FUELING ECONOMIC MOBILITY IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS
1. Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON) Collective Kitchens
2. Minneapolis Parks Foundation – North Commons Park
3. ZaRah – Integrated Root Center
4. Juxtaposition Arts Innovation and Creative Campus: Archive and Residency Space
5. 927 Building
6. Satori Village
7. The V3 Center
8. RiverNorth District on Broadway
9. Lundstrum Performing Arts
10. 2518 2nd Street
11. Minuteman Press
12. Upper Harbor Terminal –Community Performing Arts Center Amphitheater
13. Upper Harbor Terminal –InnerCity Tennis Northside Sports and Life
14. Northside EpiCenter
15. The Camden Social
16. North Market
17. Camdentown Connection –The Mixtape Studio (and more)
18. TAP IN Kitchen and Cocktails
Northside businesses and nonprofit organizations play an important role in the prosperity of communities throughout the Twin Cities. That’s why the Minneapolis Foundation has a long track record of supporting projects that build on the area’s many assets to increase economic mobility for Minnesotans in North Minneapolis and beyond. The Foundation partnered with the Destination Northside Coalition to offer this snapshot of key Northside initiatives that are contributing to economic growth and resilience throughout the region.
1. NORTHSIDE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY NETWORK (NEON) COLLECTIVE KITCHENS*
neon-mn.org/theincubatorproject
Forty percent of NEON’s clients are in the food industry. To support them, NEON is building Minnesota’s leading food industry-specific incubator—a place where businesses can access resources to innovate, grow, and succeed. This zerodebt $21 million project is working to raise the final $1 million in its capital campaign.
2. MINNEAPOLIS PARKS FOUNDATION –NORTH COMMONS PARK
mplsparksfoundation.org/initiative/north-commons
The Minneapolis Parks Foundation is launching a transformational renovation of North Commons Park, which serves one of the highest concentrations of young people in the state. The plan includes community-driven youth development programs, new spaces for creativity and culture, an updated campus of indoor courts, outdoor pools, and gathering spaces designed to make the whole region stand up and cheer. North Commons Park will be funded by a combination of federal, state, and local dollars, as well as philanthropic dollars raised by the Minneapolis Parks Foundation.
3. ZARAH – INTEGRATED ROOT CENTER* zarahus.com
ZaRah, formerly known as the 1200 Building and a daycare for teen moms, has a rich history as the Welander-Quist Mortuary dating back to the early 1900s. The site is being redeveloped to empower African American womenowned businesses in holistic wellness, beauty, reproductive health, and food industries, alongside retail opportunities. Opportunities are available for post re-development partnership and sponsorships.
4. JUXTAPOSITION ARTS INNOVATION AND CREATIVE CAMPUS: ARCHIVE AND RESIDENCY SPACE*
juxtapositionarts.org
*The project has been supported financially by the Minneapolis Foundation and/or its fundholders.
Juxtaposition Arts (JXTA) is a nonprofit youth art and design education center, gallery, retail shop, and artists’ studio space. Its Capital and Legacy Campaign has raised $14 million of $15 million needed to transform its North Minneapolis campus into a hub for innovation, creativity, and economic development. Now, JXTA is focused on completing its archive and residency initiatives. These spaces will serve artists, designers, and cultural practitioners, providing resources to document and create
work centered on the Black/Indigenous diaspora and urban experience. JXTA expects to break ground by mid-2025, with project completion by the end of 2026.
5. 927 BUILDING*
phillipsfamilymn.org/927-building-overview
This redevelopment project is a community investment made possible through an equity partnership between The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation, a private family foundation with a geographic focus in North Minneapolis, and TRI-Construction, the largest Black-owned construction company in Minnesota. The foundation used its resources to redevelop a 19,000-square-foot, 130-year-old building that serves as the headquarters for a cross-sector representation of community-focused organizations and agencies that serve North Minneapolis and other communities with similar demographics.
6. SATORI VILLAGE*
liveatsatori.com
Satori Village is part of a three-phase development that includes 112 apartments and 78 independent-living apartments for seniors. Located on the site of a fire that destroyed most of the block just over 10 years ago, this project is opening a new chapter for its stretch of Broadway Avenue. The project, which includes both market-rate and affordable apartments, will increase the variety of housing available in the area. It’s designed to attract people of varying ages and income levels to the neighborhood, creating new possibilities for economic activity and community-building.
7. THE V3 CENTER*
v3sports.org
The V3 Center is a community-inspired health, wellness, and water safety center. When complete, the more than 200,000-square-foot facility will be a regional destination and economic driver. Phase 1 of the V3 Center launched in 2024. Project leaders aim to break ground on Phase 2 in the fall of 2025 with a 24-month build-out. Phase 2 includes a 50-meter Olympic pool, 4-6 multi-purpose courts, a 330-meter track, event and meeting spaces, additional fitness spaces, and much more. There are many ways to support this project, including traditional grant support, impact financing, sponsorship, and deferred grants.
8. RIVERNORTH DISTRICT ON BROADWAY
rivernorthbroadway.com
RiverNorth District on Broadway is a project that combines innovative real estate redevelopment and human development, ensuring that improvements uplift rather than displace residents in North Minneapolis. The first phase of the project is a partnership with ION Aerospace Corporate. The project will be supported by the RiverNorth Foundation to meet the hiring needs of employers and create careers for residents. Project leaders aim to start construction in the spring of 2025. There are opportunities to support this initiative through impact investing.
