City of Minneapolis Issues Call for Artists

Ward One Update

City Council Member Kevin Reich

350 S. 5th Street, Room 307, Minneapolis, MN 55415
(612) 673-2201 · kevin.reich@minneapolismn.gov

City of Minneapolis issues call for artists for four Nicollet Mall projects

The City of Minneapolis is seeking artists for four projects as an important part of the redesign and reconstruction of the city’s downtown Nicollet Mall. The Nicollet Mall Project encompasses the complete reconstruction of the street and sidewalks along the 12 blocks of the mall from Washington Avenue to Grant Street. The redesign project is being led by New York-based landscape architects and urban designers James Corner Field Operations in partnership with local firms Snow Kreilich Architects, Coen + Partners, and SRF Consulting Group, Inc. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2017.

The City of Minneapolis seeks to commission and integrate new works representing a diverse range of public artists into the new mall design.

The project’s goals are to develop new works of art which:

• Are stimulating and contribute to the mall’s reputation as a national destination,

• Engage adults and children at both large scale and detailed (intimate) levels,

• Contribute to mall’s vitality and ability to attract visitors,

• Represent the best creative ideas and the range of cultural communities in the city,

• Are compatible with the mall design, the current art collection and the needs of the businesses and residents, and

• Are durable and can be maintained in Minneapolis’ climate and urban environment.

The call includes opportunities for artists to:

• Lead a team of local and emerging artists to create series of small lanterns ($200,000)

• Create a large-scale iconic artwork ($500,000)

• Design a key feature in the overall mall design ($225,000)

• Curate/integrate all public art into overall mall design ($75,000)

The project is open to artists or artist teams who reside within the United States. An informational meeting for artists is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at Minneapolis Central Library, room S-275, 300 Nicollet Mall. The presentation from that meeting, along with questions and answers, will be posted on the City’s website by Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. The deadline for submissions is midnight (MT) on Feb. 27, 2015. The City expects to select artists by mid-April and to install the new artworks as the mall is reconstructed in 2016 and 2017.

Information about how to apply can be found on the City’s website at or by contacting Mary Altman, Public Arts Administrator.

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Ladder Truck Returns to Northeast's Station 15

Ward One Update

CITY COUNCIL MEMBER KEVIN REICH

350 S. 5th Street, Room 307, Minneapolis, MN 55415
(612) 673-2201 · kevin.reich@minneapolismn.gov

Ladder Truck Returns to Northeast's Station 15

You’re invited to join Council Member Kevin Reich and Fire Chief Fruetel on Friday, January 16, 3 p.m., at Fire Station 15, 2701 Johnson Street NE, to view their newest piece of firefighting equipment - a Ladder Truck.

Station 15 has not had a ladder company on-site since 2003, relying instead on ladder companies from other parts of the City. Council Member Reich and Chief Fruetel are pleased to welcome this additional resource, which will enhance the public safety of Northeast Minneapolis and surrounding parts of the City.

Station 15 has been in place on Johnson Street since 1945, replacing the previous Fire Station at 2400 Harrison Street NE, which was established in 1889.

Council Member's Message

Public art was the topic of much discussion this past budget season. The City of Minneapolis has an international reputation for the quality of our arts community and our city government has a long history of supporting the arts through a small percentage of our capital budget. We can't help but be aware of that in Ward 1, given that Northeast Minneapolis is the home of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. Artists and the economic activity they generate are an integral part of the vitality of our community. The signature event of Art-A-Whirl is the most visible symbol of that activity, but the creative economy is in action 365 days a year in Northeast, generating millions of dollars of direct economic activity and attracting and supporting millions more through related activity such as design, education and manufacturing .

To ensure that the City continues to support the arts and our creative vitality, Council Member Elizabeth Glidden and I introduced an ordinance at the last Council Meeting of 2014 that would set a minimum standard for the City's annual public art investment. Specifically, this ordinance would ensure dedicated ongoing funding for public art and, equally as important, for the ongoing maintenance and conservation of that art. I am very pleased that we were also able to shift funds in the 2015 budget for public art conservation, which is essential work that ensures our investment in public art is protected and sustained.

