The mayor of Minneapolis and his staff are defying a community survey by recommending a group to develop a site at George Floyd Square that did not receive the most support in that survey.

It still received positive feedback, and the city council will have final say, but for now, Mayor Jacob Frey and city staff feel that the Minnesota Agape Movement is best suited to handle future development of the former gas station at 38^th and Chicago, now known as The Peoples’ Way. 

But according to a survey of community stakeholders, the group Rise & Remember garnered the most strongly positive reactions overall. 

Since the city shared this development, the mayor’s office has declined multiple interview requests, as we try to learn his reasoning. We also had other questions about what seems like a contradiction in how he’s felt about community being involved in this process so far.

Minneapolis City Council overrides mayor’s veto of George Floyd Square pedestrian mall study

For example, following a city council override of his veto as they pushed for a 38^th & Chicago plan that community surveying found was not wanted in February 2025, the mayor lashed out at council members. 

“Today’s short-sighted decision by the council has ignored community wishes and is a colossal waste of both time and money,” Mayor Frey said that February day last year.

As we continued to try to get clarity surrounding the mayor’s decision to move forward with Agape, a city spokesperson shared the following:

City staff has taken community input, including the survey results, into consideration for this Peoples’ Way recommendation. Community input was one of multiple factors, such as relevant experience, we considered for the evaluation criteria outlined in the RFQ. One of the things we heard from community was a desire for the applicants to collaborate on a project since they all bring strengths to the table. Agape is ready and willing to collaborate with all stakeholders and community in a development process.

Within the city’s announcement about the recommendation, the mayor shared the following:

George Floyd Square carries significant meaning for Minneapolis and for people around the world,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “We’re looking forward to partnering with Agape and the community as we take this next step together to continue building toward the long-term vision for the Square.

This development is already getting council pushback — members will have final say and the Business, Housing, and Zoning Committee will first address it on June 2, with plans for the full council to June 11. 

Council member Jason Chavez, whose ward includes part of George Floyd Square, sent the following statement:

Mayor Frey promised a decision on the future of the People’s Way in May 2025 and instead took an extra year to make a decision. He also chose to disregard the data and the community’s preference.

I have concerns about fairness, transparency, and accountability about the entire process. The results of the city-commissioned survey showed that the Rise and Remember proposal received the most support, was most closely aligned with community values, and received the most strongly positive reactions overall. Mayor Frey sat on the results of this survey for over a year.

In an interview with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, council member Soren Stevenson, whose ward also partly falls in George Floyd Square, says his community is ready to move forward and has frustrations with how things have been handled thus far.

“There was such an opportunity to listen to what the community had asked for, and we’re not there,” Stevenson said about this most recent development.

“It’s been, it’s been really confusing and troubling for community members to understand, like, am I giving you my feedback because you want it and you’re going to use it, or am I giving you my feedback, so that you can check the box that feedback has been gotten?” Stevenson added. 

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.

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