geography

Frogtown/Thomas-Dale

The Frogtown/Thomas-Dale cluster has historically been one of the most racially and ethnically diverse communities in the Twin Cities, with a high majority of residents experiencing low incomes and high rates of poverty.  Yet within this community there is a wealth of culture and affordable amenities that are cherished by the residents. Recently, the literal signs of upcoming development opportunities and the new light rail have brought the promise of investment with the threat of being priced out.

Hamline-Midway

Hamline-Midway, a destination point between Minneapolis and Saint Paul, has historically provided affordability and access to amenities for residents. Yet recently, stakeholders have identified a revived a conversation around an uptick in crime and violence, specifically youth crime.  Rising housing costs from west to east, the impact of the construction of the light rail and the new soccer stadium are factors that illustrate impending neighborhood change and the excitement and anxiety that comes with it.

North Minneapolis

North Minneapolis has a deeply rooted history of strategic disinvestment and racial segregation. Today, Willard-Hay residents must once again face outsiders laying claim to the rights to restructure the community. Key stakeholders have identified the strategic use of historic preservation as a tool of gentrification, yet the potential consequences for long-term residents remain unspoken. Harrison residents have reported similar experiences of unbalanced power dynamics regarding the development of the Glenwood corridor, which impacts community change.

Northeast Minneapolis

Northeast Minneapolis has become one of the most sought-after destinations in the Twin Cities with a thriving artist culture, the highest concentration of breweries in the city, an abundance of new trendy restaurants, and other creative industries. Historically, Northeast was a working-class, Eastern European immigrant community that was transformed when major industries left the neighborhood providing an opportunity for artists seeking the freedom of large, abandoned, warehouse spaces to create community.

South Minneapolis

Community stakeholders we interviewed in South Minneapolis feel as if the slow process of demographic and infrastructural change that has taken place in our study area has resulted in many being priced out, pushed out, or alienated. The story of community change in South Minneapolis is just as much about mobility and access as it is about the ways that demographic and infrastructural change follows patterns of racialization that privilege some while neglecting or displacing others.