On another note, as Chair of the Transportation and Public Works Committee, I am continually struck by the broad scope of the City's Public Works department. Indeed, as many know, Public Works has an immense impact on the daily lives of the citizens of Minneapolis and has a larger share of the City's budget than any other department. Further, the work that they do, from plowing snow and repairing streets to maintaining our water supply and implementing sustainability initiatives like one-sort recycling goes to the heart of the responsibilities of municipal government.

Because Public Works is such a large and diverse department, I am launching an intermittent series of features in my newsletter about different aspects of their work: Public Works 101. Last month I had the opportunity to  tour some of the City's stormwater tunnels with Public Works' staff. It was eye-opening to learn about the important work these crews are doing deep in the earth, so I'm sharing a little about it in my newsletter. Stay posted for interesting insights into Public Works in future issues.

Minneapolis Public Works 101: Stormwater Tunnels

Deep beneath our downtown streets, as well as in parts of Southeast Minneapolis, Public Works maintains several miles of large underground stormwater tunnels. These tunnels are 100 feet below the surface. They were carved out of the sandstone that lies beneath the bedrock limestone in the 1930s to funnel stormwater to the Mississippi River.

When the tunnels were installed 80-some years ago, the builders didn't backfill around them. That situation was exacerbated over the decades by groundwater pressure, allowing void spaces to open up around the outsides of the tunnels and causing some shifting and cracking in the tunnels themselves. The 20-person crew that inspects and maintains these tunnels has been working on filling the void spaces for several years. Because the storm tunnels can quickly fill with water during even a minor rain event, the crews can only undertake this type of major rehabilitation work during the winter months.

The work itself isn't for everyone. New employees are taken down to the tunnels for a mile walk underground before they're hired to ensure that they won't have issues with this specialized workplace. The crews need to be prepared to work in boots, raincoats and gloves in tunnels with water that is sometimes ankle-deep or higher.

Supplies are lowered through access points and then moved by wheelbarrow through tunnels that are often less than 6 feet high. In addition to the water, workers also encounter the occasional bewildered raccoon or albino fish in the tunnels close to the river.

Just like the streets one hundred feet above, the tunnels even have street signs (like the one for 1st Ave N at left) to let workers know where they are.

This stormwater tunnel work is just one example of the many jobs undertaken by the City of Minneapolis Public Works Department.

(Photos courtesy of Shannon McDonough)

Pay Attention to Your Water Lines in Winter

When our winters get really cold, freezing temperatures force the frost line deeper underground where it can reach the water service line to your home. This can freeze water in the pipes and prevent it from getting to your faucets.

While water mains are maintained by the City, lines that bring the water from the mains into homes and buildings are the responsibility of property owners. If your service line is frozen, you’ll need to contact a qualified contractor who specializes in thawing frozen service lines. Call 311 for information on contractors who do this type of work.

For more information, including tips on preventing water lines from freezing, go to the City’s website.

Get the Snow Emergency App Version 3.0

The snow season is now in full swing, and that means drivers in Minneapolis should make sure they are ready to find out if a Snow Emergency is in effect and know where to park. An improved Snow Emergency app will help them do that. The app now accesses the same interactive street lookup map that’s on the City website, which shows where drivers can park on each of the three days of a Snow Emergency. Drivers will be able to use their smartphones’ location services function to find out if the street they’re on has any Snow Emergency parking restrictions.

The Minneapolis Snow Emergency app is an update of the app that was first introduced in 2012. This year’s revision, available for iPhone and Android devices, uses location services information to approximate the user’s location on the Snow Emergency street lookup map. If there’s a Snow Emergency in effect and a driver wants to know if it’s OK to park on the street, all he or she has to do is open the app, click on “parking maps” and then open the map for that day of the Snow Emergency. The app will then mark the driver’s approximate location on the map, showing in red where “no parking” areas are in effect. The updated app does not send push notifications, but signing up for a text alert will essentially accomplish the same thing. Those who downloaded last year’s version of the app should update it to the current version.

