Posts Tagged ‘Roof Depot’
Promises Broken: Minneapolis Advances Plans to Demolish Roof Depot
Urban Farm supporters testify from the floor of an adjourned City Council meeting on September 22, 2022. Only a handful of council members stayed to listen to community members, including CMs Chavez, Johnson, and Wonsley. Photo: Steve Sandberg By STEVE SANDBERG In a 7-4 vote on September 22, the Minneapolis City Council voted to move forward with its request for proposals (RFP) process to select a vendor to demolish the Roof Depot building. Voting 7 in favor, 4 against, 1 abstention, one absent. In favor: Vetaw, Osman, Jenkins, Palmisano, Goodman, Rainville and Koski. Against: Chavez, Wonsley, Payne and Chugtai. Abstained: Johnson. Absent: Ellison. East Phillips residents and urban farm supporters were denied permission to speak at two previous Council meetings concerning requests for proposals (RFP) for the contracted demolition of the Roof Depot. This despite the mayor’s repeated promises dating back to July to schedule a meeting with the city’s environmental consultant [...]
New Direction for East Phillips Urban Farm Derailed by Mayor Frey’s Veto
Update: On March 24, the Minneapolis City Council upheld Mayor Frey's veto of CM Chavez' motion by a vote of 7-6. At the March 24 City Council meeting, CM Chavez said he hoped to bring a new motion forward at the next full council meeting on April 7. Look for an update on that in the May issue of the alley. By Lindsey Fenner At the March 10 City Council meeting, new Ward 9 Councilmember Jason Chavez put forward a motion that rescinded the council action last fall that gave a green light to the expansion of the Public Works facility at 1901 E 26th Street. Chavez’ motion gave the East Phillips Urban Farm project a new way forward on that parcel. It also explicitly included the public works training facility that had been left out of the last council action, stopped demolition of the former Roof Depot Building, instructed city staff to find funding options to repay the Water Fund, and required community stakeholders to make formal proposals for redevelopment of that [...]
New Council Brings New Hope for Environmental Justice in East Phillips
By STEVE SANDBERG East Phillips Cultural Center gymnasium gathering, where community members gathered on Saturday, December 18th to lift up their ongoing work to bring community-led development to the Roof Depot site. As Minneapolis residents waited to see what change would result from the November 2021 election, 75 to 100 community members gathered on Saturday, December 18th at the East Phillips Cultural Center gymnasium to lift up their ongoing work to bring community led development to the 7.6 acre Roof Depot site in the East Phillips neighborhood. Led by EPNI staffer Joe Vital, the meeting highlighted EPNI’s work to save the 230,000 square foot Roof Depot building for aquaponic farming, affordable housing, solar development, and a youth-led coffee shop, event center, and bicycle repair and assembly facility. Local BIPOC businesses displaced in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd are also supporting this community led effort. The meeting featured appearances of [...]
