To get diverse developers involved, the Minneapolis Department of Community Planning and Economic Development has released a request for proposals from diverse and women-owned developers.
To get minority developers involved in a development on Minneapolis' north side, the city's Planning and Economic Development Department sent out a request for proposals from minority or women-owned developers. Mobilize Design & Architecture, headed by Jamil Ford, won the contract to redevelop vacant buildings sitting on property forfeited to the city.
"Ford’s team named the project Baldwin Square, in honor of James Baldwin. The buildings sit at 42nd and Fremont Avenues, a former streetcar stop that’s now a bus stop. Soon, the corner will become a stop for a planned bus rapid transit line," Oscar Perry Abello reports for Next City. The group hopes the plan will be in line with the needs and desires of the community.
"After acquiring the tax-forfeited property, instead of going straight to developers with a request for proposals, the city went first to the community, attending meetings with residents to explain what zoning allowed on the lot and to gather ideas from residents about what they wanted in the space," Perry Abello writes. The city hopes that what goes into the property will focus on what the community asked for and wants.
FULL STORY: Minneapolis Wants More Diverse Developers Working With The City
Looking Back on 60 Years of Land Development in the Twin Cities
In 1960, about 12 percent of the Twin Cities metro's land was already developed. By 2020, about 34 percent had been developed. Many factors influenced how the region has changed since 1960.
Minneapolis Awards Affordable Housing Funds
The city awarded over $17 million to affordable housing construction and rehabilitation projects.
Minneapolis Leaders Urge State DOT to Rethink Highway Expansion Plans
Current MnDOT plans call for widening Interstate 94, but city leaders from Minneapolis and St. Paul want to see more space for public transit, walking, and biking.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.
California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.
HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland