Do you have a bus ride that takes three times longer than if you drove a car instead? Have you ever had to lug a bike upstairs because secure bike parking (or any bike parking) is just impossible to find? Are you frequently run off the road, or out of a crosswalk, by a suburban lawyer driving too fast on the way to storing his car in some remarkably cheap real estate in a downtown parking garage?
Stories about how hard it is to park are giving the impression that non-parkers are a bunch of freeloaders. You and I know that just isn’t the case! Not driving is hard. We should complain about it more.
I need you to send me stories that are sadder than this guy’s:
Non-parkers should promote their horror stories too.
DM or email me your not-driving horror stories for a chance to be featured on Wedge LIVE as a poster child for how amazingly easy it is to drive in Minneapolis—compared to, like, every single other way of getting around.
Let me say one thing to reassure all those who have asked whether this is a real event: this is a real event. If this wasn’t a real event, would it have an Official Route that has been measured at over 1.9 miles long? It would not. Pretend events don’t have Official Routes, nor do they have Official Route Maps.
I’m going to be honest. As your host for the evening, I’m hoping for a smallish crowd. Many people say the Wedge has too many people already. And I have done zero legwork consulting with the various neighborhood committees who are responsible for being agitated over a lack of parking.
After the tour, you’re invited to attend a special event called “Wedge LIVE: After the Cats” which will take place at the Lynhall, located at 27th and Lyndale, where you can purchase drinks or food. We will break into discussion groups to talk about our experience of the preceding 60-90 minutes of walking around the neighborhood. This will be a chance to celebrate our successes, reflect on our failures, and brainstorm ideas for how we can do better in the future.
Disclaimer: While we believe that cats are likely to occur, we can’t guarantee you will see any cats on the Cats of the Wedge Historic Walking Tour.
Transportation Info (tour begins at Mueller Park – 25th & Bryant Ave) 🚌 Bus: Routes 2, 4, 6, 17, and 21 provide service to the Wedge 🚴 Bike: The Wedge neighborhood is served by the Midtown Greenway and the Bryant Ave bike blvd, though we recommend you take regular streets, break all the laws, and slow down traffic. 🚗 Car: Please park your car on the 2400 block of Bryant Ave. Those people deserve it.
Re-printed below is a letter written by area resident Alex Cecchini to the Minneapolis City Council’s Transportation and Public Works Committee regarding the reconstruction of Hennepin Ave S.
Hello,
I am writing a comment on the June 20th, 2017 Transportation & Public Works Committee agenda item 13: Hennepin Ave S (from Lake St to 36th St) Street Reconstruction Project as I cannot attend in-person. I live two short blocks away from the project corridor and use Hennepin Ave on a daily basis, primarily by walking, biking, and riding the bus.
I am disappointed in the final layout as presented to the city council. While this design may meet elements of the city’s Complete Streets Policy as outlined by the project team, it does not meet the spirit and intent and wastes a once in a lifetime opportunity of a full reconstruction. While there is obviously much to like – a bike facility, expanded sidewalk and boulevard space, pedestrian-scale lighting and tree coverage, it falls short in many ways of being a street that makes walking and biking the safest and most comfortable mode.
Studies have consistently shown that raised, protected bikeways make streets safer for all users. The most recent study evaluating bike lanes across North America states “Compared with major streets with parked cars and no bicycle facilities, cycle tracks on roads without parked cars were 89% safer; regular, unprotected bicycle lanes on major roads without parked cars were 53% safer; and lightly trafficked residential streets without any bicycle facilities were 56% safer.” It may be obvious, but because these facilities are safer, studies show people prefer to ride bikes on protected facilities over unprotected, painted bike lanes as well – which is key in driving the city’s stated mode share changes.
