MINNEAPOLIS — Editor's note: The video above first aired on May 25, 2021.
An iconic building damaged in the civil unrest that followed the murder of George Floyd will soon find new life, thanks to a $28 million development project designed to provide long-term affordability and support for primarily Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) business owners.
The historic Coliseum building will soon be transformed into a community business hub through an effort led by Redesign Inc, and will be co-owned by Alicia Belton of Urban Design Perspective; Janice Dowling of CommonSense Consulting@work; and Montana of DuNord Social Spirits.
The three Black business owners will be anchor tenants in the building, with Belton and Downing owning and operating a shared office space and event center for black creatives called SHAKE Community, and Montana opening a new bar-restaurant.
Top Twin Cities’ top BIPOC artists and poets will help revitalize the exterior of the 85,000-square-foot building with innovative designs and poetic messages of resilience to infuse the Longfellow neighborhood with new life and hope.
“This initiative marks a significant step towards fostering a more inclusive and diverse business landscape in Minneapolis,” said DuNord's Montana in a released statement. “I am honored and excited to be part of a project that will accelerate economic recovery in a community hit hardest by the pandemic and civil unrest.”
Before the unrest that devastated The Coliseum and other structures along Lake Street, 12 small businesses and non-profit organizations called the building home. Many have been displaced since, and organizers of this project hope it will help to find affordable rental space and opportunities within the community.
"This project will create a dynamic space that not only preserves the building’s historical charm but also meets the needs of today's residents and businesses," said Belton.
Construction is expected to take a year, with The Coliseum scheduled to reopen in March of 2024.
Applications for space and resources will be opened to eligible BIPOC business owners this Spring.
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