American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions Prepared for the Native American Community Development Institute PA 8081 Capstone Workshop Professors Lee Munnich and Kris Nelson Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs University of Minnesota May 2009

Tia Anderson Brad Christ Fay Cleaveland Contents

Executive Summary ...... 3 Problem Statement ...... 4 Project Overview ...... 5 Diagnosis...... 7 Franklin Avenue’s Native American Community in Context ...... 7 A Chronicle of Franklin Avenue’s Redevelopment ...... 11 Public Sector Improvements and Plans ...... 14 SWOT Analysis ...... 20 Stakeholder Analysis ...... 21 Diagnosis Conclusion ...... 24 Vision for the American Indian Cultural Corridor ...... 25 Narrative Explanation ...... 26 Action Plan for the American Indian Cultural Corridor ...... 28 Strategy: Coordinate Planning Activities ...... 31 Strategy: Market the Cultural Corridor ...... 34 Strategy: Share Native American Cultures ...... 38 Strategy: Improve Public Gathering Spaces ...... 42 Strategy: Create Private Gathering Spaces ...... 46 Strategy: Improve Infrastructure ...... 49 Action Plan Conclusion ...... 52 Appendix A – Franklin Avenue Maps ...... 54 Appendix B – SWOT Analysis ...... 55 Appendix C – Power vs. Interest Grid ...... 56 Appendix D – Action-Oriented Causal Map ...... 57 Appendix E – Action Item Summary ...... 58 Interview List ...... 70 References ...... 71

“A very great vision is needed and the man who has it must follow it as the eagle seeks the deepest blue of the sky.”

­Crazy Horse

2 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Executive Summary

Native Americans have a unique presence on Franklin Avenue and in the Phillips Neighborhood

of Minneapolis, Minnesota. For over forty years, this neighborhood has been home to one of the nation’s largest concentrations of urban Native Americans. Despite the group’s longevity in

Minneapolis, Native Americans continue to experience great socio-economic disparities in comparison

to other ethnic groups. Consequently, Native American organizations in this community are primarily

social service entities. While these serve a valuable purpose assisting residents meet basic needs, they

have limited capacity to leverage the assets of the Native American community in ways that promote

wealth generation and economic development.

In response to this existing socioeconomic situation, the Native American Community

Development Institute intends to create an American Indian Cultural Corridor along Franklin Avenue.

A Cultural Corridor represents an opportunity for Native Americans to recreate Franklin into a community destination and source of pride. In so doing, Native Americans will build assets and create wealth while celebrating their heritage and sharing their identity with other cultural groups. This report analyzes present conditions on Franklin Avenue, identifies a vision for the Cultural Corridor, and outlines an action plan to realize that vision. The following action strategies are identified in this report:

 Coordinate Planning Activities  Market the American Indian Cultural Corridor  Share Native Cultures  Improve Public Spaces  Create Private Gathering Spaces  Improve Infrastructure

The action plan provides NACDI with a roadmap as the organization strives to implement the

American Indian Cultural Corridor. Detailed action items are identified within each strategy area.

3 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Descriptions of action strategies include NACDI’s specific role in implementation, other partners and potential funding sources, relative cost, priority for completion, and major barriers that hinder the realization of each strategy. Using the research and recommendations found in this report, NACDI is equipped to evaluate action alternatives and begin to translate the Corridor’s vision into a reality.

Problem Statement

Minneapolis, Minnesota is home to one of the largest concentrations of urban Native Americans in the U.S. For the last forty years, Franklin Avenue in south Minneapolis has been the heart of this community: a place where American Indians live, work, and access cultural-specific services. Today, this presence is visible in the various American Indian institutions clustered on and around the avenue, including urban tribal offices, the American Indian Center, Little Earth Housing Corporation, the

American Indian Industrial Opportunities Center, and the Indian Health Board.

Franklin Avenue and the surrounding Phillips neighborhood have been the focus of revitalization efforts for several decades. Notable projects include such cross-sector collaborations as the Midtown

Exchange, Chicago Avenue’s medical corridor, affordable housing construction, and the Franklin

Avenue Light Rail Transit Station. Each of these projects included program components to improve economic conditions for Phillips residents, a neighborhood of historic ethnic diversity and high poverty rates. Despite this activity in the surrounding community, Native Americans continue to experience socio-economic disparity and low high school graduation rates compared to other populations. This situation suggests that neighborhood development has passed by Franklin Avenue’s Native American community, leaving them rooted in a vicious circle of service dependency and social welfare.