In practice, the layout in front of you means forcing bicyclists to ride in the door zone of the parked cars on the east side of the street, be cut off by turning or parking cars, take the lane when a bus pulls off into the bike lane to pick up passengers, and in general be feet away from traffic. We know pizza deliveries, UPS trucks, Uber, and any other user will park in the southbound bike lane as they do on countless other streets across the city. This is not a design I want my kids to ride on to go to school, and it’s not one I can guarantee I’ll feel comfortable on when I’m 60 instead of an able-bodied 32 year old. As a result of not putting the bike lane at sidewalk level, we make intersection crossing distances between curbs 12 feet wider than necessary. Painted bike lanes don’t have the same calming effect of a curb – indeed they are allowed to count toward the driver’s “curb reaction distance” per state statute, giving them berth to drive faster and not stay attentive.
The layout in front of you isn’t even the most popular as determined by community outreach. The survey the city put out, reached (to my knowledge) far more people than both neighborhood organizations and any meeting the city put on. The design option with no parking and bike lanes (2C, which could have been at sidewalk level with a slightly tweaked design) had, by far, the highest level of support at 59% saying Very Supportive or Supportive. The design in front of you had 50%, and the design with no bike lanes and two-sided parking was only 33%. The Pedestrian Advisory Committee also recommended pursuing option 2C and per their resolution does not offer support for the final layout. The CARAG neighborhood organization also voted for a different design concept that meets the broad community feedback while still maintaining some parking.
We normally hear that better street designs can only come during a full street reconstruction where Public Works is not constrained by curb and utility locations and costs. But here we have such an opportunity, and the design puts parking and the possibility of a handful of aBRT stations above the safety and convenience of people on foot and bike. We can do better, the city council should demand better. Please pull this from the consent agenda and turn it back to staff for a major revision.
Local developer Yellow Tree Homes is planning a 74-unit, 5-story apartment building at 22nd St and Blaisdell Avenue in Whittier. The proposal was presented to around 25 people at a meeting of the Whittier Alliance neighborhood organization on Monday.
The reaction from around 25 residents in attendance was mixed. One resident, who said he believes the neighborhood needs more housing, wanted to know why it couldn’t be six stories. Another said she was unwilling to support the new building unless the developer performed shadow study, though she acknowledged she thinks that part of the neighborhood is an appropriate place for additional housing.
2201 Blaisdell is currently a 3-story school building. Not the typical target for teardown. But they do have a giant parking lot. Zoned R5. pic.twitter.com/QMToXbybzl
Unit sizes would range from 350 to 1000 square feet. The developer breaks down the unit types this way: 15 micro studio ($940/mo), 21 micro 1-bedroom ($1195), 6 micro 2-bedroom ($1695), 19 1-bedroom ($1395), and 13 2-bedroom ($2195). Amenities include a deck and garden plots, both located on the roof of the building.
The building would have 49 parking stalls, which exceeds the 37 required by the city (this is calculated based on proximity to transit and number of units). Parking was a concern for a few residents at the meeting. The fact that constructing additional parking would mean higher rents was not discussed.
The developers say they will be requesting a conditional use permit from the city to include an extra story and two additional feet in height, as well as variances to reduce side and rear-yard setbacks. There was no mention of when this project might go before the City Planning Commission.
ReCAST Minneapolis is a federally funded program intended to promote “healing from the damage done by a history of policymaking that has devastated African Americans, American Indians, and immigrants including Latinos, SE Asians, and Somalis.” Here’s more background from the ReCAST Community Strategic Plan:
The shooting of Jamar Clark, an unarmed African American male, by police officers is the impetus behind the creation of ReCAST Minneapolis. In our city, African Americans and American Indians are disproportionately discriminated against by the police which also echoes other indicators of wellbeing where there are greater disparities between our African American and American Indian population and the rest of the populace.
If you’re a terrible person, you might be thinking, “Why doesn’t this program intended to heal the damage of a long history of racist policymaking do more for white people?” Fortunately for terrible people, they have a champion in City Council President Barb Johnson.
