Minneapolis to get $31M stimulus funds for green senior housing

Today I was proud to announce that as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) which President Obama signed last spring, Minneapolis is going to receive $31.8 Million to fund three new innovative and exciting housing projects.

In north Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) is going to be partnering with an array of community organizations to create a brand new senior community center that will provide a variety of medical, recreational and social services to the senior population.  Near that proposed community center, the ARRA funds will also be used to develop a new 48-unit green senior housing development.  This new development will provide housing and support to the frail and elderly, particularly those who have severe memory issues.  The innovative structure will utilize cutting edge, green technologies such as solar and geothermal to reduce energy costs and consumption and will also be built out of green materials designed to reduce the structure’s carbon footprint.  With these initiatives, we will be providing much needed housing for our senior population while building Minneapolis’ green economy and helping our environment in the process.

Additionally, these dollars will be used to make significant green improvements on 733 already existing MPHA properties.  Many of these properties have severely outdated energy and water systems that can be enhanced to be more efficient and to save energy.   These benefits will not only help our environment but also save taxpayer money in the long term.

These incredible investments in our community will give a boost to our green economy while helping some of our vulnerable senior population.  Minneapolis continues to be a strong competitor for recovery funds and innovative, beneficial projects like this illustrate why that is. Altogether, Minneapolis has already received nearly $100 million in federal stimulus funds from the ARRA.

Helping another small business grow: Holy Land Deli expands

Small businesses are the heart of our community and our economy. That’s why today I was absolutely thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of Holy Land’s new hummus production facility on Central Avenue in northeast Minneapolis. With the help of City financing, this great new facility will be the only hummus factory in the state of Minnesota and will be joined by a new Holy Land bakery.

Throughout its twenty years, Holy Land has consistently been an excellent community leader, continuing to give back and improve the area. Central Avenue once saw tough times, but Holy Land with this new facility and new bakery, has helped to turn the tide and get the area back on track. They have an ongoing pledge to donate five percent of their gross revenue to community causes, charities and schools.

The new Holy Land hummus factory is in what used to be a bar and a somewhat troublesome establishment. They bought the property for above market value and renovated it. And the new bakery is in a building that had stood vacant for nearly nine years. These expansions are creating local jobs and revitalizing the local economy.

When a small business like Holy Land does well, Minneapolis does well. That’s why the City of Minneapolis provided a 2% low interest small business loan of $150,000 to help Holy Land’s expansion effort. In the process new jobs will be created and the revitalization of our city will spread. I enthusiastically applaud Holy Land’s expansions and love everything that they have done for Minneapolis. Congratulations!

The first steps in Access Minneapolis are underway…but we can’t stop now.

Three years ago we developed a sweeping vision for reshaping transportation called Access Minneapolis.

The first steps in that plan will take place in the next couple of months and they will have a major impact on how we get around, but we can’t stop here because we still have a long way to go – and fast – to get ourselves out of growing gridlock in the region. The major imrpovements you are about to see will change the way buses get through downtown Minneapolis, how cars and bikes move around town, and how all kinds of trasportation moves along 35W and the Crosstown.

*Marq2, the conversion of Marquette and Second avenues downtown into transist corridors, will be done in early December. This will add a second bus lane in each direction – along with wider sidewalks and more pedestrian amenities – making it possible to have many more buses, moving much faster on these streets during rush house. This, in turn, makes it possible to take many of the buses off Nicollet Mall, leaving only hybrid buses, taxis and bikes on Nicollet Mall. At the same time Hennepin and First Av. N will be turned into two-ways with more innovations for bikes, like special lanes and “green boxes” so bikes can more easily be seen by cars.

*Along 35W, high-occupancy toll lanes, called “hot lanes”, will be open from Lakeville all the way into downtown, making it possible for those who car pool to get to work faster. With fewer people driving, that means less congestion for everyone. Also sharing those lanes will be high speed, high class buses, which will use those new lanes on Marq2 so they will not only get to downtown faster, but also get through faster.  The first real bus rapid transit station will be added at 46th Street – something we insisted on as part of the upgrade of the Crosstown.   (For someone living in the King Field, or Field Regina Northrup neighborhood, this should make it possible to walk/bike to the station and get downtown in just a few minutes.)

*In a month the first Northstar rail car will pull into downtown next to the new Twins ballpark…connecting to the extension of the Hiwatha LRT.