Responding to these concerns, Hennepin County sponsored the American Indian Families

Project (AIFP) in 2002, a multi-year endeavor initiated at the request of the county’s American Indian community and the Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors. Under the leadership of Justin Kii

4 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Huenemann, AIFP published a series of reports analyzing quality of life indicators for Native American

families in Hennepin County. Emerging out of the AIFP project, Huenemann helped launch the non-

profit Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI) in 2007. NACDI’s mission is “to

partner with American Indian communities to build and execute 21st century community development

strategies” that will preserve and strengthen community assets among Native American groups. Located

in the Phillips Neighborhood, NACDI hopes to renew American Indian economic activity and develop

new opportunities for wealth generation along Franklin Avenue that directly improve quality of life

among Native Americans.

Project Overview

Economists have long debated whether the focus of economic development policy should be on

“place prosperity” versus “people prosperity” (Winnick, 1966). In the case of Native Americans in

Phillips, several placed-based efforts have already been implemented in the neighborhood. While these

have influenced positive outcomes in the community as a whole, they have had little direct impact on

improving quality of life for Native American people. Bartik offers an alternative view to place-based

efforts, arguing that economic development should focus on improving the lives of people in the

community “as opposed to development or growth in and of itself” (2009). This philosophy supports

NACDI’s core mission and frames discussion of economic development strategies for Native Americans in Phillips.

With people-based objectives in mind, this report recommends strategies for community and economic development that particularly benefits urban Native Americans. The objective of this project is to recommend actions that:

 create economic opportunities  foster an environment for self-sufficiency

5 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

 develop a sense of place

Previous visioning activities initiated by NACDI identified an American Indian Cultural Corridor on Franklin Avenue as the framework for addressing these goals. Using this concept, this project

focuses on strategies for the area along East Franklin Avenue west of the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit

station and east of 11th Avenue. This area contains the bulk of existing Native American organizations

in Minneapolis and is the logical starting-point for new economic development and cultural

revitalization.

Utilizing interviews, stakeholder analysis and a general market analysis, this report provides

recommended actions and corresponding marketing materials to help NACDI implement short and long-

term action strategies toward the formation of a Cultural Corridor. Specifically, this report includes the

following:

 Diagnosis of the issues and causal factors contributing to the Native American community’s economic and social decline in South Minneapolis  Description of community and economic development opportunities in support of the American Indian Cultural Corridor  Narrative depicting the vision of the American Indian Cultural Corridor to be used as a stakeholder communication tool  Action strategies for implementation including a preliminary cost analysis, funding sources, and prioritization of proposed short and long-term strategies

6 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Diagnosis

Franklin Avenue’s Native American Community in Context

Demographics: The Phillips Neighborhoods in Minneapolis

The Phillips Neighborhood in south Minneapolis has long been one of Minneapolis’ most ethnically diverse neighborhoods; almost 70 percent of current residents are part of a minority group.

The largest ethnic groups are Hispanic, Black, and

American Indian (Figure 1). Until 2001, the Phillips

neighborhood was recognized as a single area,

bounded by Interstate 94 in the north, Lake Street to

the south, Interstate 35W in the west, and Hiawatha

Ave to the east. Today, four separate neighborhoods

comprise Phillips: East Phillips, Midtown Phillips,

Phillips West, and Ventura Village (Appendix A, Map 1).

The Phillips neighborhoods have undergone significant changes since the early 1990s when they were regarded as crime ridden and undesirable areas of the city. Redevelopment efforts, discussed in later sections, have resulted in population growth and rising incomes in Phillips (Table 1). Despite these efforts, poverty is still a reality for many Phillips residents. Between 1990 and 2000, the number of residents below the federal poverty line dropped 20 percentage points, although the overall percent of

Phillips residents living below poverty was still 34 percent. This is still well above the Minneapolis poverty rate of about 13 percent in both 1990 and 2000 (City of Minneapolis, 2005). Residents’ median incomes also rose during this time period, although this figure reached only about 58 percent of the citywide median income. More current data is not available regarding poverty in the Phillips

7 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

neighborhoods, but it is reasonable to assume that poverty is increasing due to the current economic

recession.