9. LUNDSTRUM PERFORMING ARTS*
lundstrum.org
Lundstrum uses the performing arts to help young people discover their unique gifts, develop their depth of character, and imagine new possibilities for their lives. The organization is purchasing an adjacent building, adding 4,680 square feet. This expansion will add teaching spaces for dance, acting and vocal studios. Long embedded in the North Minneapolis community, Lundstrum has made connections informally through participation in neighborhood convenings, forums, partnering with peers and connecting to area schools. With these renovations, Lundstrum will add an office of community engagement to host and coordinate youth events, community gatherings, and conversations about how its programs can best serve Northside youth and residents.
10. 2518 2ND STREET*
This building project provides a modern, multipurpose space that serves as a community hub for local businesses, social services, and nonprofit organizations. The development is designed to revitalize the area by attracting investment, providing job opportunities, and fostering economic growth through increased community engagement. Philanthropic partners can assist with specific elements of the project, including community spaces, workforce development centers, and sustainable design features.
11. MINUTEMAN PRESS*
mpuptown.com
Minuteman Press Uptown is the largest Black-owned printer in Minnesota and the only BIPOC union printer in the Upper Midwest. Minuteman Uptown is focused on new printing partnerships with individuals and companies looking to support the community by supporting this anchor business.
12. UPPER HARBOR TERMINAL – COMMUNITY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AMPHITHEATER
This project will transform a former barge shipping terminal into a creative and inclusive community space. At the project’s center is the Community Performing Arts Center, an outdoor amphitheater that will accommodate 8,000 concertgoers. This new venue will anchor a broader redevelopment that will include market rate and affordable housing, a health and wellness hub, and a 19-acre public park that reconnects portions of the McKinley and Camden neighborhoods to the riverfront. The Community Performing Arts Center has already secured $12.5 million in state bonding and is a priority for the City of Minneapolis. Now, a consortium of donors has the opportunity to make this venue a reality.
13. UPPER HARBOR TERMINAL – INNERCITY TENNIS NORTHSIDE SPORTS AND LIFE
InnerCity Tennis (ICT) provides transformative youth development programs, helping kids develop a passion for physical activity, connecting them with coach-mentors who care, and creating a community in which they belong and matter. ICT is exploring the development of a potential transformative North Minneapolis multisport youth development center, with tennis as its backbone, to make its programs accessible in a manner that mirrors its presence in South Minneapolis. The likely site for the project is within the Upper Harbor development. ICT is collaborating closely with United Properties, creating the vision and plan for ICT and other vision-aligned entities to develop the facility and bring the space to life.
14. NORTHSIDE EPICENTER*
Northside Epicenter is a growing hub for Black culture, entrepreneurial ingenuity, holistic wellness, and economic opportunity. Located in the 20,000-square-foot Camden Park State Bank Building, the EpiCenter’s home is one of the last remaining structures of the historic Camden business district. The EpiCenter is a Black woman-owned enterprise founded by Anissa Keyes, president of Arubah Emotional Health Services and a lifelong Northside community member. Its purpose is to make accessible— geographically, financially, and economically—a brickand-mortar resource for Black business-owners to scale their businesses, build financial stability and generational wealth, and bring needed products and services to the Camdentown community.
15. THE CAMDEN SOCIAL
thecamdensocial.com
In 2024, a longtime neighborhood dive bar was renovated
into a full-service restaurant and lounge called The Camden Social. The business offers a high-end establishment for diverse professionals with the mission of connecting the community through great food, delicious cocktails, and premium cigars. It is now planning a second phase of renovations to build The Cigarden, a three-season patio adjacent to the restaurant. The goal is to begin Phase 2 by December 2024.
16. NORTH MARKET
mynorthmarket.org
Built with and for the community, North Market is a fullservice grocery store, a center for wellness services, and a community gathering place, all under one roof. Multiple Northside grocers have folded in recent years, widening gaps in food access and making the mission of North Market as urgent as ever. Philanthropic dollars have supported North Market since its inception, and grantmaking and impact investing continue to fuel its work of making good food accessible and fueling economic opportunity in the neighborhood.
17. CAMDENTOWN CONNECTION –THE MIXTAPE STUDIO (AND MORE)
The Mixtape Strategy is a philanthropic, “community give-back” organization that expands on Houston White’s business ventures in Camdentown. It aims to accelerate the full realization of a mixed-income, culturally potent neighborhood by supporting the development of promising, culturally relevant entrepreneurs and professionals, offering community events and engagement, and creating aspirational, affordable housing options. The Mixtape Strategy will occupy one floor of the planned Camdentown Connection, a three-story building to be located next to The Get Down Coffee Co. that will also include a restaurant and office space. Camdentown Connection is “shovel ready.” All that is needed is to complete the capital stack.
18. TAP IN KITCHEN AND COCKTAILS*
tapinmn.com
TAP IN is the latest creation by NEW RULES, a Northsidebased Real Estate Collective that develops Innovation hubs that combine Live, Work, and Play spaces. The mission of NEW RULES® is to develop the capacity of youth, artists, entrepreneurs, and small business owners to pursue their passions in a sustainable way that creates tangible economic growth in North Minneapolis, supporting the community from within.
Want to get involved?
Contact your Philanthropic Advisor to talk about how these projects align with your charitable goals and learn about other opportunities to invest in North Minneapolis initiatives that are fueling economic mobility for all Minnesotans.
minneapolisfoundation.org
ABOUT OUR PARTNERS AT THE DESTINATION NORTHSIDE COALITION
The Destination Northside Coalition is a group of organizations committed to the long-term economic prosperity of North Minneapolis. Together, the Coalition is working to develop thriving Northside business corridors, expand wealth-building opportunities, and transform North Minneapolis from a drive-through to a destination.
destinationnorthside.org
