๐Ÿšถโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿšฒ South Uptown Signs Onto โ€œLivable Lyndaleโ€ Letter ๐ŸŒณ

The South Uptown Neighborhood Association has signed onto the Livable Lyndale letter, joining other community groups in voicing concern about Hennepin Countyโ€™s proposed design for Lyndale Avenue (Franklin Ave to W. 31st St.), scheduled for reconstruction in 2027.

While the Countyโ€™s plan includes a 12-foot shared-use trail along the east side of the corridor, this design would force people walking and biking to share the same space โ€” creating safety risks โš ๏ธ and an uncomfortable environment for everyone.

Livable Lyndale, a campaign by Move MN, advocates for a street that truly works for all users โ€” whether you walk ๐Ÿšถ, bike ๐Ÿšด, take transit ๐ŸšŒ, or drive ๐Ÿš—.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Read the full letter and learn more about the campaign here: https://www.movemn.org/action/lyndale-municipal-consent/?gf_protect_submission=1#main

๐Ÿ“š Host a Little Free Library this Winter! โ„๏ธ

Love books and community? South Uptown is looking for neighbors to host one of our two Little Free Libraries this winter! Starting around November 1, the libraries will move to new homes and stay in place until spring. ๐ŸŒณโœจ

Hosting is easy and fun โ€” just keep an eye on the library to make sure it stays in good shape and full of books. Our volunteers will help you find the perfect spot and get it set up in your yard or boulevard. ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ“–

Interested? Email us at info@southuptown.org to learn more and spread the love of reading! โค๏ธ #SouthUptown #LittleFreeLibrary #CommunityLove #ReadLocal

๐Ÿซถ Bystander Intervention Training โ€“ Thursday, October 16, 7PM ๐Ÿ’ช

Learn how to stand up for one another with courage and compassion! ๐ŸŒˆ
Right to Be has empowered thousands nationwide to build safer, more inclusive communities โ€” now itโ€™s your turn to join in. ๐Ÿ’ฌโœจ

This free training is facilitated by Right to Be and co-hosted by the Fulton, Linden Hills, South Uptown, and Tangletown neighborhood organizations.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Register and learn more:
๐Ÿ”— Bystander Intervention in Public Spaces Training

If youโ€™ve traveled along Aldrich Avenue recently, you may have noticed some new features aimed at slowing down traffic and improving safety. Last summer, Minneapolis Public Works installed speed humps on the 3100 and 3400 blocks of Aldrich, as well as a traffic circle at the intersection of 33rd & Aldrich.

These changes are part of the Cityโ€™s Vision Zero initiative, which works to prevent traffic injuries and deaths by deploying quick and cost-effective treatments to reduce speeding and improve safety for people walking, biking, rolling, and driving.

Residents across Minneapolis can request traffic calming treatments through the Cityโ€™s website here:https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/parking-driving/traffic-calming/. It remains something of a mystery how specific projects, like those on Aldrich, are selected. We assume factors such as high vehicle speeds and the occurrence of recent severe crashes played a role. The City announced this round of traffic calming last spring and hosted workshops to gather community input across Minneapolis.

South Uptown Neighborhood Association has requested additional details from Public Works but, so far, has not received a response. In the meantime, weโ€™ll continue advocating for more transparency in how these projects are prioritized and making sure South Uptown has a voice in future decisions.

โœจ๐Ÿ• South Uptown Happy Hour ๐Ÿทโ˜•

๐Ÿ“… Thursday, October 2
๐Ÿ•  5:30 โ€“ 7:00 PM
๐Ÿ“ Gigiโ€™s Cafรฉ โ€“ 824 W. 36th Street

We had such a great time at Gigiโ€™s last month that weโ€™re going back again for October (and November too)! ๐ŸŽ‰

The South Uptown Neighborhood Association will cover light appetizers (๐Ÿ• pizza, anyone?), while you can grab your own drink of choiceโ€”Gigiโ€™s has everything from coffee โ˜• and tea ๐Ÿต to beer ๐Ÿบ and wine ๐Ÿท.