Table 1. Demographic Profile, Phillips Neighborhoods 1990 2000 % Change Phillips Neighborhood Population 17,247 19,805 14.8 East Phillips 4,147 Midtown Phillips 4,118 Ventura Village 6,769 Phillips West 4,771 Population by Race White 7,759 45.0% 6,258 31.6% ‐19.3 Black 3,677 21.3% 5,825 29.4% 58.4 American Indian 4,157 24.1% 2,352 11.9% ‐43.4 Asian 1,406 8.2% 1,216 6.1% ‐13.5 Other Race 248 1.4% 2,361 11.9% 852.0 Hispanic (of any race) 667 3.9% 4,385 22.1% 557.4 Median Income $20,413 $27,434 34.4 East Phillips $29,569 Midtown Phillips $35,518 Ventura Village $24,150 Phillips West $24,099 Population Below Poverty Level 8,451 6,764 ‐20.0 East Phillips 1,369 Midtown Phillips 1,153 Ventura Village 2,572 Phillips West 1,670 Area (Sq. Miles) 1.60 1.6 ‐‐‐ Population Density 10,779 12,378 Source: US Census, City of Minneapolis, Phillips Neighborhood Network Note: Median Income in 2007 Dollars

Urban American Indian Population The Phillips neighborhood is unique among other Twin Cities neighborhoods for its large

concentration of Native Americans. Phillips became the destination for many American Indians through

the Bureau of Indian Affairs Urban Indian Relocation Program. National in scope, the Urban Relocation

Program began in 1948 and remained in place until 1980. Ostensibly a program designed to reduce

poverty among American Indians, the motivation behind Urban Relocation has frequently been questioned. Proponents of Relocation argued that it “offered Indians an escape from poverty-stricken reservations and a chance to live the American dream” in urban areas. Critics maintain that Relocation undermined “priceless culture, language and heritage, essential to self- esteem and identity; these treasures were very nearly lost” (Pember, 2008). Present statistics indicate that Relocation policies were

8 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

an abject failure in terms of poverty reduction. Although nearly 66 percent of American Indians now live in urban areas, poverty rates remain very high (Pember, 2008).

In Minneapolis, American Indians were initially settled in North Minneapolis and later Loring

Park. The group finally settled in Phillips during the late 1960s (Lilligren, 2009). The growing population of American Indians in this neighborhood and available Federal funding led to the development of the Little Earth community in 1973 and the Minneapolis American Indian Center in

1975. Today, Little Earth is the only publicly subsidized housing project in the nation with an American

Indian preference. It remains a stronghold for the American Indian community in the Twin Cities.

Nearly 12 percent of the current Phillips population is American Indian compared to about two percent citywide. However, many American Indians are choosing to leave the neighborhood; their population declined by over 40 percent between 1990 and 2000. Like many other inner city residents, upwardly mobile American Indians are choosing to pursue suburban neighborhoods with more opportunities. During interviews conducted by Hennepin County’s American Indian Families Project, respondents indicated a desire for better schools, livable wage jobs, and quality housing as reasons why they had moved away from the Phillips Neighborhood (AIFP, 2003). Interestingly, many Native

Americans indicated a willingness to move back to the area if their concerns could be addressed. The draw for many American Indians to the area is the neighborhood’s history as a Native community and the many cultural organizations that remain near Franklin Avenue.

Compared to the general population, American Indian residents of Minneapolis are poorer, less educated, and face greater unemployment. Urban Native Americans are also more likely to live below the poverty line than any other ethnic group. An analysis of income reveals that the median household income of American Indians in Minneapolis is just two-thirds of the city household median (Table 2).

9 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Other measures of income are even more extreme; per capita income is just 54 percent and median family income is just 55 percent of city-wide figures.

Table 2. Income Comparison, American Indians and Minneapolis Total (2007 dollars) American Indian Minneapolis Percent of City‐wide Total Per Capita Income $15,280 $28,232 53.9 Median family Income $33,205 $60,487 54.9 Median Household Income $31,529 $47,260 66.7 Source: US Census, 2000

Labor force participation of American Indians is nearly 12 percent lower than the comparable figure for all Minneapolis residents (Table 3). At the time of the 2000 Census, unemployment for

American Indians was more than double that of all city residents. The situation is likely worse today, since the 2000 Census was taken at the end of historic economic growth offering nearly “full employment.” Also striking is that nearly 40 percent of American Indians in Minneapolis are not in the labor force, indicating that they had either given up looking for a job, decided not to work outside the home, or are otherwise no longer part of the workforce (retired, disabled, etc.).