*In the Spring 1,000 bikes will be put on the streets of Minneapolis, stationed at rental kiosks throughout downtown, Uptown and the U of MN. They will make it possible to have fewer car trips in that area, and, instead, have people hope on a bike and speed through traffic. (Car drivers will have to do their part to watch out for, and give right of way to, bikers.)

This is all progress but it is only a start. We still have a long way to go. Top priorities for me include: building the Central Corridor light-rail through the U and to St. Paul; developing routes for the proposed light-rail line to the western suburbs (we have to find a way to serve Uptown); and another LRT line to the northern suburbs. We also have to turn those improvements along 35W into true bus rapid transit…meaning more stops along the way. And after having fought hard to get transit capacity onto the new 35W bridge, I believe we need a vision for that transit right now.

It took a huge coalition to get us here but we can’t stop because this is the time to reshape a transportation vision for the region that has been way to slow to move.

More positive changes to downtown streets

In just a few weeks, two landmark thoroughfares in downtown Minneapolis will change significantly as construction on Hennepin and 1st avenues nears completion.  Slated to open on October 10th, both avenues will now be two-way between 1st and 12th streets, something they haven’t been for nearly 30 years.

These renovations will allow drivers simpler, more direct routes to their destinations.  Drivers will be more able to avoid circling blocks as is often required with one-way roads, thus reducing congestion.  This means that drivers will be able to go directly to the businesses and establishments on these streets, something many downtown businesses enthusiastically support.

Plus, bikers and pedestrians will see improvements along Hennepin and 1st Avenues as well.  New, innovative, bike lanes will be added along 1st Avenue between the parking lane and curb. And bicyclists will now have “bike boxes” which are marked areas on the street, to make turning easier by allowing bikes to move slightly ahead of automobiles.  These improvements aim to encourage biking by making it safer and more convenient to ride a bicycle downtown.  New traffic lights will have “countdown timers” for pedestrians as well.

The street changeover is scheduled to happen early morning Saturday, October 10th with crews closing 1st avenue to re-sign and re-stripe.  Hennepin will remain open during this time.  Both streets will be re-opened by that evening as two-ways. These improvements will greatly enhance the downtown environment, making Minneapolis more accessible for everyone!

Minneapolis #3 most generous city

It seems that the term “Minnesota nice” is quite deserved.  According to a new report, Minneapolis ranks right near the top for cities when it comes to online charitable donations per capita.  The figures for 2008, released today by Convio, ranks 273 major cities in regards to online contributions to non-profit organizations and find that Minneapolis comes in an astounding third place.

Confirming what we already knew, the numbers show that Minnesotans – and Minneapolitans in particular – are some of the most generous people in the country.  Minnesota is home to an incredible number of charities and non-profit organizations who will continue to depend on online contributions.  And as this shows, Minneapolis is a great place for them to call home.  Here’s the Top Ten list of cities:

1. Alexandria, VA 
2. Cambridge, MA
3. Minneapolis, MN           
4. Washington, DC            
5. Arlington, VA                
6. St. Louis, MO               
7. Seattle, WA                  
8. Bellevue, WA                
9. Berkeley, CA                 
10. Ann Arbor, MI 

 View the report here: http://tinyurl.com/kq5chf

Kids on bikes is a good thing

It is so important that we instill in our children the importance of healthy living habits and practices.  That’sd why I was so pleased early yesterday morning to help launch a new program at Seward Montessori School that not only does just that, but also helps our environment, reduced traffic congestion, and strengthens a sense of community in our neighborhoods.  With the help of technology at Seward Montessori we can now give kids incentives to live healthier by walking or biking to school.

This new program uses radio frequency identification technology and a tag that students have affixed to their backpacks or helmets to incentivize exercising behaviors.  If the student backpacks or walks to school, the solar powered system detects that tag upon their arrival and logs the student’s use of alternative transportation.  Students can then receive a prize or incentive for commuting that way.  Seward is only one of a handful of schools in the country to do this. I couldnt be happier that they are leading the way.

By encouraging kids to live healthier, more active lives, our community as a whole will benefit in the long run.  If we teach our kids proper exercise and transportation habits now, as this program aims to do, they’ll develop practices that can keep them happy and healthy their entire lives. In the process, we will also be helping to create a more sustainable community.

Target Center gets new green roof

Yesterday, the city of Minneapolis once again proved that it deserves its reputation for being a leader when it comes to being green and sustainable. Yesterday we celebrated the completion of the new green roof atop the Target Center downtown. 

