Minneapolis begins removing barrier around blighted former 3rd Police Precinct

The fencing and razor wire that has surrounded the former site of Minneapolis’ 3rd Police Precinct is finally coming down after nearly four and a half years. But a new, smaller fence will be going up soon.

On Monday, a 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS photographer captured a worker removing the barrier around the building that has sat damaged and vacant since the unrest following George Floyd’s murder at the hands of Minneapolis police officers in May 2020.

The city says it’s been working to clean up and secure the building, starting with clearing debris from the inside of the building and progressing toward replacing windows and entryways.

Plans for rehabilitating the property met a setback earlier this year when the city had to put out a request for proposal for smoke mitigation, according to Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Minneapolis’ city operations officer.

Monday’s step of removing razor wire and security fencing is a step that Anderson Kelliher hopes will be a visual marker that the city is moving forward, though she cautioned there are still several steps until the building is a functional space again.

“We are working toward a day when we don’t have to have fences out there, and right now, it’s one step at a time. I think it will look much better for people passing by, for the community,” Anderson Kelliher said.

Next up is putting up a lower-profile construction fence that will be set farther back from the street — something Anderson Kelliher says will open up the sidewalks and allow the city to spruce up the surrounding property somewhat.

“We’re excited for having this improvement made where it looks more like a construction site — because that is what it’s going to be — and getting that razor wire out of there is really important,” she said.

In the next eight to 10 weeks, the city also plans to tear down the scorched “vestibule” at the former front entrance and replace it with glass.

The former 3rd Precinct has been a political football in Minneapolis and beyond.

City officials sparred for years over whether to tear the building down, restore it to its former purpose as a police station or use it for another function entirely. Earlier this month, the City Council agreed on a plan to convert the site at the corner of Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue into a “democracy center” with 8,000 square feet of community space.

And on the campaign trail, the former 3rd Precinct has served as a backdrop for Republican politicians such as U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and vice presidential nominee JD Vance to criticize Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s response to the 2020 riots.

Anderson Kelliher said the process to get the democracy center up and running will need to begin with finding a community partner to work within the facility. Then the city can proceed to the design phase. Ultimately, the goal is to house the city’s Elections and Voter Services by 2028.