Table 3. Employment Comparison, American Indians and Minneapolis Total American Indian Percent Minneapolis Percent In labor force 3,134 60.2 220,668 72.0 Employed 2,603 50.0 207,890 67.9 Unemployed 531 10.2 12,778 4.2 Not in labor force 2,072 39.8 85,588 27.9 Total Population over 16 5,206 306,378 Source: US Census, 2000

Educational achievement of American Indians in Minneapolis also lags behind the general population (Table 4). About 30 percent of American Indians do not possess a high school diploma or its equivalent, nearly double the percentage of total city residents without a high school education. Only about 6 percent of American Indians in the city hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to 24 percent of all

Minneapolis residents. As an additional point of comparison, nearly 43 percent of Hennepin Country residents hold at least a bachelor’s degree (US Census, 2009).

10 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Table 4. Educational Achievement Comparison, American Indians in Minneapolis American Indian Percent Minneapolis Total Percent Less than 9th grade 456 11.2 14,528 6.0 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 806 19.8 22,093 9.1 High school graduate (includes equivalency) 1,395 34.3 50,495 20.7 Some college, no degree 867 21.3 51,674 21.2 Associate degree 235 5.8 13,592 5.6 Bachelor's degree 253 6.2 59,224 24.3 Graduate or professional degree 60 1.5 31,803 13.1 Total Population over age 25 4,072 243,409 Source: US Census, 2000

A greater percentage of American Indian residents are below the poverty line than any other race

in Minneapolis (Table 5). Poverty levels among all minorities in Minneapolis are significantly higher

than for white residents, but it tops out for American Indians at slightly over 35 percent. In total,

American Indians constitute 4 percent of all residents below the poverty line but they represent only 2

percent of all city residents.

Table 5. Poverty Comparison by Race, Federal Poverty Level, Minneapolis

American Percent Black Percent Asian Percent Hispanic Percent White Percent Indian Population Below 2,561 35.4% 20,685 31.7% 7,469 31.9% 6,998 24.5% 20,578 9.0% Under 18 1,013 14.0% 9,631 14.8% 3578 15.3% 2471 8.7% 2046 0.9% 18 to 64 years 1,489 20.6% 10,516 16.1% 3,601 15.4% 4,432 15.5% 16,260 7.1% Over 65 59 0.8% 538 0.8% 290 1.2% 95 0.3% 2272 1.0% Total Population 7,229 65,277 23,395 28,540 228,111 Source: US Census, 2000

A Chronicle of Franklin Avenue’s Redevelopment

Franklin Avenue today is the result of concerted redevelopment efforts by local non-profits,

private business, and government. As neighborhood incomes declined throughout the mid-twentieth

century, Franklin Avenue reflected the socio-economic decline of its surroundings. Vacant buildings and

dilapidation were common, while most remaining space was filled by ‘alternative’ businesses such as

bars, liquor stores, gas stations and adult entertainment venues. A 1990 City survey of Phillips residents

11 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

found that their top issues of concern related to their physical environment, citing “rundown buildings, vandalism and graffiti, and litter/noise (tie)” (Delaney, 2007). During the 1980s and 1990s, Franklin

Avenue was in serious need of redevelopment efforts that could alter the community’s depressed and negative environment and expel the area’s nickname of Murderapolis (Johnson, 1996).

Non-Profits Initiate Redevelopment Commercial redevelopment efforts along Franklin have been

spearheaded by neighborhood non-profit organizations. During the

1980s, the American Indian Neighborhood Development Corporation

(AINDC) began efforts to redevelop the 1200 block of Franklin

Avenue and bring new economic activity to this property. At that time,

the site was largely overrun by drug dealers; any type of positive

business activity was effectively prevented due to high crime rate and

its negative image. In 1982, AINDC redeveloped the 1200 block as

Franklin Circles Shopping Center in hopes of eradicating the drug trade

Figure 2: Maria's Cafe and and its associated negative externalities. Today, the center provides Ancient Trader's Market basic neighborhood services to Phillips residents, including an Aldi’s grocery, Bruegger’s Bakery

Commissary, Maria’s Café, and the Ancient Trader’s

Market.

