Jacob Frey’s | Mayor
Jacob Frey’s | Mayor
Today, Mayor Jacob Frey announced his new workgroup focused on exploring opportunities to reinvent the storefront experience in downtown Minneapolis. The Mayor’s Vibrant Downtown Storefronts Workgroup will analyze current storefront space, along with local and national trends, to consider how those can be applied downtown – looking at both the street and skyway levels.
The Vibrant Downtown Storefronts Workgroup will be co-chaired by Steve Cramer and Gabrielle Grier. Cramer has served as the President and CEO of the mpls downtown council and Downtown Improvement District for over nine years and was formerly a Minneapolis City Council Member and director of the City of Minneapolis Community Development Agency (known today as Community Planning and Economic Development). Grier, an artist and youth and community leader, is currently the Managing Director of Juxtaposition Arts and has spent 15 years partnering with schools and organizations to implement systems change including strategic vision, programmatic development, and organizational culture.
“Cities that see the most success post-pandemic won’t cling to the old ways that are now changed forever,” said Frey. “Here in Minneapolis, we will step boldly into the future, guided by the top experts in our region, prepared to innovate and adapt. Minneapolis has always been a hub of commerce and innovation, and I am confident that this workgroup will help ensure we continue carrying that legacy forward.”
The mayor has directed the workgroup to examine retail market dynamics, storefront space inventory and occupancy, barriers to existing retail success, and opportunities for inclusive economic development of storefronts. The scope of the workgroup will ultimately shape recommendations to help find unique and comprehensive ways to shift the storefront model in downtown.
“This expert Workgroup will play a critical role in helping the community understand current trends and factors affecting downtown retail and storefront uses and charting a course forward from where we are today to a more vibrant future,” said Steve Cramer, President and CEO of mpls downtown council. “We face a challenge, but by addressing that challenge head on we can reinvent this important aspect of the downtown economy.”
“On behalf of Juxtaposition Arts, I am honored to work alongside Mayor Frey’s Office, Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED), the mpls downtown council, the Downtown Improvement District and all of the people connected with the ‘Vibrant Downtown Storefronts’ work group,” says Gabrielle Grier, Managing Director of Juxtaposition Arts. “For years, JXTA has been streamlining a new way of community-informed design, and we’re excited to work with the city, businesses, and the public to provide everyone with an opportunity to voice what they want to see and how they want to reinvent and reinvigorate the downtown storefront experience together.”
“This is a great time to launch this workgroup, when we are closing on another year of strong downtown construction and we see so many great examples of festive activities downtown, including the Chameleon shoppes, supported by the City’s Great Streets program,” said Andrea Brennan, Director of Community Planning and Economic Development for the City of Minneapolis.
The Vibrant Downtown Storefronts Workgroup will be facilitated by consultant Peter Brown and staffed by the Office of Mayor Frey, the City’s Community Planning and Economic Development Department, and the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District.
Confirmed workgroup participants include:
- Workgroup Co-chair Steve Cramer, President and CEO, mpls downtown council and Downtown Improvement District
- Workgroup Co-chair Gabrielle Grier, Managing Director, Juxtaposition Arts
- Minneapolis City Council Member Lisa Goodman, Ward 7
- Minneapolis City Council Member Michael Rainville, Ward 3
- Brian Woolsey, Principal, Monarch CRE
- Dana Swindler, CEO, Martin Patrick 3
- David Fhima, Founder and Chef, Fhima’s / Mother Dough
- Deb Kolar, General Manager, Accesso at IDS Center
- Emily Nicoll, Senior Vice President, CBRE
- Jeff Borst, Real Estate Management, Ryan Companies US, Inc.
- Jeff Johnson, Executive Director, Minneapolis Convention Center
- Jeremy Jacobs, Executive Managing Director & Market Leader, Colliers
- JoAnna Hicks, CEO, Element Commercial Real Estate
- Jonathan Weinhagen, President and CEO, MPLS Regional Chamber
- Mark Nerenhausen, President and CEO, Hennepin Theatre Trust
- Mary Taris, CEO, Strive Publishing& Bookstore
- Melvin Tennant, President and CEO, Meet Minneapolis
- Mich Berthiaume, Dayton’s Market Curator,Dayton’s
- R.T. Rybak, President and CEO, Minneapolis Foundation
- Sam Newberg, Minneapolis Research Director, JLL
- Sarah Anderson, President and CEO, BOMA Greater Minneapolis
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up