When a Snow Emergency is declared in Minneapolis, parking restrictions take effect so crews can plow more than 1,000 miles of streets from curb to curb. That’s the equivalent of 3,200 “lane miles” of streets that need to be plowed—enough to plow a lane from Minneapolis to Anchorage, Alaska. Snow Emergencies are typically declared after significant snowfall and before 6 p.m. on any given day. Once declared, the Snow Emergency parking restrictions begin at 9 p.m.

Mississippi River Green Team Youth Employment Opportunities

The Mississippi River Green Team is an employment and conservation program for Minneapolis youth between 14-17 years old made possible through a partnership between the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. This program offers an opportunity for Northeast youth to have a mentored job experience, learn about environmental careers and acquire new skills. For more information and to apply for the Green Team, visit http://mwmo.org/mississippirivergreenteam.html

Scholarships for New Software Development School

There’s high demand for software developers in the state, and the City of Minneapolis is helping make it easier for unemployed or underemployed residents to train in this field through a scholarship program at Prime Digital Academy.

Prime Digital Academy is a new software engineering school offering an 18- to 30-week learning program to help smart, driven learners get up to speed for entry-level jobs in software engineering. Nearly 30 local businesses have signed on to host apprenticeships, serve on the curriculum board and hire graduates.

Through a partnership with the City, the Minnesota High Tech Association and the Creating IT Futures Foundation, Prime offers scholarships to people who would otherwise be unable to attend. Applications are now being accepted online for the first cohort of students, with the first classes starting March 3. 

More information is available on Prime Digital Academy’s website.

Save The Date Calendar

Edison Winter Band Concert

Tuesday, January 13, 7 p.m., Edison High School, 700 22nd Ave NE.

Edison Winter Choir Concert

Wednesday, January 14, 7 p.m., Edison High School, 700 22nd Ave NE.

2nd Annual Soup Supper & Future Tommie Night

Friday, Jan. 23, 4 - 8:30 p.m., Edison High School,700 22nd Ave NE. Medallion Public Arts Connector (MPAC) will be hosting an All You Can Eat soup fundraiser in the Edison lunch room 5 - 7 p.m. Adults/$10; students/$5. Stop in there and then go to the gym to cheer on all three Edison Boys' basketball teams (games beginning at 4, 5:30 and 7 pm), while enjoying contests, face painting, raffle prizes and more  

Wintertide: Biennial Juried Art Exhibit

January 24 - February 7, Public Functionary, 1400 12th Ave NE. Presented by Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA) and Public Functionary. Come celebrate the bounty of outstanding artwork that NEMAA artists have to offer - a bright light in Northeast during the coldest time of the year.

Minneapolis School Fair Showcase

Saturday, January 31, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 S. 2nd Avenue. Check out the variety of education options with the Minneapolis Public School District.

Northeast Middle School Band/Choir Concert

Thursday, February 5, 6 – 7 p.m., NEMS, 2955 Hayes Street NE.

“We Love Our Presidents” Day Walk

Saturday, February 14. Check back at this link for more details: https://www.facebook.com/pages/We-Love-Our-Presidents-Walk/239536966115675.

Guthrie Theater Adult Acting Workshop: Intro to Shakespeare

Thursday, February 19, 6 - 7:30 p.m., Southeast Library, 1222 4th St. SE. Registration for this free workshop begins Jan. 22 online at www.hclib.org or 612-543-6728.

Guthrie Theater Teen Acting Workshop: Acting Games for Beginners

Saturday, February 21, 2 - 3:30 p.m., Northeast Library, 2200 Central Ave. NE. Registration for this free workshop begins Jan. 24 online at www.hclib.org or 612-543-6728.