Redevelopment Continues: 1990- present

Following the lead of AINDC, other non- profits have initiated redevelopment along Franklin to further support its transformation. Project for

Pride in Living (PPL) completed a commercial Figure 3: Franklin Street Bakery and Roger Beck Florist

12 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

redevelopment project to create the Chicago Crossings shopping district at the Franklin and Chicago

intersection. PPL eventually relocated its headquarters to 10th and Franklin in 2004. Across from PPL,

AIBDC has successful attracted two new private businesses, Roger Beck Florist and the Franklin Street

Bakery, to locate on the site of a gas station that was formerly the city’s most frequent dialer of 911 calls

(Delaney, 2007).

Across from Franklin Circles, the American Indian Community Development Corporation

(AICDC) developed Anishinabe Wakiagun and the Many Rivers buildings. Anishinabe Wakiagun

(“The People’s Home”) opened in the early 1990s in response to informal “shantytowns” along

Hiawatha Avenue inhabited by homeless inebriates. Anishinabe Wakiagun is a wet facility that provides culturally-sensitive supportive housing for chronic inebriates. This facility continues to play an

important role in the community, offering dignified

housing and an alternative to street life. The Many

Rivers housing developments, completed in 2003

and 2006, provide affordable housing and first-story

commercial space on the 1400 and 1500 blocks of

Franklin Avenue. They are currently home to

Figure 4: Anishinabe Wakiagun members of both the Native American and East

African community; the commercial space is leased by AICDC and NACDI. Finally, the American Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center (AIOIC) is located immediately east of the Franklin Avenue Station and provides important job training and business development opportunities to the community.

Land use on Franklin Avenue has changed significantly since 1980. Institutional uses have grown as the area evolved into a focal point for social services in the Phillips neighborhood, especially for

13 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Native Americans (Table 6). Other land uses have been effectively driven out, including bars and adult

entertainment. Today, the majority land uses in the area are residential and institutional (Appendix A,

Map 2).

Table 6. Land Use Along Franklin Ave. # of Parcels Land Area in sq. ft. Land Use 1981 2007 % Change 1981 2007 % Change Residential ‐Private 26 25 ‐4% 234,029 182,120 ‐22% Affordable Housing 0 7 ‐‐ 0 25,475 ‐‐ Supportive Housing 0 6 ‐‐ 0 89,964 ‐‐ Mixed Use 3 5 67% 176,689 118,290 ‐33% Business/Professional Services 5 5 0% 40,520 114,688 183% Restaurant/Bakery 2 3 50% 10,820 69,309 541% Bar/Liquor 7 0 ‐100% 72,394 0 ‐100% Personal Services/Specialty 5 6 20% 36,202 37,706 4% Financial 0 3 ‐‐ 0 19,041 ‐‐ Grocery/Drug/Convenience/Local Retail 6 11 83% 63,846 228,998 259% Gas/Auto 9 1 ‐89% 162,787 19,323 ‐88% Institution/Community Services 11 18 64% 296,020 375,007 27% Park 1 3 200% 312,121 338,121 8% Vacant 19 18 ‐5% 231,899 140,266 ‐40% Unknown 17 0 ‐100% 120,981 0 ‐100% Total 111 111 0% 1,758,308 1,758,308 0% Source: CURA, University of Minnesota and Will Delaney, 2005 Public Sector Improvements and Plans

In addition to non-profit property investments, public sector investment has enhanced

redevelopment on Franklin Avenue. The Library Board invested $4 million to renovate the branch

library on the 1400 block, helping provide continued

services to low-income Phillips residents. Hennepin

County and the City of Minneapolis have also invested

over $1 million dollars in reconstruction and streetscape

improvements along Franklin (City of Minneapolis,

2009). Most notably, the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit Figure 5: Renovated Franklin Library station opened on Franklin Avenue in 2004. Planners anticipate this major infrastructure investment

will be a source of future economic opportunity in the neighborhood.

