The South Uptown Neighborhood Association Board of Directors approved a new statement of inclusion at their meeting on March 21, 2023. This is a small step, but reflects the organization’s desire to be more welcoming.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement: In South Uptown, everyone is welcome. Whether putting down roots, blossoming new generations, or ebbing and flowing like the water’s edge on our lakeshore, our community’s vibrancy stems from our neighbors.
Earth Day Clean Up
Saturday, April 22, 9:30AM- 12:00PM
Meet at Bryant Square Park- 3101 Bryant Avenue S.
After a long and snowy winter we need your help to pick up all that trash blowing around the neighborhood! Show up anytime that morning to pick up free gloves, trash bags and a snack provided by Minneapolis Parks and the South Uptown Neighborhood Association. We’ll have a neighborhood map at the park displaying which blocks are covered to avoid duplicated efforts. Please bring your friends, family, and neighbors to help out too!
Starting April 10, reconstruction of Bryant Ave S. between 35th and 42nd Streets will begin according to Minneapolis Public Works. Construction between 42nd and 50th Streets was completed in fall 2022, and a final phase between Lake and 35th Streets will begin later this summer. Public Works will rebuild the entire street, sidewalks and utilities along the corridor adding a bike path, green space and pedestrian bump-outs. The roadway will become a one-way with automobiles driving southbound for most of the route.
Public Works announced some modifications to the project design following the experience south of 42nd Street this winter. All the planned “chicains” north of 42nd St. have been removed, except for the 3700 block, and parking will be moved to the west side of the street. The grassy boulevard will be moved in-between the bike path and sidewalk to provide snow storage.
Visit the Bryant Avenue Reconstruction project website for more details and to sign up for weekly email updates. https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/bryant-ave-s-reconstruction/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=#site-main
Hennepin County, along with the City of Minneapolis, Metro Transit and other partners, continues to work on improving safety for all users on Lyndale Avenue South (County Road 22) between Franklin Avenue and 31st Street. The county implemented a 4- 3-lane pilot project on Lyndale Avenue in July 2022 and is now taking time to observe how the restriping impacts people who walk, bike, take transit and drive this segment of road. The information collected will be important in helping inform the county on the future vision of the corridor.
Hennepin County wants to hear from you and welcomes all feedback. Tell them how the changes have impacted you by visiting their interactive map and comment board by March 31, 2023: bit.ly/PinLyndale
For more information or to sign up for email updates: hennepin.us/lyndale-avenue-safety Or contact: Josh Potter, project manager, 612-596-0820 josh.potter@hennepin.us
South Uptown Happy Hour at Granada Theater
Thursday, March 23, 5-8PM
Granada Theater- 3022 Hennepin Avenue
Join your neighbors for happy hour at the beautifully restored Granada Theater. South Uptown will provide free appetizers with attendees obtaining their own beverages. This is a great opportunity to check out the theater, meet some new friends and learn about the South Uptown Neighborhood Association. Please join us!
Metro Transit has firmed up plans to construct the next rapid bus route in their system, the “B-Line”. It will run along the Lake Street corridor in Minneapolis from West Lake Station across the River and into downtown St. Paul. The B-Line will feature upgraded stations with shelters, heat, ticket machines and security cameras. These stations are spaced further apart to speed up service, which is a priority considering the current #21 bus along Lake Street is the slowest in the system.
Representatives from Metro Transit, Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis presented plans at a recent South Uptown meeting to highlight the changes scheduled for 2023 and 2024. Check out the presentation here. Stations serving South Uptown are planned at Lyndale & Lake and at Hennepin at Lake and Lagoon. The Lake and Lagoon one-way pairs will be reconfigured to include a dedicated bus lane and two general traffic lanes. East of Dupont Avenue, Lake Street will be re-striped converting four general lanes to one lane in each direction plus a center turn lane to improve safety and reduce traffic speeds. This design allows for the addition of a dedicated, westbound bus lane in many locations on Lake Street. Bump-outs are planned at many intersections along the route to improve the visibility of walkers and reduce crossing distances.
Construction of stations east of I35W begins later in 2023 with construction west of the freeway starting in 2024. The B-Line service is expected to start in 2024.
B Line - Lyndale
The South Uptown Board of Directors appointed Alex Bissen and Haakon Gisvold to fill two Board vacancies during the February 21 meeting. They will fill out the remaining six-month terms of Board Members who recently resigned due to personal reasons. Thank you Alex and Haakon for stepping up to serve your community!