Come hang out in a fun, low-pressure setting ๐Ÿ™Œ, meet new neighbors ๐Ÿค, and learn a little more about whatโ€™s happening in South Uptown ๐Ÿก.

We hope to see you there! ๐Ÿ’š

South Uptown Board Elections Update

Thank you to everyone who participated in this yearโ€™s Annual Celebration & Elections. Seven candidates originally filed to run for six open Board seats. However, one candidate has withdrawn from the election. This means that the six remaining candidates will fill the six open seats, and all are now considered elected members of the Board.

As a result, the online ballot has been closed. Congratulations to our new Board Members, and thank you to all who stepped up to serve our neighborhood!

Welcome to the six new South Uptown Board Members:

  • Brian Dvorak

  • Julia Goodhart

  • Greta Kurtz

  • Lauren McCarley

  • Katrina Michaels

  • Alec Shannon

Brian Dvorak

Brian Dvorak

Julia Goodhart

Greta Kurtz

Lauren McCarley

Katrina Michaels

Alec Shannon

๐Ÿ“Š South Uptown Neighborhood Survey Results Are In! ๐ŸŒณ๐Ÿก

At our Annual Celebration & Elections on September 16, we shared the results of the 2025 South Uptown Neighborhood Survey. Last summer, 217 neighbors took the time to share their thoughts ๐Ÿ’ฌ โ€” from neighborhood demographics to how folks are feeling about our community and what priorities matter most including public safety, health of the area business districts and building more ties with neighbors.

These results will help guide the work of the South Uptown Neighborhood Association and shape our upcoming Strategic Plan. ๐ŸŒŸ

๐Ÿ‘‰ Check out the full presentation here.

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped shape the future of South Uptown! ๐Ÿ’™

๐ŸŽ‰ South Uptown Annual Celebration & Elections

๐Ÿ“… Tuesday, September 16, 2025
๐Ÿ•ก 6:30 PM
๐Ÿ“ Bryant Square Park Rec Center, 3101 Bryant Ave S
๐Ÿ’ป Join the Celebration on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83114877320?pwd=WQpkZohnnYyjuoQhltk2lgSPXmyywC.1

Get ready for an evening of food, fun, and community spirit! ๐ŸŒŸ All South Uptown neighbors are invited to join us for our Annual Celebration & Elections.

Hereโ€™s what you can look forward to:
๐Ÿด Free Dinner from Caffreyโ€™s Deli & Subs
๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ Meet Board Candidates & Vote in the Board of Directors election
๐Ÿ“Š Neighborhood Survey Results โ€“ see what your neighbors had to say!
โœจ 2025 Highlights โ€“ a look back at what weโ€™ve accomplished together

This is the perfect chance to:
๐Ÿค Meet your neighbors
๐Ÿ˜๏ธ Learn about the work of the South Uptown Neighborhood Association
๐ŸŒฑ Discover ways to get involved in shaping our neighborhoodโ€™s futureWhether youโ€™ve lived here for years or just moved in, youโ€™re part of what makes South Uptown great โ€” and weโ€™d love to see you there! ๐Ÿ’™

๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ Voting Details

All South Uptown renters, homeowners, business owners, and property owners (18+) are eligible to vote for the Board of Directors.

๐Ÿ•– Online voting opens at 7PM on September 16 and closes at 7PM on September 17.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Vote here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDKOIqIxvjWQS211EqDVnPCXEBXahuypezc4f1COys8Bpgmw/closedform

๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ South Uptown Board of Directors Election

Weโ€™re excited to announce that seven neighbors have stepped forward as candidates for the South Uptown Board of Directors! ๐ŸŽ‰ Elections will take place in coordination with the South Uptown Annual Celebration & Elections on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at Bryant Square Park.

๐ŸŒŸ The event kicks off at 6:30PM with food, community, and a few quick housekeeping items. Around 7:00PM, weโ€™ll open the floor for in-person nominations before making the online ballot live.

๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ Candidates for the 2025โ€“2027 term:

Aaron Downing

Brian Dvorak

Julia Goodhart

Greta Kurtz

Lauren McCarley

Katrina Michaels

Alec Shannon

Once the ballot is live, neighbors will have until 7:00PM on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 to cast their votes online. Those elected will serve a 2-year term from October 1, 2025 โ€“ September 30, 2027.

๐Ÿ™ Thank you to all of our candidates for stepping forward to serve South Uptown with their time, skills, and energy!

๐Ÿ‘‰ Check out the Candidate Profile document here.
๐Ÿ‘‰ Cast your vote online here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDKOIqIxvjWQS211EqDVnPCXEBXahuypezc4f1COys8Bpgmw/closedform

Aaron Downing

Brian Dvorak

Julia Goodhart

Greta Kurtz

Lauren McCarly

Katrina Michaels

Alec Shannon

โœจ๐Ÿšง Have your voice heard on the future of Lyndale! ๐Ÿšง

Lyndale Avenue Reconstruction Project Open House

Wed, September 10, 2025, 4-6PM

Spring House Ministries- 610 W. 28th St.

Hennepin County Public Works has released plans for the reconstruction of Lyndale Avenue S. (between Franklin Ave. and W. 31st St.), set to begin in 2027. The roadway, utilities, signals, lights and sidewalks will be reconstructed during this multi-year project. Theyโ€™ll present the proposed designs and answer questions at the upcoming Open House. Come share your thoughts and hear from your neighbors about this major project.

Check out the project website here: https://beheardhennepin.org/lyndale-avenue

๐ŸŒ†๐Ÿท South Uptown Happy Hour is back! ๐ŸŽ‰

South Uptown Happy Hour

Thursday, September 4, 2025

5:30- 7:00PM

Gigiโ€™s Cafe- 824 W. 36th Street

Join us at 5:30PM at Gigiโ€™s Cafรฉ for our First Thursday tradition. We took a little summer break โ˜€๏ธ but weโ€™re kicking things off again at a new spot!

Itโ€™s a fun, low-key way to meet neighbors, make new friends, and learn whatโ€™s happening in South Uptown. ๐Ÿ’ฌ๐Ÿ‘‹

Bring your good vibes (and maybe a friend!)โ€”weโ€™d love to see you there. ๐Ÿ’›

๐ŸŒŸ Join the South Uptown Board of Directors! ๐ŸŒŸ

South Uptown Neighborhood Association is now seeking passionate and community-minded candidates for our Board of Directors! If youโ€™re a renter, homeowner, business owner, or property owner (18+) in South Uptown, youโ€™re automatically a memberโ€”and eligible to run!

Weโ€™re especially looking to amplify the voices of people of color and renters to better reflect our vibrant neighborhood. ๐Ÿ™Œ

Do you have skills in fundraising, social media, urban planning, event organizing, or nonprofit work? Weโ€™d love to have your expertise at the table!

Serving on the Board is a fun and rewarding way to get involved, build connections, and work together to make South Uptown even better. ๐Ÿ’š

๐Ÿ“… The Board election will take place as part of our South Uptown Annual Celebration on September 16โ€”mark your calendar!

๐Ÿ‘‰ Check out the Board application for more info and to apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeF-Qyr2mXbEMWOcAnomrbdUcChUiFdDLp09kJyJShCkCZM5Q/viewform?usp=header

๐Ÿ“šโœจ Our Little Free Libraries Have New Homes โœจ๐Ÿ“š

South Uptownโ€™s two Little Free Libraries have been on the move! ๐Ÿšš You can now find them at:
๐Ÿ“ 3208 Colfax Ave S
๐Ÿ“ 3333 Colfax Ave S

Theyโ€™ll be in these spots through the end of October before heading to new winter homes. Stop by, ๐Ÿ“– leave a book and ๐Ÿ“š take a book โ€” itโ€™s a fun way to share the love of reading with your neighbors! โค๏ธ

๐Ÿ’ก Weโ€™re looking for winter hosts! Starting in early November, you could be the proud caretaker of one of our libraries. Itโ€™s easy, fun, and a great way to connect with your community. Interested? Get in touch at info@southuptown.org! ๐Ÿ“จ 

๐ŸŒณ Fall City Tree Sale โ€“ Happening Now! ๐Ÿ

Low-cost trees are available through September 10 (or while supplies last)! Each property can purchase up to 3 trees from more than 20 beautiful evergreen and shade varieties. ๐ŸŒฒ๐ŸŒณ Planting a tree will beautify your yard, save energy, and boost your property value.

