The City of Minneapolis is providing up to $7,500 to qualified buyers to cover down payment and closing costs when purchasing a home anywhere within Minneapolis city limits.
To qualify for this program, buyers must complete Homebuyer Education and meet the following income eligibility requirements:
Homebuyers with household income up to 115% of the area median income (currently $99,500) are eligible for up to $5,000
Homebuyers with household income up to 80% of the area median income (adjusted by family size) are eligible for up to $7,500
Mark your calendar and don’t miss this exciting presentation by our great partners from the University of Minnesota Urban and Regional Planning program.
We’ve been working through out the semester to bring together community input and historical and development data to create a cohesive tool for the community to use as we advocate for the future of the neighborhood.
This presentation and Q & A will be during the Community Development Committee at 6:30pm on May 11th at the Cleveland Neighborhood office, 3333 Penn Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55412
Join us for our “Green With Envy” Compost Bin Building and Community Garden visioning session on Sunday May 3rd at 4:30pm at the new Community Garden at Vincent and Lowry Ave N. We’ll work together to build some compost bins that will be used as part of our ‘Green with Envy’ pilot Community composting project (along with 10 other northside gardens overseen by Project Sweetie Pie). You’ll get your hands dirty learning how to build your own compost bins and we’ll talk about the garden, how to make yours thrive, and what we want the community Garden at Vincent and Lowry to look like this summer.
Volunteers of all ages are welcome, just come ready to get your hands dirty!
This rendering is based on community input in 2007 on potential Penn-Lowry Development Click to view the complete plan
This rendering is based on community input in 2007 on potential Penn-Lowry Development Click to view the complete plan
On Monday, residents (including you!) will be able to meet with Hennepin County staff to discuss the soon to be released Request for Proposal for the development of the Northwest and Northeast corners of the Penn and Lowry intersection. Through their meetings with residents and business owners, they’ve put together the following Vision Statement to reflect community input and priorities for any development that would happen on those corners. Some of the input used is from a 2007 plan put together through resident input for that intersection (see image to the right). You can view that plan here. Take a look and decide whether this reflects your input and priorities and leave a comment below, email us or call us at the CNA office 612-588-1155, and make sure your input is heard and this Vision Statement truly reflects all voices. Better yet, come out on Monday to the Community Development Committee at 6:30pm at CNA, 3333 Penn Ave N.
Summary Vision Statement from the Document:
The Lowry/Penn vision is a multi-story, mixed-use building(s) that is visually compatible with the neighborhood and supports transit ridership. The community vision includes an opening or clear connection to Cleveland Park in the northwest quadrant of the intersection.
Complete Vision Statement Document:
A Community Vision for the Northwest and Northeast Quadrants of the Lowry and Penn Avenues Intersection
The community vision described here expresses the land use and character that is desired for the county owned property in the northeast and northwest quadrant of this intersection. The vision is compatible with the transformative changes of recent years which include the reconstruction of the Lowry Avenue roadway in 2009 and the construction of the multi-story development in the southeast quadrant of the intersection. The new development is occupied by an Aldi grocery store, the Dollar Store, office space, Subway, and All Washed Up laundry mat and balances well with the existing businesses across the street–Northend Hardware, Ancestry Books, and Lowry café.
To further transform the intersection, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) C-Line is proposed to begin service in 2017. The C Line, is Metro Transit’s arterial bus rapid transit regional system connecting Brooklyn Center, North Minneapolis and downtown Minneapolis via Penn Avenue. The C Line will provide faster transit service with off-board fare payment, raised platforms, and transit signal priority. The permanent BRT stations planned for the northeast and northwest quadrants of the intersection will have a heated shelters, lighting, ticket machines, real time information and enhanced security similar to a light rail station platform.
Community services at this location include Cleveland Park, Lucy Craft Laney School, and the United States Post Office. This area has convenient access to Interstates 94 and 394, plus Highway 55, all major highways in the Minneapolis-St Paul area. It offers a diverse place to live with a rich history and a range of housing options including beautiful older homes, stately homes on boulevards, and newly constructed green homes and apartments. This area is also within close proximity to North Memorial Hospital, the Mississippi River, downtown Minneapolis, and the Grand Round National Scenic Byway.