Haakon Gisvold
Alex Bissen
The South Uptown Neighborhood Association is seeking candidates to fill vacancies on the 9-Member Board of Directors starting in February 2023. The Board will appoint neighbors to fill out the remainder of two Board terms that expire in September 2023.
The organization is especially interested in recruiting people of color, renters and women to join the Board to better reflect the neighborhood population. Candidates with experience in fundraising, events organizing, social media and urban planning are also highly desired.
All South Uptown residents (including renters), business owners, and property owners 18+ are eligible to participate on the South Uptown Board of Directors. Visit this application form for more info and to apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1vQi1kK8Lc5Jj152_kUW5HmkjTANpyg00L5gLEnZMbsc/edit
January 2022 Luminary event at Bryant Square Park
Luminary Skating Party
Saturday, February 4, 2023 (rescheduled from January 21, 2023)
5-7 PM at Bryant Square Park
3101 Bryant Avenue S.
Warm temperatures in mid-January caused the Bryant Square ice rink to melt forcing the postponement of the Luminary Skating Party. Conditions look great for this Saturday with warmer temperatures and good ice conditions expected. It should be a beautiful evening…
A view of the 2019 MLK Day Celebration
Join the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) for its annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on Monday, January 16 from 6:30-8:00 pm at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center, 4055 Nicollet Ave. S.
This year the keynote speaker is Larry McKenzie, author, educator, motivational speaker, basketball coach, radio host, and 2018 Bush Fellow; and guest speaker is Mary Merrill, Superintendent Emeritus of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.
Enjoy a musical performances by Ray Covington, spoken word performance by Jamyah Trueblood, presentation from participants in the MPRB Youthline program, and The Sanneh Foundation will be presented with the 2023 Living the Dream Award.
This powerful and uplifting annual event is emceed by Chad Jackson, Senior Manager of Brand Partnership with the Minnesota Twins. More information at minneapolisparks.org/mlk. Please share the event flyer linked below with anyone who may be interested in the event.
The celebration will also mark the 13th annual “Feeding the Dream” Food Drive. People are encouraged to drop off non-perishable food items at their local MPRB Recreation Center through January 16.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to donate. Refreshments will be available following the program.
During the January 17 South Uptown Neighborhood Meeting, the Board will consider a Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) Plan Modification. The change would reallocate $8,146 from Strategy 4.3.1 Improve Pedestrian Routes to three other projects that are running out of funding. About $5,000 would be directed to Strategy 8.1.1 Livability Committee Events to support committee activities to engage neighbors. Both Strategy 6.1.1 Boulevard Trees and 7.1.1 Clean Neighborhood would get $1,500 to treat ash trees at Bryant Square Park and support clean neighborhood programs. After many years of trying to work with Public Works, it was agreed to repurpose the funds due to their unwillingness to partner with the neighborhood association. The Plan Modification was first announced during the November 15, 2022 South Uptown Neighborhood Meeting and will receive a community vote at the next meeting in January.
Pilates Underground, located at 3153 Hennepin Ave S (above Black Walnut Bakery) was founded in 2015 and moved to its current location in South Uptown in 2019. After training and apprenticing in New York, Megan Cairns moved to Minneapolis and began working at a physical therapy studio, helping people with chronic pain, injuries and surgeries recover, reform, and reclaim their bodies. She then founded Pilates Underground in 2015 to take her passion for body work to the next level.
Pilates Underground, is not a gym or a fitness studio; they are a small band of well trained, highly experienced body mechanics and consultants whose aim is to subvert the physical status quo in order to help engineer smarter, better bodies. They use primarily Pilates, but don’t limit themselves to a single method in the quest to help people navigate their best lives in their best bodies.
What is pilates, you ask? Pilates exercises focus on strengthening the core muscles (the abdomen, back and pelvic girdle) through smooth, continuous motion and powerful, muscular breath. The focus is on quality of movement rather than quantity of repetitions, which helps to train the body more efficiently and effectively, leaving you feeling invigorated and energized after your practice.
Megan says that since moving to South Uptown, business is better than ever. "The enthusiasm and energy that our neighbors bring with them to the studio is inspiring. We have the best jobs ever—working with fascinating, curious, dynamic people surrounded by lakes, trees, and community. As much as I love New York, this special, unique studio never could have happened there.”
