Minneapolis between remodel, new building for 3rd Precinct’s permanent home

The Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct headquarters at the corner of Minnehaha Avenue and East Lake Street has been closed since it burned and was looted during the rioting and protests following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

The 75 officers assigned to the 3rd Precinct are now working out of temporary office space in downtown along Third Street.

But now the city is considering two options for putting the 3rd Precinct’s home base back within its bounds, Minneapolis City Council Vice President Linea Palmisano told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.

“I would say it’s still a touchy subject in many different ways,” Palmisano said. “There are people who are upset that they don’t have a police precinct that they can go to for any different number of reasons that is right near their geography, and we need to change that.”

One option would be the complete remodel of the existing building. Option two would be the construction of an entirely new location, which has not yet been announced publicly. Palmisano said a remodeling project could cost anywhere between $12 million and $18 million, while a new building would probably be two to three times more costly.

The public will have a chance to give its input.

“There will be online surveys, large community meetings. There will be smaller conversations with people who maybe are not native English speakers. A lot of different ways to get parts of a pulse,” Palmisano said.

Palmisano said the two options will be introduced to the public next week.