The Vision
This community vision for the Lowry and Penn intersection seeks to express the land use and character of development that is desired for the northeast and northwest quadrants of the intersection. The vision is a synthesis of prior planning efforts for the intersection to identify community priorities and should be used to provide guidance. It is not intended to be an absolute requirement for developers to meet.
The Lowry/Penn vision is a multi-story, mixed-use building(s) that is visually compatible with the neighborhood and supports transit ridership. The community vision includes an opening or clear connection to Cleveland Park in the northwest quadrant of the intersection.
To carry out the vision for the Lowry/Penn intersection, the following key objectives were developed to embody neighborhood compatibility, support transit ridership and implement the goals of the Lowry Avenue Strategic Plan and The Minneapolis Plan for Sustainable Growth.
Carrying out the Vision: Key Objectives
Implement the goals of the Lowry Avenue Strategic Plan and The Minneapolis Plan for Sustainable Growth (the comprehensive plan)
The Penn-Lowry intersection is designated in the Minneapolis Plan for Sustainable Growth as a Neighborhood Commercial Node that supports medium to high-density residential and mixed-use with neighborhood serving retail uses.
The Lowry Avenue Strategic Plan recommends consolidating commercial activity on Lowry Avenue at the Penn-Lowry and Emerson/Fremont intersections.
The development goals and objectives of this vision statement are intended to complement, enhance, or exceed the development objectives in Chapter 2 of the Lowry Avenue Strategic Plan, the applicable policies of The Minneapolis Plan for Sustainable Growth, and the design standards in the Minneapolis zoning code.
Embody Neighborhood Compatible Site and Building Design
The site and buildings should be designed to be blend in with the surrounding neighborhood. Maintaining architectural compatibility with the surrounding area does not mean replicating what already exists. The project should be designed to contribute to the character of the neighborhoods and to avoid negative impacts to surrounding properties. The result should be a rich variety of architecture and landscaping that share qualities common to the neighborhood.
Study building placement’s ability to connect Cleveland Park with the Lowry/Penn intersection while remaining at the corner of Lowry/Penn intersection.
Improve the linkage to the post office. The post office at Lowry and Queen is a community service and currently disconnected from the Lowry and Penn intersection.
Study relocating the Liquor Store or bringing it closer to the Penn-Lowry corner. Bringing it to the intersection will reduce the distance between anchor businesses at this intersection and provide opportunity for a better buffer between the store and nearby housing.
Building scale adjustments and design elements should be utilized to make the transition from new multi-story development to existing single family homes.
Synchronize landscaping with the adjacent Lowry Avenue streetscape.
Building architecture and materials that blend the historic character of the avenue.
Avoid long, uninterrupted wall planes. Stagger setbacks with respect to adjacent properties to avoid an undesirable tunnel effect. Articulate side wall planes to create variety and reduce perceived scale.
Window placement that encourages “eyes on the street”.
Incorporate appropriate architectural features, such as ornamentation and changes in color or material to add interest for the pedestrian.
Support Transit Ridership
The Lowry and Penn intersection has the seventh highest transit ridership in the metropolitan area demonstrating that transit is a transportation choice for many people who live near and frequent the Lowry and Penn node. This intersection is currently served by high-frequency bus service (the #19 bus) and will soon be served by the C-Line, an arterial bus-rapid transit (BRT) line. This will increase the amount of bus trips through this area per day, and will also make it more convenient for people from outside the area to come here as a destination. BRT station stops are planned for the northeast and northwest quadrants of the intersection. It is important that any new development at this intersection consider the following features to support transit ridership.
Adequate setback of the building from the sidewalk to allow for queueing space.
Building window placement that provides easy viewing of the stop.
Because buildings are climate controlled and bus stops are not, consider incorporating the transit stop into the development.
Plan for Maintenance. All transit riders are also pedestrians. Sidewalks are well maintained, snow and ice is removed regularly.
Have you ever wanted to take a more active role in your community but weren’t sure how? Our community truly thrives when residents lead the way in building a strong and connected community. Join us for our Connector Academy focused on leadership training starting in April with a workshop around neighborhood history, organizing and power. This is the first of what we hope will be a series of workshops made available throughout the year for residents to grow in their knowledge, skills and abilities to serve their community and beyond. The workshop will take place at the Cleveland Neighborhood Association and be led by staff and residents. We have a limited amount of space for this event, so please contact us today if you are interested.
