Some South Minneapolis workers have noticed a difference in an area known for crime, three months after the Lake Street Safety Center opened.

The corner of East Lake Street near the Midtown Station has a history of violence.

The latest incident in the neighborhood was an armed robbery that resulted in a 25-year-old man being shot in the chest off Lake Street. It was one of six different incidents in a two-hour period early Tuesday morning.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS spoke to some people who work in the area and explained despite the latest shooting, they’ve already noticed a difference with the safety center in the area.

“We used to see a lot of folks hanging out over there and people approaching cars at the stop signal. You’d see people getting into arguments and sometimes fights,” said Shelley Carthen Watson, YWCA Minneapolis resident, in a Tuesday interview.

Watson explained she’s noticed a difference in the area lately since the public safety center opened.

“That [shooting] was isolated, and we are fortunate that we have the public safety center, which is just half a block away, and so we don’t get that much excitement in our neighborhood here,” Watson said.

The Lake Street Safety Center opened in November of last year.

Three months later, some said they’re already seeing a change. 

“Our definition of community safety is that people are safe, but also that they feel safe and so that’s really important,” said Amanda Harrington with the Minneapolis Office of Community Safety.

The office focuses on crime prevention and offers resources that range from affordable housing to addiction help. Officials said even though they’ve been open for a short time, there’s power in presence.

“We still need to build trust in the community with the people who need services from that center, that it’s a place where they can come and get the things that they need,” Harrington said.

Kevin has worked in the area for a year. His job is steps away from the safety center.

He explained the area is still not perfect, but it’s progress.

“They come in and check on us every once in a while,” Kevin, who works in the area, said. “There’s still bad areas and still a lot of stuff going on, but having them [safety center] right here makes it feel safer.”

City officials said it’s too early to compile crime statistics after just three months of being open, but it is something that will be analyzed in the future.