14 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

The City of Minneapolis Franklin LRT Station Area Redevelopment Plan (adopted 2001, amended

2006) calls for continued redevelopment along Franklin Avenue that supports transit and pedestrian activities. Specific recommendations are for an enlivened pedestrian environment, connectivity of

neighborhoods surrounding the station, redevelopment of ‘vacant, under-utilized, and inappropriate land

uses,’ increased mixed-income housing, public green spaces, and increased living-wage jobs for local

residents. According to the plan, these changes “will occur primarily through private activity and

investment decisions.” Meanwhile, “the public sector role will focus upon modifications to streets and

pedestrian infrastructure to improve access, safety and multi-modal circulation around the station, and

upon the disposition for development of vacant publicly-owned property.” To date, little additional

private investment has occurred in the station area as a result of this plan. However, the public sector

has made good on its promise to dispose of vacant property; Hennepin County recently transferred

ownership of a 150’ by 50’ parcel located in front of Anishinabe Wakiagun to AICDC. AICDC plans to

build affordable housing on this site as soon as funding is secured.

In 2005, the City of Minneapolis partnered with Hennepin County and Seward Redesign to

commission Hay Dobbs to produce a Development Implementation Plan meant to realize the goals of

the city’s 2001 Franklin LRT Station Area Redevelopment Plan. This implementation plan includes a

market and feasibility analysis of each parcel in the Franklin LRT Station area. The plan calls for the

creation of a redevelopment district around the station with city and county investments in street

improvements. Most notably, the plan would realign nearby Minnehaha Avenue and 22nd Street to create new development opportunity on the former Bystrom Brothers site along the east side of the

Hiawatha Line. Predevelopment work for this project is underway.

In addition to city-led planning efforts, the Ventura Village Neighborhood Association has been active in community planning. Formerly part of the Phillips neighborhood, Ventura Village extends

15 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

approximately two blocks north and south of Franklin between 5th Avenue and Hiawatha. In 2000, the

City of Minneapolis adopted the Ventura Village Comprehensive Land Use Master Plan. The plan

incorporates goals of in-fill housing development, transit-oriented and pedestrian friendly commercial

and residential space, mixed-income housing options, crime reduction, and the creation of a healthy

commercial corridor. Today, the neighborhood association continues to play an active role in community development decisions along Franklin Avenue.

Planning and redevelopment efforts along Franklin are complicated by the multitude of jurisdictions and land owners in the area. The land adjacent to the LRT station is divided among three

city wards: the Sixth Ward, which includes Ventura Village and is actually home to the station; the

Second Ward, which encompasses the area east of the station and includes the Seward neighborhood;

and the Ninth Ward, which lies southwest of the station. Active city agencies in this area include the

Department of Community Planning and Economic Development, the Department of Public Works, and

the Public Housing Authority. Other government bodies that have authority are Hennepin County, which maintains Franklin Avenue and partially funds transit operations; the Minneapolis Park and

Recreation Board, which maintains East

Phillips Park along Franklin and Cedar

Avenue Field to the south of the station;

the Minnesota Department of

Transportation (Mn/DOT), responsible for

Figure 6: Undeveloped Mn/DOT site maintaining Hiawatha Avenue; Metro

Transit, which operates the maintenance facility, light rail line, and buses along Franklin Avenue; and

the Metropolitan Council, responsible for regional planning and transit.

16 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

The presence of so many governmental agencies has created a patchwork of land ownership and various use easements. In some cases, unsettled ownership issues are preventing areas from being developed, such as the small property located along Franklin Avenue just south of the Hiawatha

Corridor Facility. Some properties, such as the AICDC site, are in the process of passing from Mn/DOT ownership to Hennepin County, which will allow the land to be dispensed for either public or private development. In other instances, road and utility easements will limit further redevelopment in this area.

Franklin Avenue Station Area

As the focal point of publicly led revitalization efforts and the easternmost boundary of the

Cultural Corridor, it is important to discuss the Franklin Avenue Station in the context of this neighborhood. The light rail station lies on a perpendicular overpass above Franklin Avenue, one of two above-grade stations on the

Hiawatha Light Rail line. It is an open air station with a single shelter between the north and south tracks. Elevators and stairs link the Figure 7: Eastern view of the Franklin Ave LRT Station station to the north and south side of Franklin Avenue below. A frontage road near the station’s north end provides limited vehicular access to the station; the station was not designed with parking or a drop- off in mind. A bike path runs alongside the light rail tracks.

