“Art Walk” advocates collaborate on proposal for Central Ave redesign

As the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) calls for feedback on its plans to redesign Northeast Central Avenue in 2028, public art advocates sense a generational opportunity to honor the artistic reputation of the neighborhood. Not every business owner in the neighborhood necessarily agrees, though.

“This is a once in a 50-year thing,” said Josh Blanc, chair of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. “We’re going to take it as far as we can go.”

Informed by technical analysis, public feedback and input from the cities of Minneapolis and Columbia Heights, MnDOT’s new design for the Central Avenue corridor largely reduces the number of lanes in each direction from two to one, with dedicated left turn lanes at intersections. It also features sidewalk-level bike paths, new bus lanes and upgraded boulevards, crossings and green spaces.

But one mile-long stretch of Central Ave. between 26th Avenue and Broadway Street passes through the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District, where artists are requesting four additional feet of boulevard space on one side of the street for an “Art Walk” that can accommodate permanent art space, pop-up markets and comfortable public areas.

Despite the rain on Thursday, Sept. 4, a group of neighborhood artists, business owners and community members walked along Central Avenue scouting locations for potential “Art Walk” installations.

Declan Buhrsmith and Emma Funk live nearby and say they understand the need for MnDOT’s highway redesign.

“While we were just talking about improving the street, a car went around the corner on Central and Lowry and knocked off a big chunk of sidewalk into the road in front of a bus,” said Buhrsmith. “That was kind of wild.”

“I don’t like the experience of driving or walking on the street right now,” said Funk. For her, transforming Central Ave. into “the kind of place you would want to live in the future” is more important than repairs alone.

Seth Stattmiller, owner of Recovery Bike Shop on Central Ave., believes an “Art Walk” on a wider boulevard would strengthen the community.

“People don’t window shop here, they don’t stroll because it’s no fun to be out here,” Stattmiller said. “I think places for humans to gather with strangers and have positive interactions that we don’t otherwise get in the age of social media is increasingly important.” Stattmiller even imagines “two giant archways” on either end of the “Art Walk” that ensure “you could not get through here without realizing you’re in the Arts District.”

Relationships with small businesses

While MnDOT’s design is intended to improve safety and empower local businesses, the thousands of artists who have helped revitalize Northeast Minneapolis are local business owners, too.

According to the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District, local artists spend more than $1 million to rent their studio spaces every month.

“That million dollars expands like crazy, and we’re bigger than every other group combined — that’s how many artists are here,” said Blanc. “That’s a lot of money for the spaces here that keep a lot of people coming to eat at these places, to get their car fixed, whatever it is.”

Parking

MnDOT’s plan will reduce Central Ave. on-street parking spaces by about 10%, at a time when many local business owners agree parking availability is already limited. But Stattmiller says there’s always open spots within half of a block of Central Ave.

To the “Art Walk” advocates, the real challenge is motivating people to walk only as far as they would through a department store parking lot.

“We need to be better than our parking,” Stattmiller said. “We need a draw that overcomes parking, that overcomes walking half a block.”

“I think art is a draw,” said local artist Lisa Roy. “So if there’s more art on the street, then you draw more people to the neighborhood.”

Traffic

By reducing driving lanes and improving traffic flow with turn lanes, MnDOT’s plan is intended to reduce noise and prevent high speed driving on Central Avenue — but the roughly 25,000 cars, trucks and buses that use it every day will still continue to do so.

“This is a main thoroughfare for trucks,” said local sculptor Kyle Fokken. “And that’s not going away.”

Nevertheless, MnDOT’s plan is set to reduce the speed of traffic, and that’s why Art Walk advocates hope large sculptures and beautified boulevards will give drivers and pedestrians a more engaging and safe experience on the new road.

“The more dynamic the street is, the slower and safer the street is going to be,” said Burhsmith. “It’s going to make (drivers) look around and actually want to be here instead of just flying through.”

Mixed opinions

Not every business owner is so keen on the idea, though. Meerwais Azizi, founder of Football Pizza, 2339 Central Ave. NE, expressed concerns about the plan. “As long as they don’t put a meter (on parking spots), it should be okay,” he said. “But I’d prefer for there to be two lanes (of traffic) on each side. If they make it one lane — there’s a lot of cars on Central.” He worried if traffic on Central Avenue slowed down, his business would see fewer customers as a result.

Tucker Gerrick, marketing manager at Eastside Food Co-op, 2551 Central Ave. NE, responded to the proposal in an email to the Northeaster. “As the person at Eastside who supports local arts organizations and artists as a function of my role, I welcome well-intentioned ideas for creating a more vibrant Central Avenue and Arts District overall. I think creating opportunities for engagement with art through public art spaces and programming is important to supporting the overall goal of growing arts access.

“That said, I believe there are other ways to bring art to the people who frequent businesses in our neighborhood and use Central as a thoroughfare that does not permanently diminish the space available to cars, buses, bikes, and pedestrians.”

He made sure to point out the ways that Eastside “shows up for the arts,” including via their Art-A-Whirl® participation, their donations to art-focused charities and their work with local artists, who “create displays and Eastside merchandise.” They offer their “building as space for incredible murals,” too.

“We’re not just a stakeholder, we’re active participants in this. I just don’t think we need a dedicated space for art at the detriment of other spaces that are already undergoing big changes on their own during this Central Ave redesign.”

Progress

As MnDOT approaches a key deadline in 6 months, Blanc aims to compile a logistical plan that accounts for foundational needs like space and power outlets — but it could be years before the details of the artistic collaboration are decided.

In the meantime, “Art Walk” advocates hope to organize temporary outdoor art installations and fill “the nooks and crannies” along Central Ave. — like the pedestrian alleys between buildings — with art as soon as possible. They hope this will demonstrate the value of public art here and inform their plans for permanent installations down the road.

“Let’s start small, let’s pick a project,” Blanc said. “Then you set the stage, you start to inspire people.”

Blanc wants to use empty lots and vacant alleys as temporary or permanent art installations.

Blanc said the group’s proposal to widen the boulevard — and possibly trade a couple proposed parking spaces for art pads to accommodate large sculptures on a couple intersections — shouldn’t cost more than the state has already allotted to upgrade the road.

Later, however, city approval and a combination of public and private funding will be required to prepare, produce and install the art. Decisions about what art goes up are sure to be a lengthy collaborative process involving the neighborhood.

“We have a lot of work to do. We’re talking with businesses, we’re talking to government,” said Blanc. “You said you wanted something big. Are you on board?”

To view the MnDOT’s plan, visit https://bit.ly/CentralAveRedesign.