5 years after murder, future of George Floyd Square on hold — again
The plans for George Floyd Square are on hold yet again after the Minneapolis Climate and Infrastructure Committee decided to hold off on voting on a design plan.
The last few months have been full of rejected plans and more community engagement to reach a decision.
RELATED: City council rejects plan for George Floyd Square, possibly setting work back years
The future of George Floyd Square has been flooded with a mountain of ideas for nearly five years.
“I’m looking forward to making some progress on this,” Latrisha Vetaw, Minneapolis city council member, said in a Jan. 23 meeting.
That progress was halted at Thursday’s Climate and Infrastructure committee meeting.
“The part where I disagree is the fact that we need a concept plan in order for us to understand what’s feasible for the community,” Aurin Chowdhury, Minneapolis city council member, said.
After a December meeting, the city of Minneapolis did community engagement again to get feedback about 38th and Chicago’s future.
RELATED: 4 years later, lack of notable revitalization at George Floyd Square
The options are a flexible open layout, pedestrian plaza, or raised intersection.
Through the survey, the city found residents do not want a pedestrian plaza.
Those surveyed were 20 property owners along Chicago Avenue, closest to where Floyd was killed and north to 37th Avenue — 15 responded to the survey and all of them opposed the city’s two ‘pedestrian mall’ options.
Following the council rejecting a final design plan by city staff in early December, a few members urged staff to do more community engagement about pedestrian mall options — one would completely block traffic for a block on Chicago Avenue and the other would create a cul-de-sac with a smaller pedestrian-only area.
Minneapolis staff says though for a pedestrian mall to be constructed, under state statute, more than half of property owners, whose properties would align with the area, have to support it.
“We know that a lot of businesses are struggling throughout the city for various factors. And one thing that they have businesses have expressed in this area is that’s going to make it even tougher,” Nathan Coster, with Minneapolis Public Works, said about the challenges a pedestrian mall layout could bring.
Now, Coster says he and his team will continue to recommend their ‘flexible open concept’ already laid out for the council — that would allow the city to easily temporarily block traffic, likely with the use of gates. Coster adds in their conversations while surveying residents and business owners, many were open to an idea like that.
“At this point, we don’t have a concept plan that I feel confident voting for,” Chowdhury said.
City documents show the planning phase has cost the city about $2.23 million from the summer of 2020 to November of last year.
“I know it has been a challenging and painful struggle just to get to this place, a costly struggle,” Andrea Jenkins, Minneapolis city council, said. “There’s a small minority of people who, I think, have good intentions but are holding up the progress for this community.”
Jenkins said building a consensus takes time, but there must be a threshold.
“We have to move forward. We can’t stay in this cycle of inactivity and non-action,” Jenkins said. “I am hopeful and I want to work together with everybody to bring forth the vision.”
The committee will discuss the concept plan again in a Feb. 6 meeting.
Back in December, Mayor Jacob Frey said he does not support the council’s continuous lack of decisions.
Mayor Jacob Frey issued the following statement following the committee meeting.
“The mayor has been clear and consistent: it’s time to move forward. Today’s survey results underscore the wants of the surrounding community, and the mayor appreciates the hours, dedication, and collaboration of City staff in the redevelopment of this site. He hopes the City Council will recognize the urgency of taking action and moving forward without further delay.”
The plan was to start construction this year, but Mayor Frey said this could put things on hold until 2028.
For a timeline of the progress at George Floyd Square, use the interactive timeline below.