A Minneapolis nonprofit serving homeless youth will begin a $700,000 makeover of two of its shelters this summer, capping a multiyear effort that invited shelter residents into the design process.

The Bridge for Youth provides support services and temporary housing for teens and young parents. Its two emergency shelters, Resilience House and Gloria’s Place, share a building at 1111 W. 22nd St. in Minneapolis. The first phase of demolition is underway, and renovations are set to begin in the coming weeks.

Resilience House provides 24-hour shelter, case management, food and health care for youths ages 10-17. Gloria’s Place is the only emergency shelter in Minnesota for pregnant teens and teen parents ages 15-17; it has space for up to six families.

According to the agency, 50% of young people experiencing homelessness in Hennepin County are pregnant or have children.

The building was purchased and first renovated nearly 16 years ago, Executive Director Lisa Mears said. Since then, it has been “feeling fatigued,” she said. This summer’s renovations will include new flooring, paint and furniture.

Another major reason for the renovation was to incorporate design feedback from current and former shelter residents. The designs are aimed to create spaces “where youth can heal and feel safe” from personal traumatic experiences, Mears said.

In 2021, three Dunwoody College students were brought onto the project to craft designs that would inspire the renovations. Carissa Friendshuh, Marco Salazar and Austin Rastall were fifth-year architecture students who spent about a year working on designs. They interviewed shelter residents, did research and toured the facility.

The students worked to make the facility feel more open and comfortable. Their designs were intentional about lighting, colors and having nooks tucked away for privacy within shared spaces.

“You want to be in a space that’s inviting, that feels safe, that feels secure, but also you’re able to get some freedom in it,” Rastall said. That concept was carried throughout the design decisions, he added.

Salazar said working on the project was a “full circle” moment because his sister was a shelter resident several years ago.

The Legislature last year provided $500,000 for the renovations, and the Bridge added $200,000.

The nonprofit this year campaigned unsuccessfully at the Capitol for $3.5 million to add 15 transitional housing units to a current facility, Marlene’s Place, and 24 non-time limited supportive housing units at a new site. Mears said Bridge officials are discussing their next steps.

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Minneapolis city leaders are taking steps toward setting rules for cannabis sales.

With licenses expected to be available starting next year, a planning commission is considering where certain types of cannabis businesses can be located in the city. That includes businesses which grow, sell and deliver marijuana.

A current recommendation would ban businesses from operating within 350 feet of K-12 schools, but that distance could increase.

“That’s just showing schools. Again, not showing daycares or parks, or any of those other things that we could space for, but we are not proposing to space for,” said Sara Roman, the Senior City Planner for the City of Minneapolis.

Residents curious about the ongoing discussions can view a presentation about the proposals, and or read the cities’ document.

A zoning plan is expected to be finalized by the end of the summer.

A 39-year-old Bloomington man has been identified as the man fatally shot by police this week in south Minneapolis, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office said Friday.

Michael Warren Ristow was shot and killed Wednesday by officers responding to reports of a man threatening a person with a gun in the 3000 block of Hiawatha Avenue of the Longfellow neighborhood, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said in a preliminary report.

The BCA said Ristow had fled police trying to arrest him, then stopped at a fence and “turned toward the officers with a gun in his hand.” The three officers fired, striking Ristow.

According to the medical examiner’s report, Ristow was pronounced dead of “multiple gunshot wounds” just before 10 p.m. at HCMC.

The BCA identified the three officers as Enoch Langford, Abdirizaq Mumin and Chaz Wilson. They were placed on leave pending the investigation as is standard protocol when an officer kills a person in the line of duty.

The BCA said the officers were wearing body cameras, and the video was being reviewed. BCA investigators found cartridge casings and two handguns that were later determined to be stolen, agency spokeswoman Bonney Bowman said.

In a news conference after the shooting, Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Ristow’s gun appeared to have been jammed, but he did not know whether it had been fired.

“I have no reason to think that this is anything other than a justifiable and lawful use of force by police officers,” the chief said.

Ristow did not have a violent criminal record, but it did include three open cases in Hennepin County from 2023: felony fifth-degree possession of fentanyl, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and trespassing. In each case, he allegedly possessed drugs or paraphernalia.

This was the second fatal shooting by Minneapolis police in two weeks. On May 30, police shot to death Mustafa Ahmed Mohamed, 35, after he ambushed and killed officer Jamal Mitchell in a confrontation on S. Blaisdell Avenue.

-Star Tribune staff writers Paul Walsh and Louis Krauss contributed to this report.