City’s plans for Quincy Street construction worry northeast Minneapolis artists

Quincy Street isn’t just at the center of Art-A-Whirl, it’s at the heart of the Arts District in northeast Minneapolis. The road itself, however, is falling apart. And the only thing bumpier than the exposed brick is the reaction to the city’s plans to fix it.

“It’s known as like the most quirky, cobblestoney, potholey street,” said Kristin Olson, owner of Studio Q. 

She and others working along the street have come to appreciate its crumbling characteristics. It forces cars to drive slowly, which is helpful given the amount of foot traffic in the area.

It’s also the very reason city leaders want to remake it.

Recent project renderings include adding sidewalks and trails to improve accessibility. Putting in a new road will help fix drainage issues. The city even wants to use bricks instead of asphalt to retain the area’s image.

“Totally hear that and understand it and we also want that, but the rest of the street is working as is,” said Olson. 

Her studio has three private parking spots that her clients rely on.

The road project would convert private parking along Quincy Street into public parking, a major sticking point for artists needing direct access to their vehicles outside their studios. 

“We save those for people who have mobility needs or people who are bringing in a lot of equipment,” said Olson. 

Many of her clients have multiple vehicles for photoshoots at her studio. 

“If we as a studio don’t have access to these three spots for our teams, those clients are going somewhere else,” she said.

The fight to keep Quincy Street’s character has been going on for a few years, with the pushback ramping up as the 2027 construction date nears. The latest renderings include loading zones for the businesses along the street, but artists like Charlie Haumersen don’t feel it’s enough.

“Just having access to the building is really important,” Haumerson said. 

He, and many of the tenants on the block, also worry the city’s desire for change will have ramifications beyond just the road.

“We think of it as sort of a form of cultural erasure. Even though we’re just building a street, it might pave the way artists to have to leave,” he said.

Olson is hopeful that the city will slow down its plans and continue to come up with solutions that find a middle ground with the neighbors. It’s unclear if the city plans to make further changes to its latest redesign.