The new green roof, the largest green roof in the state, literally green and covered in vegetation, will not only have nearly twice the lifespan of a traditional roof, but also improve the downtown environment by reducing water runoff, help eliminate air pollution, and reduce energy costs for the arena. This city-owned Target Center now has the fifth largest green roof in the United States and is the first arena in North America to install a green roof.

The new green re-design represents the best of both worlds, saving our city money, while protecting and improving our environment. The arena was in need of a new roof, and because the construction cost differences between this new design and a traditional one were so minimal, it represented a huge opportunity for the city to take a giant green leap forward. Because of its extended life span, the sustainable roof will actually be cheaper, saving tax dollars in the long run.

With a growing zone averaging about 2” thick with plant life, the two and a half acre roof will prevent nearly a million gallons of storm drainage a year from entering the Mississippi river by having it absorbed by the vegetation. In addition, the roof will benefit our environment by reducing the heat island effect that occurs in downtown areas like ours. In fact, the temperature of the building’s roof may be reduced by as much as 80 degrees.  Further, all of the elements of the existing roof will be recycled and reused, rather than ending up in a landfill.

Cleaner air, cleaner water, and environmental innovation are some of the key principles that have kept Minneapolis strong and with this new addition to a city landmark, Minneapolis continues to lead.

A Back to School To-Do List for All of Us

It’s that time of year again, when children get excited to show off new school bags, high schoolers return to the routine of homework, and college students preview new textbooks. The excitement in the air is palpable to us all. So too, should the feeling of responsibility to future generations of our community grab us. Whether or not you sent a child off to school this morning or are busy buying textbooks of your own, we all have a responsibility to ensure the success of our young people.

Right now, we are raising our most valuable generation. Students in Minneapolis schools today speak 80 languages and come from 79 different countries. They cross cultural barriers every day and if we prepare them properly, students in Minneapolis could be our state’s greatest asset to compete in a global economy.

That’s why we created The Minneapolis Promise: a package of three privately funded initiatives that have put career centers in every public high school, funded the STEP UP summer jobs program, and provided free college tuition:

• Since the College & Career Centers opened in 2006, they’ve helped 140,000 students and 9,500 have worked with a counselor to develop their Life Plan.
• Since being launched in 2004, STEP UP and other job programshave hired 7,673 young people. More than 80% of those were kids of color and 70% went on to college. This summer 2,300 young people were working in Minneapolis because of city programs, including 500 whose jobs were funded by the federal stimulus.
• Since the Power of You was launched in 2006, it has helped 640 Minneapolis students enroll at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. The U of MN Founder’s Program, also launched in 2006, has given college aid to 353 Minneapolis students. That’s nearly 1,000 students with free college tuition!

Taken together, the Minneapolis Promise is changing the lives of an entire generation of our students. But serious challenges lie ahead. The career centers, led by Achieve Minneapolis, depend on private donations and volunteers. STEP UP depends on employers who face tough economic realities. MCTC and the U of MN college tuition programs are vulnerable as these institutions face serious budget challenges of their own and rely heavily on private donors to fund financial assistance for students.

This is a critical time and we can’t lose momentum on efforts that not only help young people succeed, but give our entire community a head start on every other region in the competition for the global market. We need an educated, culturally sophisticated workforce to keep Minneapolis on the cutting edge. That’s why I will continue my advocacy and fundraising for the Minneapolis Promise, and I hope you will too.

Everyone has a role to play because we need everyone to prepare the next generation for their future. By working together, I’m confident that we can continue the success of the Minneapolis Promise. Thanks for being part of the solution; now let’s get to work.

Chief Dolan: actions of a few discredit great work of others

Below is a statement released today by Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan:

The recent cases that have come to light in the media make me and other employees of the Department mad.  The alleged actions of a few are being used to discredit all the great work that my 1100 employees do everyday.  In reality, I believe that, in this region and possibly the country, the Minneapolis PD does the most and expects the most from our officers – and holds them to the highest degree of professionalism.

Let’s talk about some realities of the MPD:

• We have well over a million contacts per year with citizens.
• A few less than 900 officers handle about 400,000 calls for service a year; that is about 1100 calls per day.
• My officers make over 30,000 arrests a year; that comes to about a 100 arrests per day.
• My officers conduct around 1,500 traffic stops in a busy week.

