City of Minneapolis open to selling Roof Depot at a cost
The City of Minneapolis is open to selling the vacant Roof Depot site to the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute, but only for the right price.
Last week, city leaders sat in a meeting with the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute at the request of state legislators, according to a statement from the city.
The East Phillips Neighborhood Institute is leading the push behind transforming the space into a community-owned and operated facility called the Urban Farm Project.
The City of Minneapolis said it has set aside at least $16.7 million in funds, collected from water customers, for the enterprise Waterworks Fund to purchase and plan the development of the site for a water distribution facility.
The East Phillips Neighborhood Institute must repay the allocated funds in order to purchase the site.
Dean Dovolis, president of the East Phillps Neighborhood Institute said in a past conversation with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS Reporter Ben Henry, “The community wishes to preserve the building. We are making good progress.” Dovolis said if their plan comes to fruition, up to 1,000 jobs will be added, community-based businesses would have space to operate and it would benefit generations to come.