Former Kmart & New Nicollet Ave Project Work
Project Background: The landscape at the intersection of Lake and Nicollet will look very different 10 years from now than it does today. The City of Minneapolis has acquired the 10 acre Kmart site in the Whittier/Lyndale neighborhoods with the intention of reopening Nicollet Avenue and developing the surrounding area.
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The Kmart Project Expectations document describes what we know will happen on Nicollet Ave and the Kmart site. The Kmart Public Engagement Framework goes into detail about how the City of Minneapolis will ask the public and key stakeholders to play a role in redeveloping the former Kmart and reconnecting Nicollet Ave. Below is a high-level project timeline of when we expect different phases of the project to start:
What we know so far:
- New construction in the area from 31st St to 28th St, and Stevens Ave to Blaisdell Ave, will need to be built with a minimum of 4 stories and a maximum of 15 stories.
- New construction on Nicollet Ave between 28th St and I-94 will need to be built with a minimum of 4 stories and a maximum of 6 stories.
- The 10 acre parcel of the former Kmart site, which includes the area between Lake St and the Midtown Greenway, and 1st Ave to Blaisdell Ave, is now owned by the City of Minneapolis. Nicollet Ave will be reopened between 29th St and Lake St. The City will develop a high-density, mixed-use, walkable district on the rest of the site.
- Nicollet Ave will be a high-priority transit corridor in the future. A Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Metro B Line will service Lake St, and the intersection of Lake & Nicollet will be a major transit hub.
The City of Minneapolis' official project page is now live on their website.
Sign up for project updates and view more background information, upcoming opportunities here!
K-Mart Public Engagement Process
Whittier Alliance was selected by the City as part of a coalition of community-based organizations in partnership with NEOO Partners, Inc. to design and lead the Community Engagement process around the future of this site. We have been actively working for the last two years on engaging with our small business and residential communities to make sure that everyone's voices are heard as the City begins its public engagement process.
The Community Engagement Committee is serving as the primary avenue for Former Kmart & New Nicollet Ave project updates within Whittier Alliance's regular community meetings. If you are interested in this work, complete the Neighborhood Involvement Form and join us for our next Community Engagement meeting! Check out our calendar for upcoming meeting dates.
Lake Street Alignment Process
The McKnight Foundation and Cultural Wellness Center supported a series of listening sessions with different stakeholder groups across the Lake Street corridor to envision policies, programs, and investments reimagine and rebuild Lake Street with racial, economic and environmental justice at its core. This project seeks to listen to residents, and business and property owners, and to build on and align efforts that have already started along the corridor. Conversations and concepts developed during this process will be carried forward and incorporated into the engagement work around the Former Kmart & New Nicollet Ave project. For more information, visit lakestreetalignment.com.