WPCiA News

Small Area Plan Documents

WPCiA has completed the Windom Park Neighborhood Small Area Plan (SAP). This important document will provide direction for the neighborhood and the City of Minneapolis for the coming years on topics such as land use, zoning, density, transportation, parking, commercial area revitalization, and gateways. We thank all of you who provided input, answered our surveys, attended meetings, and served on the Steering Committee!

Please note that on Jan. 23, 2018, after considering the many comments on the SAP and motions made by neighbors attending the Jan. 16 neighborhood meeting, the Board of Directors voted to remove the Johnson Street opportunity site from the plan. Also removed are references to rezone the neighborhood to R3 (higher-density residential); instead, the document will express a preference that zoning in the neighborhood remains “as is.”

You can access the WPCiA Small Area Plan by downloading Volume 1 and Volume 2 here (approximately 12 MB each).

Other Key Milestones:

Technical Memo #1 (December 2016)
Initial Draft – Neighborhood Issues Map (Fall 2016)
January 17, 2017 SAP Memo (Community Meeting No. 1 Summary)
PowerPoint Presentation at 1-17-17 Community Meeting (Presentation from Community Meeting No. 1)
“Safe Routes to School” (Minneapolis Public Schools bike-walk routes)
Traffic Study Review related to Lowry Grove redevelopment
Lowry Avenue NE Plan (Hennepin County)
WPCiA’s Johnson Street design concepts (drafts from 5/9/17 meeting)
WPCiA’s 5/15/17 updated Johnson Street design concepts and streetscape details
Examples of Opportunity Sites from 9/12/17 steering committee meeting
All Steering Committee Progress Reports to date
A draft overview was presented at our Oct. 17, 2017, neighborhood meeting. We thank everyone who attended the meeting and engaged in the discussion. The draft Opportunity Sites, R3 rezoning, and Johnson Street traffic generated many comments at the meeting.
Draft concepts presented by Biko Associates at 10-17-17 Community-Wide Meeting
The plan was updated in November 2017, and the full document was posted here for final review and input by Dec. 15, 2017.
The Board of Directors agreed to extend comment time to Jan. 16, 2018, following an Open House on Jan. 13 and the neighborhood meeting presentation on Jan. 16.
A final vote on amendments to the document was taken by the board at its Jan. 23, 2018, meeting.

Background on Lowry Grove Redevelopment

Redevelopment has been proposed for the Lowry Grove mobile home park area adjacent to our neighborhood on Stinson Parkway at Lowry Avenue NE/Kenzie Terrace. In early 2021, WCPiA heard from developers about a new proposal for senior housing for a portion of the site along Stinson Parkway.

General Chronology of Past Events

A community meeting on the possible redevelopment was organized by SAVNE Neighbors for a Livable Community for Monday, Feb. 13, 2017. Details here.
A proposed settlement was reached Aug. 1, 2017, with the former residents, according to the City of St. Anthony Village. The proposed settlement was reportedly in part contingent on density factors that later were not approved by the city.
The developer in July 2017 filed a revised development plan (see right-hand column links on the village’s web site) with the City of St. Anthony Village.
After a public hearing Aug. 28, 2017, the St. Anthony Village Planning Commission voted to deny the developer’s applications. The city council agreed to postpone action on this agenda item until its Oct. 10 meeting.
At its Oct. 10, 2017, meeting the St. Anthony Village City Council unanimously approved a resolution to Deny the Comprehensive Plan Amendments, PUD Preliminary Development Plan/PUD Rezoning, and Preliminary Plat related to The Village, LLC project located at 2401 and 2501 Lowry Avenue.
In October 2017, another revision was proposed by the developer (see right-hand column links on the village web site for related plans and exhibits).
At a community meeting held Jan. 24, 2018, the developer presented revised plans that no longer include the Bremer Bank site and noted the development team expected to file an application with the city in the coming days. The property owners noted they may offer RV parking at the site this summer in order to recoup some of their investment. The project is now being referred to as the “Kenzie Terrace and Stinson Parkway Development.”
The St. Anthony Village City Council approved the developer’s revised preliminary plan, now scaled back to 414-430 units of rental housing.
St. Anthony Village, like Minneapolis, is undergoing an update of its Comprehensive Plan. See what is suggested here, and see how it might impact the Windom Park neighborhood.

WPCiA continues to monitor and discuss these topic at our meetings and with our Minneapolis city council member and park board representatives, due to the proximity of this potential development site to our neighborhood. A group of residents, SAVNE Neighbors for a Livable Community, has also been organizing meetings and collecting documents on the project, which WPCiA will post here as they become available. (See also information on the WPCiA Small Area Plan.)

Other Documents

Statement to St. Anthony Village passed Aug. 22, 2017, by Windom Park Citizens in Action and presented at the Aug. 28 Planning Commission meeting
Statement to Ward 1 Minneapolis City Council Member, Minneapolis mayor and Eastside city planner, passed Aug. 15, 2017, by Windom Park Citizens in Action
Statement to Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, passed Aug. 15, 2017, by Windom Park Citizens in Action
Feb. 21, 2017, Motion Passed by Windom Park Citizens in Action re: Proposed Lowry Grove Development
Letter from “Southern Gateway” Developer
Environmental Assessment Worksheet
City of Saint Anthony Village web site information on Lowry Grove
WPCiA Traffic Study Review

A New Way to Donate Online

WPCiA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization; all donations to WPCiA are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. In addition to donating to your neighborhood organization via the red “Make A Donation” buttons found on our web site, WPCiA also participates in Amazon Smile, Thrivent Choice, GiveMN and in “Give to the Max Day.” We welcome your donations to WPCiA by these online methods or via U.S. Mail to:

1845 Stinson Parkway, No. 201

Minneapolis, MN 55418

Business Directory

Check out the Windom Park business directory! We try our best to keep this up to date, but if you are the owner of a Windom Park business and notice any errors or omissions, please contact us.

UPCOMING EVENTS

There are no upcoming events.

Purpose

Windom Park Citizens in Action (WPCiA) is a 501c3 non-profit that serves as the voice of Windom Park neighborhood in Northeast Minneapolis. It is the city-designated citizen participation organization for this geographic area of Minneapolis, as well as the neighborhood's contracting organization for the city's Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP).

Our Goals

Eliminate Disparities – Learn more
Encourage Healthy, Safe & Connected People – Learn more
Develop Complete Neighborhoods – Learn more
Ensure a Clean Environment – Learn more