Consider this a corallary to the conversation about Peace House and the Free Store.
For years, the Stevens Square-Loring Heights neighborhood has wanted to see redevelopment of the 1800 block of Nicollet Avenue, where GJ's Supervalue and the hardware store are. Not because of those two stores, but because of the blight surrounding them: scads of surface parking, vacant lots and an unprecedented view of downtown. (NB: A few of the vacant lots now house the award-winning LaSalle Community Gardens. Worth a walk-through for those of you who aren't familiar with them.) When I was still working at the Stevens Square Community Organization, Sherman Associates came forward with a redevelopment plan for that block that proposed a multi-level-mixed use, mixed income urban-style development with underground parking. Exactly the kind of thing that the neighborhood, through its NRP Plan and other places, said it wanted. It includes retail space, which could continue to house the hardware store and a neighborhood grocery store. I suspect part of Kowalski's thinking is informed by this potential redevelopment project. The developers have been informed of the neighborhood's desire to keep a grocery store. Cara Letofsky Seward resident, who's spent ALOT of time in Stevens Square (no apostrophe) David Strand wrote: >I read today in the Minnesota Real Estate Journal an >article on Kowalski's Markets movement into >Minneapolis through the purchase of several >Supervalu's. While I think this is generally a >welcome development and am pleased that Kowalski's is >sinking some significant funds into remodeling and >other property improvements at most of these locations >I am distressed to hear that they are considering >closing the location in the vicinity of Steven's >Square. > >The Supervalu on Nicollet is the place most of my >neighbors without cars here in the Loring Park >neighborhood do their grocery shopping as well as many >people in Steven's Square and Whittier. According to >the article, Kowalski's is not changing the name of >the store on Nicollet and is undecided about to reopt >the lease on the property when it comes up in a year. >I would hate to see this area with a high population >density and low auto ownership rate loose this grocery >store option. Though I do most of my personal >shopping at the Wedge, I know that this store is an >important asset for many of my neighbors. > >Also, I fear that loss of the grocery store would hurt >the adjacent hardware store which is the closest to my >home. As an autofree individual, I do most of my >hardware shopping there as it is both easily walkable >and busable. > >Thanks, David Strand >Loring Park > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax >http://taxes.yahoo.com/ >_______________________________________ >Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy >Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: >http://e-democracy.org/mpls > > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
