'2035 Plan' outlines possible future for downtown Minneapolis

Transforming the Mississippi River waterfront, building a marquee ice skating rink, locking in a Michelin-starred restaurant, and “reinventing” the skyway system are just a handful of ways downtown Minneapolis could take shape over the next decade. 

It’s all part of the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s “2035 Plan” and laid out in its 131-page presentation, “Downtown by Design.”

“It’s a big plan. It’s a big vision. There are 52 projects that are laid out in it,” Ben Shardlow, chief of staff for the downtown council, said, adding, “It’s been a labor of love to get a big engagement process, to get a lot of voices to the table.”

The ideas and vision are focused around four “strategic priorities”:

• Neighborhood Cultivation 
• Foundational Safety 
• Hassle-Free Systems
• Irresistible Vibe

Shardlow says downtown Minneapolis is in an interesting position to make unique and bold changes as it adapts to life after the pandemic.

“I think we’re, we’re very heartened by the recovery and the reanimation that we’ve seen from downtown. But it’s clear also that downtowns need to change,” he said. 

Turning Nicollet Mall into a pedestrian-only area is also part of the plan. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wrote in the presentation, sharing, “Nicollet Mall is the heart of our city, and its future reflects our shared vision of a vibrant, welcoming, and accessible downtown – a place where people gather, connect, and enjoy the best Minneapolis has to offer.”

Another goal is transforming millions of square feet of commercial space into residential space. And it’s not just projects on the mind, ensuring public safety will be a big part of the heart of the city’s future — key in that will be the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD).

“[In the] last few months, we’ve been involving community-based organizations more than they had been in the past,” Chief Brian O’Hara said about the MPD’s work downtown. 

Chief O’Hara said his main focus will be building up his taxed police force so that it can better respond when needed.  

“We are on pace to hire a lot of people next year,” Chief O’Hara said. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that we’ll probably hire about 200 people for sworn positions, at least 50 in January alone.”

While O’Hara said it will take some time for most of those people to become sworn officers, he expects dozens to be on the street before the end of next year. 

Also, even with the vision laid out for downtown’s future, the council says there’s much more work ahead before these ideas become reality, with more opportunities for people to share their ideas. 

“We’re all a big community. We all care about the future of downtown Minneapolis. Let’s bring our best ideas to the table and work together to get them done,” Shardlow said.