Council President Barb Johnson:
“Ms. Stephens, you know, one of the things that I find somewhat frustrating about work that we do around neighborhoods that are experiencing stress and trauma is that there are – and of course I’m thinking about the neighborhood that I represent in North Minneapolis – there are people who aren’t necessarily people of color but they’re long-lived neighbors in communities that are as much affected by some of the violence that’s going on in the community. And so how do we get to those people? I said the same thing with the – I’m trying to think, we’ve got an initiative at the police department that I can’t remember the name of – but the same thing. You know, what do you do about the people who aren’t necessarily perhaps the victims but they’re the ones that get knocked out of their houses at 3:00 in the morning because somebody’s bashed into the gas meter with a stolen car, or get awakened at 3:00 in the morning when they have to work the next day because somebody’s shooting a gun in their alley. Those people are affected as much as anyone in the neighborhood. And so I just am curious what the thought is about the broader population that lives in the neighborhoods that are affected by violence. And I particularly think this grant, we were a recipient of the grant because we had this incident – part of it – is because we had this incident in the Fourth Precinct. But that didn’t just affect people of color, it affected everybody that lived in the community. So, what’s the thought about the rest of the community?”
Joy Marsh Stephens:
“One of the reasons we’re really intentional about shaping who we’re talking about with the grant as geographical is that we understand that it’s everybody who lives in those neighborhoods. We talk about Camden, for instance, which is one of our neighborhoods for ReCAST, it’s everybody that lives in Camden, not just people of color who live in Camden, or Native populations who live in Camden, it’s everybody who lives there. So the trauma that those communities are facing is, to your point, affecting everybody that’s there.”
One of the themes of Lisa Goodman’s campaign this year is that Donald Trump is a bad man, and Lisa Goodman will protect you.
It’s not a crazy message. There’s an anti-Trump undercurrent running through many Minneapolis campaigns this year. But for arguably the second-most conservative member of the City Council, Goodman has used “Trump” as a way to distract from the real differences she has with her opponent, Janne Flisrand. (I won’t go into those differences, but there’s no denying Ward 7 has two very distinct choices this year.)
Another theme that’s emerging: Lisa Goodman is clearly unaccustomed to the hassle of having to run for re-election. She hasn’t had a serious challenger since first winning her seat in 1997. But she has built up a large campaign fund ($133,000 at the end of 2016), and acquired enough power to have convinced Senator Al Franken to endorse her just days before the DFL caucuses on April 4.
With Goodman’s serious advantages, it was big news when Saturday’s Ward 7 Convention ended without a DFL endorsement for either candidate. Moments after the convention was adjourned, the Goodman campaign put out a strangely bitter Facebook post confirming the impression they were the day’s big losers. I have to print the whole statement because it’s amazing (it was deleted the next morning):
I had hoped to earn your endorsement today but I think and hope I understand why that didn’t happen. The truth is that we’re scared. All of us are. All progressives are, and frankly, so are most of the people in the world.
We live in an age of incredible upheaval. The pace of change has accelerated way beyond anything we’ve experienced before and the direction of too much of that change is frightening.
For progressives, we now live in a country ruled by a dangerous deranged, demagogue who is surrounded by a crazy mix of right-wing ideologues, princes of venture capital and an endless parade of recently retired generals who presided over the longest, least successful and still ongoing wars in our nation’s history!
And here we sit in Minneapolis. A truly wonderful progressive city surrounded by a state that almost voted for that President.
These times aren’t interesting, they’re terrifying.
But the way we overcome that fear is not by turning inward and directing all our energy into making sure we only elect people who we agree with 100% of the time. That can’t work.
Even here in progressive Minneapolis we already have to deal with a conservative, Republican state legislature and God forbid, potentially a GOP Governor. And now we’re spending time, energy and money on applying the most stringent progressive policy litmus tests to people in reliably safe DFL districts and Wards in some kind of twisted purification ritual.
