Cedar Riverside approves phase one NRP plan

Remaining $1.6 million will bolster housing, other neighborhood initiatives

By Anna Pratt (December, 2007)

Originally published in The Bridge

CEDAR RIVERSIDE—While other Minneapolis neighborhoods are puzzling over how to spend dwindling funds from their second — and possibly last — phase of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP), Cedar-Riverside is celebrating the NRP of yesteryear with the passing of its phase one plan. With the Oct. 17 neighborhood vote, Cedar-Riverside became the last Minneapolis neighborhood to approve a phase one action plan, which, if approved by the NRP Policy Board and City Council, will allocate millions of dollars — in contrast to phase two amounts in the hundreds of thousands of dollars — to community projects and strategies.

The Cedar-Riverside plan includes nearly $1.6 million remaining in phase one funds; the neighborhood has already spent nearly $2 million between 1998 and 2006 through “early access requests” and planning money allocated through the “NRP First Step” policy, but the formal NRP process had been suspended until the West Bank Community Coalition (WBCC) restarted the planning process three years ago.

NRP is a tax-increment funding mechanism for the city’s neighborhood groups that operate as a part of its community engagement infrastructure. While NRP phase two funding has been in flux, and the overall future of the program has been in question, NRP Neighborhood Specialist Robert Thompson said it wouldn’t have any impact on Cedar-Riverside’s access to its phase one dollars.

The $1,948,000 already spent — and approved by the WBCC and community members — went largely to the rehabilitation of Dania Hall; more than $1.5 million was spent before the landmark building burned down in 2000. (The $486,183 that remains from that project will be reallocated to other areas, Thompson said.)

Other NRP funds already spent went toward NRP planning and some neighborhood strategies and improvement projects, including streetlamps, children’s sports uniforms, home improvement loans, lighting for Cedar Riverside’s existing Hiawatha Line light rail (LRT) station and the installation of safety cameras at the intersection of Cedar and Riverside Avenues.

The remaining $1.6 million will go toward a variety of initiatives. The neighborhood organization will apply 52 percent of its NRP funds to housing improvements, a commitment the NRP Policy Board encouraged as part of phase one (NRP phase two plans specifically stipulate that 70 percent of allocated go to housing improvements). To that end, the group has organized a housing committee, and the plan dedicates $915,000 to expand home ownership and $182,000 to home improvement and home ownership loans.

To revitalize the business district and commercial corridors, $65,000 has been set aside, “with emphasis on connecting 7 Corners, Cedar Avenue and Riverside Avenue corridors, as well as to the Cedar-Riverside LRT station,” according to a summary of the action plan.

That may also include a marketing study, designating a special service district within the neighborhood, as well as signage, a retail recruitment effort, streetscape and infrastructure improvements and micro loans for new businesses. Another $65,000 is dedicated to improving infrastructure, including provisions for loan and grant funds.

As for the physical environment and safety of the neighborhood, NRP funds will support block clubs, a safety coordinator, community cleanup days, strategic partnerships and community gardening committee coordinator. Some Cedar-Riverside community members are working with the Minneapolis Police Department to secure an East African or Somali cop for the area.

The area of “human opportunities” includes plans for a human resource coordinator; an annual service directory; a community service website; youth sports teams uniforms; partnerships with colleges, universities and others; youth and senior councils; and development of a community shuttle system pilot project.

Other items on the NRP wish list are more annual neighborhood gatherings, an events coordinator, welcome packets, plus more planning and operation of the program.

Andie Martinez, who was involved in the NRP planning, said via e-mail that there is a lot of interest in economic development and revitalizing the commercial corridor. “There is insufficient community gathering space, and the space study reflects a desire to change that,” said Martinez, adding that many people would like to see the group host more social events.

Community members are also excited about the prospect of applying $40,000 to bolster neighborhood youth and senior councils, as a way to get them involved in civic affairs, she remarked.

The phase one action plan does not speak to some of community members’ greatest concerns, however, namely public safety. “Safety is by far the number one concern for people,” said Martinez, “but [the WBCC Safety] committee does not have much expendable money.”