the area and the city, he said.

The segment to fill the gap in the Grand Rounds parkway is intended to be as good as or better than the existing parkway, Johnson said. The parkway, which is also designated a National Scenic Byway, is used by bicyclists, pedestrians, motorists, and for transit.

The committee will conduct three public meetings, in late July or early August, in early fall, and in late fall, he said. A description of the study and a map can be seen at:
www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=996.

NRP II FUNDS RELEASED
By a unanimous vote, board members approved the release of $27,229 from PPERRIA’s Neighborhood Redevelopment Program (NRP) II to fund general administrative support.

LEARNING VISION INCLUDES PRATT SCHOOL
“We were trying to enhance learning in the community, not just open Pratt,” Jerry Stein, Prospect Park neighborhood education spokesman recalled during discussion of the history of Pratt elementary school. Stein described the community’s goal of education both for parents and students.

The Minneapolis school board this year decided to close Tuttle community school in SE Como and merge its classes into Pratt’s K-5 public school program this fall. Pratt building occupants also include Minneapolis Community Education, the English Language Learning Program, SE Seniors, and the JOY senior group.

Susan Larson Fleming, chair of the PPERRIA NRP, Education, and Human Services Committee, outlined the history of the school, which was built in 1898. Larson Fleming said the school was closed in 1982, along with other schools in Southeast. The same year, neighborhood residents established the nonprofit Pratt Community Resource Center Council, Susan Larson said. Pratt was reopened in 2000 with an elementary school program.

Larson Fleming said that although the Pratt school was closed for 18 years, a lot was going on. “We had to learn how to keep education alive in the community while the school was closed,” she said.

Larson Fleming said operation of the Minneapolis Community Education program in the Pratt building has helped the neighborhood support the school program. But, she said, the neighborhood now needs to encourage the community education program to remain in the school. The budgets for the community education and the school program are separate, she noted. She encouraged residents to call Jack Tamble, director of Minneapolis Community Education to say they want the program to remain.

Darin Warling, a Pratt parent active in supporting the school program, said at the meeting he estimated that school program enrollment will grow to 200 children next school year. Enrollment last school year was approximately 89, he said. Warling said teachers and specialists will move from Tuttle to Pratt. A band class will be added, he said. The downside to the merger, he said, includes a hopefully temporary move for the Southeast Seniors office to a smaller, shared office. Also, the English Language Learning program will not be in the building in 2007, but it could come back in 2008 if the building’s third floor can be built out, he said. The third floor would also provide space for community education. Also, he said, a committee is being formed to consider playground expansion..

Warling said a major issue involves Pratt’s new busing area, which is larger. The neighborhood wants to achieve a balance of enrollment that includes children from immigrant families, he said.

Warling said school board members are on record supporting Pratt’s academic program as a good role model for the rest of the district. Warling said the strongest show of support the community can make is to obtain funding for completion of space in the third floor. Warling sponsors a website supporting the school. See: www.prattschool.org.

UNIVERSITY-CITY-NEIGHBORHOODS ALLIANCE TO BE CONSIDERED
PPERRIA President Dick Poppele reported that the university’s Stadium Area Advisory Group (SAAG) will consider setting up a university-city-neighborhood alliance organization. It would include neighborhoods and business districts adjacent to the Minneapolis campus. An alliance is one of the recommendations in the Neighborhood Impact Report sent to the legislature last winter. In response, the legislature provided $750,000 to be used for a demonstration project and for establishing the alliance. The report raised concerns about a decline in the stability of the neighborhoods.

Poppele also reported that the SAAG is selecting members for a Fund Management Committee. It will process applications for funds from the university’s $1.5 million stadium mitigation endowment fund. Mitigation projects will be funded during construction and operation of the on-campus TCF Bank football stadium.