Interested in more information? Check out their website at https://www.pilates-underground.com/
Brand new and experienced students are always welcome at Pilates Underground, where they celebrate diversity, one body at a time.
Did you know you can get your very own South Uptown baseball cap and t-shirt? The caps come in two colors and there are a variety of t-shirt options available. All items are $15, and we accept cash, checks made out to “South Uptown” and PayPal. Check out this order form for more info: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/125mT3GutPC9LGx-Au4ptgNkdeaMjMdPcYeao51Rrfks/edit#responses
Saturday, November 12, 10:00AM- 12:00PM
Lake & Bryant Cafe - 821 W. Lake St.
South Uptown President, Katy Briggs, will be setting aside "office hours" each month to meet with neighbors. Stop by anytime that morning to chat about the neighborhood, your concerns and ideas to improve the South Uptown area. This is a good opportunity to connect with South Uptown Neighborhood Association leadership in an informal and semi-private setting…
Give to the Max Today to Support the South Uptown Neighborhood Association!
Early giving has begun for the Give to the Max Day fundraiser on Thursday, November 17. Please consider contributing $25, $50 or more to the South Uptown Neighborhood Association to support our work. We hope to raise $5,000 through the fundraiser to partially make up for loss of funding from the City of Minneapolis.
Donate here https://www.givemn.org/organization/South-Uptown-Neighborhood-Association/welcome
Plus, KRC Apartments has generously contributed a $500 matching grant to double the impact of your donation…
The only way our neighborhood will recover and heal from the challenges of the last few years is by coming together. So, South Uptown will invest funds raised during Give to the Max Day in community-building initiatives like SUNA’s Luminary Skating Party event, public safety projects, Bryant Square Park, home improvement loans and more.
Thanks for your neighborhood support!
South Uptown President Office Hours
Sat, November 12, 10AM- 12PM
Lake & Bryant Cafe 821 W. Lake St.
South Uptown President, Katy Briggs, will be setting aside "office hours" each month to meet with neighbors. Stop by anytime that morning to chat about the neighborhood, your concerns and ideas to improve the South Uptown area. This is a good opportunity to connect with South Uptown Neighborhood Association leadership in an informal and semi-private setting…
Minneapolis Public Works started fall street sweeping this week, and it will continue for about four more weeks. Crews will sweep more than 1,100 miles of Minneapolis streets from curb to curb keeping debris out of waterways. Watch for “No Parking” signs on your block that go up at least 24 hours prior to street sweeping. Parking restrictions run from 7:30AM- 4:30PM with signs coming down soon after sweeping is complete. Cars that are out of compliance will be ticketed and towed to the Minneapolis Impound Lot, so watch carefully for the signs.
Check out the City’s Street Sweeping Locater Map to determine which week your street will be swept. https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/parking-driving/street-sweep/street-sweep-map/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=
The South Uptown Board of Directors met this week and selected officers for the organization. Katy Briggs is the new President and Scott Moss has taken on the role of Vice President. Newly-elected Board Members will fill other leadership roles. Gretchen Sieger is the Secretary, Joel Chechik is the Treasurer and Rachel Starcher is the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion officer. Attend the next South Uptown Neighborhood Meeting on October 18 to meet the new Board.
South Uptown Fall Clean Up
Saturday, October 8, 10AM- Noon
Bryant Square Park- 3101 Bryant Ave S.
Come out to help your neighbors pick up litter around the community ensuring it doesn’t end up in our lakes and rivers. Stop by the park anytime that morning to pick up gloves and trash bags and get an assigned area to pick up trash. This is an easy way to make a difference and the more people involved the bigger impact we have. Bring your friends and family for a morning of community service!!
The South Uptown Board election has ended and the results are in… Welcome to the following new Board Members:
Jerome Chateau
Joel Chechik
Jenna Egan
Phil Qualy
Gretchen Sieger
Rachel Starcher
They will be joining Board Members Katy Briggs, Hannah Friel and Scott Moss who are finishing out the remainder of their 2-year terms. The new Board will meet in the coming weeks to select officers for the upcoming year and get acquainted.
Jerome Chateau
Joel Chechik
Jenna Egan
Phil Qualy
Gretchen Sieger
Rachel Starcher
Our Mission
Improve the well-being of the South Uptown neighborhood by fostering a safe, equitable and connected community.