We progressives have to get out of our own echo chambers and start working to spread the word and find compromise when we can. Instead of spending all of our time, money and energy beating up each other, let’s direct our energy to helping to recruit and elect reasonable DFL state legislators in Anoka, Washington, Dakota, Scott, Carver and Wright counties so we can take control back NEXT year. That is where local, progressive energy should be focused.
Look, I am disappointed that I did not get your endorsement today, but being part of this larger fight that goes well beyond the border of our ward is something I will not turn away from.
So I will proudly go forward and seek to earn all of your votes in the general election this fall. Because, I will never give up this fight and frankly I know I’m damn good at this job, and so do you! So I look forward to continue working with you to make our Ward and our world a better place.
Lisa Goodman believes your dissatisfaction with her is the irrational product of Trump-based fear.
Lisa Goodman believes elections in Minneapolis are inherently illegitimate. (This isn’t democracy, it’s a “twisted purification ritual.”)
Lisa Goodman wants you to leave her alone and go campaign where it matters: specifically in Anoka, Washington, Dakota, Scott, Carver and Wright counties. (Begging the question: how much campaigning did Lisa Goodman do outside Hennepin County in 2016?)
“I know I’m damn good at this job, and so do you!” (Enough said!)
The jarringly dark third paragraph ending with a swipe against the “endless parade of recently retired generals” shows the wide gap between the reality of this neighborhood-level campaign and what Lisa Goodman is choosing to talk about.
If you disagree with Lisa Goodman on all the important things people care about right here in Minneapolis—from housing to transportation to policing—you’re probably hoping she spends the rest of this campaign arguing (1) that local issues don’t matter and (2) that one of the great tragedies to come from the 2016 election is that she ended up with an opponent.
Goodman Lies About Her Vote on Minimum Wage Study
During a Q&A session at the convention, Goodman lied about her past vote on a study of raising the minimum wage. First she portrayed herself as a longtime proponent of raising the wage. She then claimed that her 2015 vote against studying a $15 minimum wage was because “we already knew the answers.” According to Goodman, she didn’t want to waste money on a study when it was already obvious to her that raising the wage was the right thing to do.
But when you consider her past statements (on video), including her attacks on the credibility of the wage study’s authors when it was published, it’s clear that Lisa Goodman disagreed very much with any answers that indicated raising the wage was the right thing to do.
In 2015, Goodman said conducting study would serve no purpose because a wage increase was something “seven people don’t want to vote for—and the mayor—right now.” It’s not conceivable that Lisa Goodman wasn’t including herself among the seven “no” votes on the issue of a wage increase. As she said just last October: “When you are already paying $6 for a single scoop ice cream cone, how much more are people going to be willing to pay?”
I have been shamelessly teasing a must-see video on Twitter. But there’s a good reason: before we get to the video (do not skip ahead to the video), this story needs unpacking. It would be irresponsible to release this video without context.
First, do the right thing–do the prudent thing–and read this very long blog post describing the multi-year controversy and legal battle involving an old house, a group of zany preservationists called the Healy Project and reality TV star Nicole Curtis.
Then, you’ll want to watch this very long YouTube featuring some of our favorite characters from Linden Hills as they engage in a multi-year legal battle to save a barbecue restaurant and parking lot. Do those things right now!
(waiting for you to come back…)
In the time since that blog post and video were published, local anti-apartment extremists have gotten bolder. They’re using tactics that go beyond lawsuits, and beyond baseless accusations of corruption during their testimony at city hall. Last year, I spoke with a neighbor who saw three people do this bit of vandalism at 2008 Bryant.
Get your message out by stapling campaign finance reports to every available surface.
I’m pretty sure the people responsible are connected with the Healy Project. Why do I think this? Because they painted “This Place Mattered” on a bed sheet and made a sign that said “Bendrification”–these are phrases closely associated with the Healy Project. “Bendrification” is a combination of the name Lisa Bender, who is a city council member, and the word “gentrification.” Using this word pretty much saves you from having to make an actual argument. In the last few weeks “Save Brenda’s House” has become the next big, crazy house story. It’s part of a long tradition of Facebook fan pages devoted to dumpy old houses. Evidence that the house is a cherished landmark includes the fact that the Facebook page was created days before a Zoning and Planning Committee hearing to decide the house’s fate.
