Judge’s 2040 decision allows at least 5 Minneapolis developments to move ahead
At least five Minneapolis developments are no longer in limbo after a judge ordered the temporary reimplementation of the city’s long-term development plan, Minneapolis 2040.
Zoning requests for these projects have been held up since June, when a Hennepin County judge ordered the city to stop implementing Minneapolis 2040, according to a city spokesperson. The order resulted from a lawsuit that took issue with the 2040 plan's potential environmental impacts, MPR News reports.
Earlier this week, the judge granted a temporary stay of the June order while it's appealed. Following the stay, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called a special City Council meeting for Friday to address the paused developments.
“The effect of this stay is to return the City to the status quo from before the summary judgment order. This will allow previously postponed matters to move forward, and allow continued review and approval of building permits, rezonings, and other matters covered by Minneapolis 2040, pending the outcome of the underlying appeal,” Interim City Attorney Peter Ginder said in a statement.
Developer Michael Krantz is leading one of the paused projects. Krantz, of NE Development LLC, proposed a seven-unit development at 715 and 719 Lowry Ave. NE. He's also requested a rezoning of these two sites, which are located in Northeast Minneapolis.
When the review of the project's zoning request was paused in June, the development team also halted design work as they waited for the rezoning application to move forward. They’re still figuring out next steps for the development following the reimplementation of the 2040 plan, Krantz said in an email.
The City Council plans to review Krantz's rezoning application on Friday, along with rezoning requests for three additional projects that were paused:
Minneapolis-based Collage Architects, working on behalf of local developer Left Lane Ventures, is planning a four-story apartment building in Northeast Minneapolis on the corner of 13th Avenue Northeast and Quincy Street Northeast. The 53-unit structure would wrap around the building that's home to restaurant Erte.
Developer Alex Gese of Zas LLC has plans to replace two existing single-family homes with 28 apartments near the 50th and France district. The project is planned for 5121 and 5129 France Ave. S.
St. James Episcopal Church is seeking to convert its one-story church building at 3225 Minnehaha Ave. E. into 21 apartments. Seven additional units would be located in a new two-story building that’s also planned for the site.
Representatives of these projects didn’t return requests for comment or couldn’t be reached for comment.
The Minneapolis Planning Commission also plans to review another delayed project – a redevelopment of a south Minneapolis single-family home into a six-unit luxury condominium – during its meeting next week.
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