Hindering redevelopment, the Franklin Avenue Station is isolated from its surrounding neighborhoods by nearby land uses and roads (Appendix A, Map 3). The areas immediately to the north and south of the station are at-grade and occupied by legacy land uses, mostly industrial sites. The northeast quadrant of the station area is composed of a series of single-level industrial-style buildings with a variety of uses including a moped dealership, charter school, and two nightclubs. The single new

17 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

use in the area is the Hiawatha Corridor Yards and

Shops facility located northwest of the station and a re-

use of a former rail yard. The light rail line bisects the

southern area of the station. Two industrial businesses

occupy the southeastern section, the Cedar Box

Company and Ambles Machinery Hardware. The Figure 8: American Indian Occupational American Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center Industrialization Center (AIOIC) is located southwest of the station.

Roads

West of the station, Franklin Avenue passes underneath Hiawatha Avenue, a four-lane state trunk highway also known as Highway 55. The highway crosses Franklin at an angle creating odd-shaped land parcels and resulting in a nearly quarter-mile separation of the station from the Ventura Village neighborhood (Appendix A, Map 3). This section of Franklin has often been called the “no-man’s land” by area residents (NACDI, 2008). The area east of the station is only slightly less foreboding; Cedar,

Minnehaha, 20th and Franklin Avenues converge at three different and busy intersections. Road development in the past has prioritized vehicle traffic making Franklin

Avenue is a busy east-west thoroughfare.

Average daily traffic counts reveal an area dominated by vehicular traffic (Table 7). Figure 9: “No Man’s Land”

18 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Table 7. Average Daily Traffic Counts, Franklin Ave Station Area Road # Vehicles Hiawatha southbound 16,400 northbound 15,700 Franklin (at Cedar) 14,900 Cedar (north of Franklin) 15,300 Cedar (south of Franklin) 12,000 Minnehaha (north of Franklin) 15,300 Source: Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2001

Pedestrians and Bicyclists

Pedestrian access to the station is a challenging endeavor at best. Because the station is above grade, pedestrians from the west must traverse under two sizeable overpasses and either up an elevator or an outside stairwell. At present, the sidewalks underneath these overpasses are narrow, poorly lit, and

sloped towards the road. One neighborhood resident

described this space as "The ugly Hiawatha overpass that I

walk under and fear for my life" (Vogel, et al, 1999). The

lighting and grade of the sidewalks were, in fact, intended to

serve the needs of vehicular traffic, not pedestrians (Garner,

Figure 10: View approaching the north 2009). Access from the east is only slightly better, since Elevator and stairs to the station there is a single overpass and the station is relatively close to the intersection of Franklin and Cedar Avenues. Unfortunately, many transit passengers are using the

Franklin Frontage Road as a ramp to and from the station, putting them in direct contact with vehicle traffic. Although a bike path does run parallel to the light rail tracks, there are no bike paths to or from the station. Instead, cyclists must either use an elevator, the handicap ramp, or the frontage road to enter or leave the station area.

19 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Transit Use

The Franklin Avenue Station is directly served by four bus routes and the light rail line. Two

other bus routes operate just east and west of the station, crossing Franklin Avenue on their way north

and south. The light rail station connects the residents of this area to a substantial number of attractions

in the region, including downtown Minneapolis, Minnehaha Falls, historic Fort Snelling, and the Mall of

America (Appendix A, Map 4). Metro Transit served nearly 81.1 million riders last year, with slightly

over 10 million of those riders using the Hiawatha Light Rail line (Metropolitan Council, 2009).

Although counting passengers at light rail stations is difficult due to the open boarding system, a 2006

sample by Metro Transit indicated that weekday boardings for the Franklin Avenue Station were around

1,144 people (Dillery, 2007). A similar sample in 2004 showed only 596 passenger boardings,

indicating that passenger traffic nearly doubled in just two years. Figures for Saturdays and Sundays

indicate that the station still experiences significant numbers of passenger boardings during off-peak

days, about 840 passengers and 493 passengers respectively. These numbers indicate that the Franklin

Avenue Station is a likely destination for travelers as well as a transit gateway for the surrounding area.

