MINNEAPOLIS — The City of Minneapolis is picking up the pace with its plans to knock down the old K-Mart on Lake street and re-open that portion of Nicollet avenue.
At the end of a Saturday morning press conference, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey symbolically did what city leaders have wanted to for decades -- taking a sledgehammer to the old K-Mart building on Lake Street.
Built in the late-1970s, the city -- at K-Mart's request -- closed down Nicollet Avenue to make space for the retailer and an enormous parking lot.
"I don't think we should spend time questioning what is now viewed as one of the worst urban planning decisions ever made," said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
In early 2020, Minneapolis purchased K-Mart's lease for $9.1 million dollars, which came after a protracted effort to buy the needed land on the 10-acre site.
"It took a good amount of time for us to acquire piece after piece – and that requires incredible work by staff to come in and negotiate with people who have the upper hand," said city council member Lisa Goodman.
"This K-Mart is coming down and Nicollet is opening back up!" Frey said.
After K-Mart closed, the city leased the building to the US Postal Service. It's been vacant since the USPS moved out.
These re-development plans have been in the works but are now fast-tracked after a fire this month following the closure of a homeless encampment. The fire investigation has been closed and ruled inconclusive.
"This is going to transform the entirety of South Minneapolis," said city council president Andrea Jenkins.
The Minneapolis City Council will likely take the required steps this week to get the demolition started in early November. And before long -- residents can begin to envision what the future might look like at the spot where Nicollet avenue currently stops.
2025 is the year city leaders hope Nicollet Avenue will be reconstructed. And they say there will be a lot of public engagement surrounding it leading up to that point. Already, people can weigh in on the city's website.
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