April 25th, 12-4pm at the Cleveland Neighborhood Association, 3333 Penn Ave N.
[button link=”http://connect.clevelandneighborhood.org/connector_academy_apr_2015″ type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] RSVP for the Connector Academy[/button]
The former Fire Station #14 located at 33rd and James Avenue North has been vacant since 2006 when a new station was constructed on Lowry Avenue. The City of Minneapolis has received two proposals for redevelopment of the fire station and is hosting an information session for community residents to here from the two groups and give input on the future of the site.
Come out Thursday, March 26th to the North Regional Library from 6:30-8pm for the presentations and to give your input on this potential community investment.
[button link=”https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-forum-former-fire-station-14-redevelopment-tickets-16149843617″ type=”big”] RSVP for Event[/button]
More information about the project can be found here.
Metro Blooms just scheduled a free raingarden workshop in the Heritage Park Community Room on Wednesday, June 10th from 6-9pm just south of Cleveland. We have additional workshops scheduled throughout the city as well if residents are interested in a different date/location. At the workshop residents will learn about pollinator plants and raingardens and then have time to meet 1:1 with a Landscape Designer and Master Gardener to discuss their own property. Residents can register for a workshop at metroblooms.org
Learn more about why Planting for Pollinators is important…
In a world without bees, your next plate of food would have considerably less variety. By some estimates, one of every three bites of food we take depends on pollinators like bees. Pollinators are the small creatures—among them bees, butterflies and hummingbirds—that carry pollen from plant to plant as they forage, unknowingly performing an important step in the production of fruits and seeds.
In recent years, we have observed severe declines in various pollinator populations. Honey bees are a key example. According to the USDA, beekeepers lost an average of one-third of their colonies every winter from 2006 to 2011. In the last couple of decades, the monarch butterfly population has declined 90 percent in North America.
This is worrisome. Consider the following: more than 80 percent of plants depend on pollinators for survival. In this country alone, bees and other insect pollinators contribute more than $24 billion a year to the economy.
Why are pollinators disappearing? A leading cause is lost habitat. Quite simply, many pollinators no longer have the food and other resources they need to survive. They are also vulnerable to pesticides, in ways that are currently being studied.
While this problem exists globally, we can act on a personal level to help solve the problem. Our gardening practices can create urban habitats that attract and sustain pollinators. Choosing native plants is a step in the right direction: pollinators and plants that evolved in the same areas generally benefit one another. For example, milkweed attracts bees and butterflies. To reproduce, monarch butterflies actually need milkweed because it is the only plant their caterpillars eat. Practices on this scale can establish pollinators in our own backyards.
Which brings us to raingardens, one of our favorite topics. Metro Blooms teaches people how to plant raingardens as part of our mission to promote gardening, beautify the community, and help heal the environment. These shallow depressions, planted with native vegetation, allow stormwater to be cleaned naturally as it soaks into the ground, diverting polluted runoff from our waterways.
Creating raingardens that are also habitats for native pollinators is, quite simply, smart design. The raingardens help clean and preserve natural bodies of water and function as habitats for bees, butterflies, and other insects and small animals that pollinate. In turn, the pollinators, just by doing what they do, help the raingardens thrive so they can work efficiently to clean our water.
Learn more at one of our eco-friendly raingarden workshops. This year we will offer lots of information on designing raingardens for pollinators: metroblooms.org/workshops.php
By Aleli Balagtas
Aleli Balagtas is a freelance writer interested in gardening ecologically.
We are excited to be expanding Tiny Fields in Cleveland this year to up to 12 spots! The Tiny Fields Project distributes boulevard vegetable garden kits to Cleveland Neighborhood residents on a pay-what-you-can model with a maximum cost of $30 to start a new tiny field. Each kit includes enough seed and seedlings to plant a boulevard or alley with a variety of vegetables, a guide to vegetable gardening, and help to till and install new beds. Families participating then follow along using social media and learn throughout the season. Learn more at the Tiny Fields website or Apply Today!
