Neighbors eye closed north Minneapolis school as possible youth center

The Gordon Center has 22,000 square feet and sits at the corner of 16th and Queen avenues in north Minneapolis, but it’s been empty for the past 15 years.

MAD DADS and A Mother’s Love, along with other neighborhood groups, support the idea of reopening the building to give at-risk kids a chance to focus on positive things such as computer technology, counseling and peer groups.

Rashawnda Scott lives near the Gordon Center and told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS she thinks the idea of using the abandoned school is “awesome” and is “much needed in this community because there isn’t a lot for kids to do.”

“I am all for doing this rather than doing nothing,” Scott said. “Right now, there are a few places for kids, but this would be nice because there is nothing like it here and it would be walkable for quite a few of the kids, which I think they would appreciate.”

Minneapolis Public Schools had agreed to sell the building to Hennepin County for $1 to open a shelter for women. But neighbors opposed the idea and it fell through in September.