Although my officers have over a million contacts with citizens each year we still only see about 200 complaints a year against our officers.  And that number has decreased in each of the three years of my administration.  That percentage of complaints is actually lower than the percentage seen by the LAPD which is currently being praised for a low level of complaints.  Of the 200 cases that are filed about 90 result in open Internal Affairs cases.  Of those 90 cases we had about a dozen sustained excessive force cases last year.

I take investigations of complaints against my officers seriously.  In my last three years in office 16 officers have either resigned or been terminated due to our investigations of: theft, domestic assault, misuse of force, DUI, lying, and other misconduct.  And I am likely not done this year.

That number of terminations exceeds any previous administration.  Let me make it clear – I don’t like firing police officers.  I wish I never had to fire an officer.  However, I must hold all my employees accountable for their conduct.

What we have also done is implemented internal technology and practices that make us the most transparent agency in the Midwest.  These are our videos being played on TV.   We take complaints against officers in many forms including on-line.  We publish our complaint statistics every year in our Annual Internal Affairs Unit report.

So rest assured I take these recent allegations seriously.  In looking at the recent allegations I can say that we were already aware of most of them and had already begun internal investigations before they became public.  The most recent video shown was sent to IAD for review the day after the incident.  At our request it was reviewed by an outside agency and declined for criminal prosecution, and it came back for our standard review process.  Our system worked for that incident.

I view each incident as an opportunity to better our processes and review what we expect of our officers and how they are trained.  In light of recent incidents I have enhanced our force review process and I am changing our use of force training.

Timothy J. Dolan
Chief of Police

Bike share gears up in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is on track to launch the first large-scale bike share system of any city in the country. In May 2010, Nice Ride Minnesota will launch a bike share system in Minneapolis, similar to systems in Paris, Barcelona, Montreal, and more than 100 cities across the globe.

Nice Ride Minnesota will put 1,000 bicycles onto Minneapolis streets, locked in 80 self-service kiosks. Bike share kiosks will be located in downtown Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus and in nearby commercial districts, including Uptown, Eat Street, Midtown, Seward, Dinkytown, Cedar Riverside, and the Warehouse district.

Mayor R.T. Rybak led the initiative to create Nice Ride Minnesota, a new Minneapolis-based nonprofit corporation. The Board of Directors includes both public and private representatives.

“Nice Ride is about making it easy for everyone—commuters, visitors and students—to use a bike in our city,” Mayor Rybak said. “Bikes are great for short trips. They’re fast, fun, healthy and green. Minneapolis is the best cycling city in America. When you travel through Minneapolis on a bike, you discover amazing places, like outdoor restaurants, gardens, galleries and neighborhood coffee shops. Experience Minneapolis on a bike and you’ll love what you find!”

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) today announced it will be the major sponsor of Nice Ride Minnesota. Nice Ride previously received a $1.75 million award from Bike Walk Twin Cities, a federally-funded initiative to increase biking and walking and reduce driving.

“We’re excited to be a part of this innovative program that makes it easier for Minnesotans to be active in their daily lives,” said Patrick Geraghty, president and CEO, Blue Cross. “With two-thirds of Minnesotans overweight or obese, we need creative solutions such as Nice Ride to put the brakes on this trend. Public bicycle-sharing can help more Minnesotans lead active and healthy lifestyles, starting with downtown workers and the students, staff and faculty on the University of Minnesota campus.”

Nice Ride will allow people to keep their cars parked and use bicycles for short trips around the city. Users will pay a $5 daily fee via credit card or purchase a $60 annual subscription to take a bike from one locked Nice Ride kiosk and return it to another near their destination. It’s simple and convenient for appointments, quick errands, going to lunch or even exploring the city.

“Blue Cross’ sponsorship of Nice Ride demonstrates their leadership and commitment to the health and vitality of our community,” Mayor Rybak said. “I encourage other forward-thinking companies to financially support Nice Ride and join us in bringing about a new era of active, healthy and green transportation in Minneapolis.”

People can learn more about Nice Ride at the “Kick Gas” exhibit in the Eco-Experience Building at the State Fair, which highlights “greener, cheaper and healthier” transportation alternatives. In the exhibit, will be a bike share kiosk from Montreal’s BIXI, the latest in bike sharing technology. BIXI put 3,000 bikes in 300 kiosks on the streets of Montreal in May and will build bike share systems in London and Boston. BIXI is one of several potential vendors to Nice Ride Minnesota.