-From Kelly Maloney, Volunteer Tiny Fields Coordinator
Join us for a discussion regarding the future of Penn Avenue. On December 8th 6:30pm at CNA, for our December Community Development Committee meeting, we’ll be talking with staff from Hennepin County about what the Avenue might look like and how it will change in the next 10-15 years. We’ll discuss what the landscape looks like, Buses, parking, biking and what businesses we want along the corridor. Hennepin County staff will provide a presentation on the current options being considered and you’ll have a chance to ask questions and give feedback. RSVP on Facebook! or Here!
At CNA, we believe that regardless of whether you are a renter or a homeowner you are a valuable member of our community and we want to do our best to serve you well. In the next few weeks, we will be door-knocking specifically reaching out to renters to see if they have needed repairs, issues with their landlords or other concerns. We hope to be able to connect tenants with the resources they need to have their concerns addressed and we’ll reach out to landlords as well to ensure and encourage them to see their investment as a chance to build up our community. So if we stop by your place, let us help you out. Because why live with a leaky roof or a broken oven when you don’t have to?
On October 8th from 6-7:30pm at the CNA offices at 3333 Penn Avenue N, we’ll be holding a Cleveland Renter Community meeting. This is a good chance for you to come and have dinner and share your thoughts on what we can do to improve the neighborhood specifically as it relates to your concerns as a renter. This event is open to all residents but is specifically for renters in the Cleveland Neighborhood. Please RSVP by calling or texting ‘Rent’ to 612-567-1262. We hope to see you on October 8th!
g up to $7,500 to qualified buyers to cover down payment and closing costs when purchasing a home anywhere within Minneapolis city limits.
Mark your calendar and don’t miss this exciting presentation by our great partners from the University of Minnesota Urban and Regional Planning program.
Join us for our “Green With Envy” Compost Bin Building and Community Garden visioning session on Sunday May 3rd at 4:30pm at the new Community Garden at Vincent and Lowry Ave N. We’ll work together to build some compost bins that will be used as part of our ‘Green with Envy’ pilot Community composting project (along with 10 other northside gardens overseen by Project Sweetie Pie). You’ll get your hands dirty learning how to build your own compost bins and we’ll talk about the garden, how to make yours thrive, and what we want the community Garden at Vincent and Lowry to look like this summer.
Have you ever wanted to take a more active role in your community but weren’t sure how? Our community truly thrives when residents lead the way in building a strong and connected community. Join us for our Connector Academy focused on leadership training starting in April with a workshop around neighborhood history, organizing and power. This is the first of what we hope will be a series of workshops made available throughout the year for residents to grow in their knowledge, skills and abilities to serve their community and beyond. The workshop will take place at the Cleveland Neighborhood Association and be led by staff and residents. We have a limited amount of space for this event, so please contact us today if you are interested.
The former Fire Station #14 located at 33rd and James Avenue North has been vacant since 2006 when a new station was constructed on Lowry Avenue. The City of Minneapolis has received two proposals for redevelopment of the fire station and is hosting an information session for community residents to here from the two groups and give input on the future of the site.
Metro Blooms just scheduled a free raingarden workshop in the Heritage Park Community Room on 
We are excited to be expanding Tiny Fields in Cleveland this year to up to 12 spots! The Tiny Fields Project distributes boulevard vegetable garden kits to Cleveland Neighborhood residents on a pay-what-you-can model with a maximum cost of $30 to start a new tiny field. Each kit includes enough seed and seedlings to plant a boulevard or alley with a variety of vegetables, a guide to vegetable gardening, and help to till and install new beds. Families participating then follow along using social media and learn throughout the season. Learn more at the 
At CNA, we believe that regardless of whether you are a renter or a homeowner you are a valuable member of our community and we want to do our best to serve you well. In the next few weeks, we will be door-knocking specifically reaching out to renters to see if they have needed repairs, issues with their landlords or other concerns. We hope to be able to connect tenants with the resources they need to have their concerns addressed and we’ll reach out to landlords as well to ensure and encourage them to see their investment as a chance to build up our community. So if we stop by your place, let us help you out. Because why live with a leaky roof or a broken oven when you don’t have to?