MINNEAPOLIS — More than four years after it burned in riots after George Floyd's murder, we're getting a better idea of what the community that lives near the third Minneapolis Police Precinct wants to see in that space.
The city, the mayor, and different community groups have all wanted a say in what will move into that building. Some community groups would like to see a memorial or museum that explains the history of what happened at this site. Other ideas include the community taking over the site to provide various services to residents who need help.
However, on Tuesday city leaders reaffirmed their own plan for the site.
"It's time for our city to move forward,” Mayor Jacob Frey said.
The mayor and the city's plan for the building is to turn the site into a democracy center that would house the city's Elections and Voter Services (EVS) Department. Frey said the EVS department is currently spread out across multiple sites, with the main site leased by the city.
"We own a building. Let's use it,” Frey said. “The alternative would be to buy a building when we already own an existing building that works exceedingly well for this purpose.”
This new democracy center would house various election officials and employees who facilitate elections. City leaders say the site would be used to store voting machines and other equipment and would also provide a space for training more than 2,000 election judges who manage polling locations across the city.
City leaders say the site would also include more than 8,000 square feet of community space in the main level of the building.
The city's Chief Operations Officer Margaret Anderson Kelliher said the city is open to proposals for how that community space could be used.
"Maybe a provider on addiction services? Or housing and addiction services? We are open to ideas, and we want to hear more about what community members would like to see in that space,” Kelliher said.
This summer the city surveyed more than 1,100 residents to get their thoughts on this plan. About 63% of respondents said they support or somewhat support the city’s plan. That number was even higher, 70%, among residents who live near the Third Precinct. The survey results also show 53% of the Black and African American respondents support the city’s plan.
Another question in the survey asked residents how they felt the community space should be used on the building’s main level. Sixty percent of respondents support the idea of using the space to provide social services. Sixty percent support the creation of a community space where community members can gather for events. Thirty-five percent support the creation of a cultural center. Thirty-one percent support business/commercial space. Twenty-eight percent support the creation of a museum/memorial.
The city presented these results to the city council Tuesday afternoon. Some of the council members criticized how the survey was carried out.
"I think there's definitely places of disagreement in terms of approach and if community voices were truly represented here,” council member Aurin Chowdhury said during the meeting.
Many of the council members also questioned why the city isn't further along with the renovations of the building.=
"Extremely frustrated with the concrete barriers still being around the property along with the razor wire,” council member Robin Wonsley said during the meeting.
Kelliher responded to Wonsley’s question by explaining how work is being done inside the building that the public can't see, which includes securing doors and windows that were damaged during the riots four years ago, and smoke remediation.
Though many council members have different ideas for this space, city leaders say they have the funding to move forward with the next step of their plan, and they're hoping the council will support them later down the road.
"We will need future votes of the council at some point,” Kelliher said.
"This is the right move. We are moving forward right now,” Mayor Frey said.
City leaders say the next step of their plan is to finish the renovations inside the Third Police Precinct building and to hire an architectural firm to create designs for the space.
Kelliher said the city will also create a Request for Proposals (RFP) where community groups and companies can submit their ideas for the community space on the main floor of the building.
Kelliher said the city has the funding in place to pay for these first few steps of their plan, but the city will need approval from the city council later in the process.
City leaders say they would like to move the Elections and Voter Services department into the new building by the year 2028, because the lease for one of the department’s current buildings will expire in 2029.