How Can North Minneapolis Turn Around? (Duluth, Crystal: foreclose, rental, condo)

[west336]

I think for me I'd avoid moving to the Northside because I don't want to be even remotely close to any kind of drug, gang or violent activity. Having a nice home in close proximity to a rougher area seems like a break-in waiting to happen. Probably misperception on my part, but it's a natural instinct to just not chance perceived danger.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by west336

I think for me I'd avoid moving to the Northside because I don't want to be even remotely close to any kind of drug, gang or violent activity. Having a nice home in close proximity to a rougher area seems like a break-in waiting to happen. Probably misperception on my part, but it's a natural instinct to just not chance perceived danger.

If I may ask, what part of Minneapolis do you live in?

[west336]

Near Southdale (not Mpls)

[Duk123]

Originally Posted by west336

Near Southdale (not Mpls)

Shots Fired at Shopping Mall in Edina (http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Southdale_Shooting - broken link)

Good thing that you're far away from that gang activity and violence.

An yes I realize that this is just one incident compared to the many that happen in north. But my point is that unless you live on a island in the Boundry Waters you are going to be near drugs, violence and gang activity.

Also as much as the local media overhyped what happened at southdale they overhype the violence in north. "if it bleeds it leads"

[west336]

Wow -- that is a reach!

Well if gang activity in Edina increases I'll get the F out of there too. Pull out a map, identify where the highest concentration of violent activity is, and move there or near there. There's probably better than a 95% chance nothing bad will ever happen, but why would you even take the risk if you have other options?

[uptown_urbanist]

Let's keep it civil, on topic, and not get distracted about where specifically people do or do not live.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Fair enough, I agree. Let's steer this conversation back to the OP regarding North Minneapolis.

[DrpepperPHD]

So basically so far. More owner occupied homes and community involvement.
Correct?

[City eYes]

It needs attractions. We need people with disposable incomes to spend money here. What are they willing to come into the northside for?

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by City eYes

It needs attractions. We need people with disposable incomes to spend money here. What are they willing to come into the northside for?

I agree but am unsure specifically if you're referring to the need for persons with disposable incomes coming in to live on the northside or persons w/disposable incomes coming to visit a business/attraction (or both)? There are people with disposable income here- when I look at persons that purchased around us, like us, for many of them it wasn't that they couldn't afford to buy in other areas of town (or that they couldn't conversely find a number of other cheaper areas to buy)- our area just presented a nice quiet little 'island' in the city with a ton of active, community-minded, progressive people living in great older homes. Most, like us, similarly didn't want to be a slave to their mortgage for decades- judging by facebook status updates (and how much our neighbors ask us to keep an eye on their house and vice-versa), our group of friends here in the neighborhood are taking trips both local and abroad on a much more regular basis than our friends living in other areas.

I think more persons that can afford to live in other areas are moving to the northside as of late, and/or persons that don't have as much income at time of purchase but are very upwardly mobile are buying starter homes here- here the question is how long these young people/families will decide or continue to stay. I think these are healthy trends that make the n'hoods more diverse on several points, and may help to spur local business into the area.. e.g. if persons are looking at potential business ventures up here, they shouldn't underestimate the fact that there are a significant number of persons in the area that are easily able to afford their mortgages.

And yes, I totally agree that the northside as a whole needs more 'attractions' in the area, ones that will bring outsiders w/disposable incomes here. There are a few already, however, which deserve to be noted:

Parks:
Theodore Wirth Park (largest/most amenity-filled park in the city)- kind of isolated from any local business, however.
Victory Memorial Pkwy (lesser extent than Theo Wirth, but brings relatives of persons who are memorialized to the area and other history buffs).
North Mississippi Regional Park (this one brings people, but the extent to which those people cross over 94 to spend time or money on the northside is unknown).

Arts:
Homewood Studios, Workhouse Theatre Co, The Warren, couple of dance studios, a few architecture firms, there are others that i know i'm forgetting here....(willard homewood is now being called 'the artists' core').

Businesses:
outside of businesses in more industrial areas east of washington ave, some businesses that bring outsiders w/disp. incomes into the area include (to name a few) Victory 44, Donny Dirk's Zombie Den, Papa's, Gilded Salvage, and several service-oriented businesses and nonprofits.

As a whole, however, the Northside needs to really work to spur local business growth so that areas become more viable, walkable, and see economic growth- I know of a few major developers and several nonprofits/neighborhood orgs that are actively working very hard on this very thing (and have seen some strong initial successes). In addition to taking care of vacant/foreclosed home situations found in a number of the North n'hoods, the growth of quality local businesses will bring more persons that want to live here and ideally persons wanting to bring their dollars here as well- things are getting better in this area but much work yet to be done.