๐ŸŒฑ Tree Pickup Dates: September 26 & 27
๐Ÿ“ More details: Visit the Fall City Tree Sale website: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/environmental-programs/city-trees/sale-process/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=#d.en.191349

Donโ€™t miss your chance to green up your space this fall! ๐ŸŒฟ

๐ŸŽ‰ Your Voice, Your Neighborhood! ๐Ÿก๐Ÿ’ฌ

Help shape the future of South Uptown by taking a few minutes to fill out our neighborhood survey! ๐ŸŒฟโœจ Your feedback will help us set community priorities and focus the work of the South Uptown Neighborhood Association.

And โ€” you could win a $50 gift card! ๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ‰
Neighbors who fill out the survey will be entered into a random drawing for one of these awesome prizes:
๐Ÿ• Pizza Lucรฉ
๐ŸŽณ Bryant Lake Bowl
๐Ÿ• Wrecktangle Pizza

It only takes a few minutes, and your voice matters. ๐Ÿ™Œ

๐Ÿ“ Take the survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9dUt0jTb3xa2DQr6KXpHGcyWyOa8Rz9OOOgd8LUZZ_lHv2A/viewform?usp=header

Thank you for helping make South Uptown a great place to live, work, and visit! ๐Ÿ’›

Seven Points Redevelopment: Revised Plans Submitted

Doran Companies has submitted revised plans for the redevelopment of a portion of the Seven Points shopping center. The proposal calls for replacing the former CB2, Kitchen Window, and part of the existing structure with a new 5-story, 228-unit apartment building.

Unlike earlier concepts, the Hennepin Avenue frontage will now feature the buildingโ€™s lobby, mail room, and exercise facility, rather than commercial retail. This change follows a recent adjustment to the Cityโ€™s zoning code, which reduced the required amount of ground-level retail in new developments. The retail space within the remaining Seven Points structure will fulfill the projectโ€™s commercial space requirement.

The proposed apartment building is a c-shaped structure surrounding an interior courtyard and will front Hennepin Avenue, W. 31st Street, and Girard Avenue. Plans also call for upgrades to Girard Avenue, making it a more pedestrian-friendly street with limited vehicle access for loading.

The South Uptown Land Use & Transportation Committee just received these revised plans and will discuss them at their next meeting on Wednesday, July 2 at 7:00 PM at 3501 Aldrich Avenue S. The project is scheduled to go before the City Planning Commission on Monday, July 21 for review and approval.

Three related documents are posted to the South Uptown website for public review:

Project Narrative

Supplemental Narrative

Architectural Renderings

We encourage neighbors to review the materials and share feedback.

๐ŸŒธ Garden Tour Route Announced! ๐ŸŒฟ

Weโ€™re excited to share the route for this yearโ€™s South Uptown Garden Tour โ€” and youโ€™re invited to join us!

๐Ÿ“… Saturday, June 21 at 10:00 AM
Meet at: Gigiโ€™s Cafรฉ (824 W. 36th St.)

๐Ÿ“… Monday, June 23 at 6:30 PM
Meet at: 5 Watt Coffee (3350 Lyndale Ave S.)

This free walking tour is a wonderful way to explore beautiful neighborhood gardens, gather fresh ideas, trade gardening tips, and connect with neighbors.

Bonus: Join us for an afterparty on Monday night at the Hummingbird Building (3453 Hennepin Ave S.) with snacks and beverages.

๐ŸŒฆ๏ธ Visit the South Uptown website for any weather-related updates. Hope to see you there!