U BUYING HUBBARD SITE FOR PARKING, DEVELOPMENT
Board member Julie Wallace reported the university is in the process of buying land behind Hubbard Broadcasting for a parking lot for 500 cars before development of research buildings. Hubbard had intended to sell the site for a student housing development. Student housing is, however, under construction at a site next to it in St. Paul. Wallace said a committee of 4th Street residents is concerned about traffic from the parking lot, particularly at the corner of University and Bedford, she said. The committee will meet with university representatives.

Wallace said the university will locate a bus stop for the new parking lot on the adjacent University Transitway. Wallace said university planners are concerned that future residents in the housing under construction would have access to the transitway, which has had limited access. Wallace asked if neighborhood residents would be able to use the stop. The university representative told her something could be worked out, she said.

Wallace said if the university develops the site for research, it will add pressure to develop Granary Parkway, a city technology corridor road planned nearby.

PRATT SILENT AUCTION RAISED $5,200
Bridget Ferguson thanked those who participated in the Pratt School ice cream social and silent auction fundraisers. Ferguson said the silent auction raised $5,200, the highest ever. Donations included $750 for use of the Witches’ Tower, $100 for an individual tour of KSTP, $50 for a tour of city hall with 2nd Ward Council Member Cam Gordon, $100 for a bus tour of Minneapolis with Mayor R.T. Rybak, and $100 for a tour of the state capitol with Sen. Larry Pogemiller.

29TH AVENUE PEDESTRIAN REZONING ADOPTED
The city council adopted the 29th Avenue SE Pedestrian Overlay District rezoning study, Council Member Cam Gordon reported. “I believe that this overlay will help the neighborhood and the city better guide development along the University Avenue corridor, taking advantage of the Central Corridor LRT line to produce a more pedestrian-friendly environment,” Gordon said.

LACK OF NOTIFICATION CONSIDERED A PROBLEM
Florence Littman, chair of the zoning committee, said the city didn’t notify the neighborhood about plans for changes at 159 Arthur Avenue. The committee had no objections to the plans, but it was concerned that the city’s Heritage Preservation Committee didn’t notify the neighborhood of the proposed plans.

STUB & HERBS BAR, RESTAURANT TO BE SOLD
Littman reported that the Stub & Herbs bar and restaurant is to be sold by Sue Jeffers. Jeffers was a candidate for governor in 2006.

COMMUNITY CONCERT, FALL CLEAN-UP ANNOUNCED
PPERRIA President Poppele announced there will be a community concert by the Light of the Moon Band on Tuesday, July 17, 7:30 p.m., at Pratt Community School.

Poppele also announced that the fall neighborhood clean-up will be held September 29.

FOUR OUTREACH INTERNS HIRED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
Robin Garwood, aide to 2nd Ward Council Member Cam Gordon, announced that Gordon has hired four young people as community outreach interns for the summer and into the fall. They are Annie Welch, Mustafa Adam, Paul Kristanovich, and Adam Engleman. Kristanovich, who is a Prospect Park resident, will participate in projects in the neighborhood, including block clubs and National Night Out events.

MICRO GRANTS OFFERED TO REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING
2nd Ward Council Member Cam Gordon announced that the city is taking applications for micro grants for Climate Change Innovations Funds. Applicants may request up to $10,000. Applications are due July 10. To get an application and information, see: www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/sustainability.

BICYCLE PROJECTS FUNDED
2nd Ward Council Member Gordon announced that many bicycle infrastructure projects in the Second Ward will be funded by the recently-announced Non-Motorized Transportation Grants. “I want this to be a beginning and plan to keep pushing to improve our system of bike and pedestrian transit in the city and the region,” Gordon said.

MET COUNCIL HOLDING CENTRAL CORRIDOR MEETINGS
Gordon announced that the Metropolitan Council is holding meetings to let the public know it is starting preliminary engineering for the Central Corridor light rail transit. The meetings are in St. Paul. For information, see www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/ccorridor/centralcorridor.htm.

NEXT MEETING: Monday, July 23, 2007. (No August meeting.)
MEETINGS:
4th Monday of the month, 7 p.m., unless otherwise announced. Prospect Park United Methodist Church, 22 Orlin Ave. SE

last revised: July 2, 2007

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