(I should briefly mention that Brenda Ueland is a deceased local author who was a pretty big deal in her day, but obviously not as famous and important as the house she lived in. Also, it’s weird how much she looked and dressed like Beetlejuice.)
After the Minneapolis City Council voted to allow demolition, house fans created a profile on a website called “Chuffed” (which is not a location-based dating app for scruffy guys who are a weird combination of chubby and buff). House fans are using Chuffed to raise money for a lawsuit to save the house.
The organization whose name is associated with the fundraising page is the Healy Project. Constance Pepin is listed as the contact person for both “Save Brenda’s House” on Facebook and the Healy Project’s fundraising page on Chuffed.com.
Save Brenda’s House: part of a long tradition of fan pages devoted to houses.
Because there’s a lot going on during caucus season, this story has fallen through the cracks. UNTIL NOW!
About-to-be-released video obtained by Wedge LIVE shows radical House Lives Matter activists engaged in what can only be described as “injurious” activity. I’m referring to Constance Pepin and her presumed getaway driver Anders Christensen–recognized by many as the public face of the Healy Project.
In the video, recorded just outside Brenda’s house, Ms. Pepin is seen leaning down next to a car as she lets the air out of the right-front tire. The car’s owner exits the house and asks Pepin, “Why are you letting the air out of my tires.” Ms. Pepin stands up and says, “Because you’re here illegally.” My sources tell me the car’s owner was legally at the house to remove appliances, an activity that doesn’t require special permission from the city.
Pepin walks halfway down the driveway before turning around, raising her phone, and recording video of the person who is recording her, in a classic move that says I’m not the criminal here, you are!
As this all unfolds, Anders Christensen watches by the car from a distance. It should be noted that Anders Christensen is a bad friend who failed to shout any kind of warning to Ms. Pepin that the owner of the car was approaching her from behind.
John Quincy disappears during Ward 11 candidate forum.
There was a city council candidate forum down in Ward 11 last night. This is one of a handful of pivotal and competitive council races in Minneapolis this year (1, 3, 5, 7 and 11 – and if you think Barb can be beat, add Ward 4 to that list).
Ward 11 doesn’t get a lot of attention and neither does their current council member, John Quincy. He’s affable. He’s inoffensive. He blends in. He finds the safe place to be. He’s not the first person who comes to mind when you think of The Council Members Roadblocking My Favorite Big Idea. But you won’t find him far behind, following the lead of the ones who are.
At the forum, Quincy made a case based on his status and committee assignments, which he attributed to “experience.” How has he used that acquired power to lead on important issues? I didn’t hear much of that.
Quincy has two opponents: Erica Mauter and Jeremy Schroeder. In a three person field you might look around and wonder, which one of these people is the crackpot? Not in Ward 11! Not this year!
In fact, both challengers come off as thoughtful and accomplished. Mauter is a former chemical engineer turned executive director of the Twin Cities Women’s Choir. Schroeder, as part of his experience working for non-profits, led the successful fight to end the death penalty in Illinois.
I appreciated that, without any prompting, both Mauter and Schroeder acknowledged zoning as a factor in housing affordability; that seems like a low bar (and it is) but it shows an openness to new ideas and a willingness to tackle a politically tough issue. Mauter even gave the Wedge a shoutout, saying it was a good thing they turned the former lumberyard adjacent to the Midtown Greenway into apartments (I’m easily impressed).
People might have a hard time remembering who their current council member is, but don’t forget the Ward 11 city council race this year. There are real choices here. Give these candidates a closer look ahead of next Tuesday’s caucuses.
Ward 10 City Council Member Lisa Bender took the the AM radio airwaves recently to talk about the neighborhoods she represents, housing, safe streets, and the 2017 election.
Selected clips below. Listen to the whole show here.