SWOT Analysis

To begin analyzing the potential for an American Indian Cultural Corridor on Franklin Avenue,

we used our stakeholder interviews and research to perform a SWOT analysis of the project’s Strengths,

Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (Appendix B). One of the Cultural Corridor’s most important strengths is the strong political momentum in the Native American community toward new development initiatives, despite recent trends in the national economy. NACDI is well-positioned to champion development; its board of directors comprises a broad set of local Native American leaders and the organization enjoys support from influential political stakeholders. Meanwhile, widespread momentum is building for transit-oriented development generally and project proposals around the Franklin Avenue

20 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Station are viewed by leaders in all sectors as catalysts for development in Phillips and the neighboring

Seward community.

Nevertheless, NACDI’s ability to implement a Cultural Corridor is not without substantial

Challenges. Formal education and professional training among Native Americans lags behind other

populations. In addition, few models exist in the community of successful Native American

entrepreneurship and business development. These factors result in a lack of both individual and

organizational capacity to fund community development activities. Furthermore, Franklin Avenue is an

impoverished community and small businesses are particularly vulnerable to issues such as a lack of

neighborhood spending power, real and perceived crime, and a challenging pedestrian environment. As

NACDI moves forward, these challenges must be balanced with the community’s strengths as new

solutions for a Cultural Corridor are proposed and implemented.

Stakeholder Analysis

In addition to a SWOT analysis, we performed a Stakeholder Analysis to identify entities whose

involvement will be necessary to create an American Indian Cultural Corridor. Through this analysis,

we identified over 60 entities, including government, business, non-profit, academia, Native American

groups, and community groups (Appendix C). To better understand the nature of each stakeholder’s

involvement in the Corridor, we worked with Justin Huenemann of NACDI to plot each entity on a

Power versus Interest Grid. This grid categorizes stakeholders as Players, Context Setters, Subjects, and

The Crowd depending on their relative level of power to affect change regarding an issue and interest in

doing so (Bryson and Crosby, 2005). This exercise helped identify stakeholders’ positions regarding the

Cultural Corridor and revealed changes in interest or power that some groups must undertake in order to achieve desired outcomes.

21 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Not surprisingly, the majority of Players (stakeholders with high power and high interest) are government entities and public officials who control funding priorities in Minneapolis. Key Players include individuals such as Minneapolis City Councilman Robert Lilligren, Mayor R. T. Rybak,

Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, and Minnesota Representative Karen Clark; as well as agenda setting groups like Minneapolis’ Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) and the Hennepin County Commission. Some of these influential Players are directly involved in

NACDI: Councilman Lilligren is chair of the NACDI board while Mayor Rybak and Commissioner

McLaughlin are honorary board members. Having grown up in Phillips, the mayor also has a personal connection to Franklin Avenue. The list of Players is rounded out with potential sources of implementation funding and/or management that are already involved with Franklin Avenue’s Native

American community: McKnight Foundation, Project for Pride in Living, Mille Lacs Band, American

Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC), and American Indian Opportunities

Industrialization Center (AIOIC). It is also noteworthy that PPL, AICDC and AIOIC additionally wield power on Franklin Avenue as property owners.

Context Setters identified through stakeholder analysis are groups with a high amount of financial, political or agenda setting power, but whose priorities may not include the socioeconomic issues facing Franklin Avenue’s Native American community. These Context Setters include local, regional and state government. Local Context Setters are Minneapolis Public Works, Minneapolis City

Council, and Councilwoman Lisa Goodman, chair of the City Council’s community development committee. Metro Transit and the Metropolitan Council are regional entities with a stake in Franklin

Avenue due to the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit line and nearby LRT maintenance shops operated by these entities. State level Context Setters are the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) and Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), as well as Minnesota State

22 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Senator Linda Berglin who represents the Phillips neighborhood. A final interesting Context Setter is

Great Neighborhoods! Development Corporation (GNDC), a major property owner on Franklin Avenue.

In recent years GNDC has expanded its focus to North Minneapolis and is less active in development efforts on Franklin. Nevertheless, GNDC retains a fair level of power regarding Franklin Avenue and

the organization is well connected within local government circles. No matter the recommended

solutions and implementation strategy, success will likely depend on increasing the interest of these

powerful Context Setter stakeholders in order to get these issues onto political agendas, garner support,

and secure human and financial capital from these entities.

While Context Setters and Players have high levels of power, stakeholders who fall into The

Crowd (low interest and power) and Subjects (high interest, but low power) categories are often those

most directly impacted by socioeconomic disparity. These neighborhood stakeholders are represented

by numerous Native American bands, segments of the Native American population such as elders and

youth, as well as business, non-profit and educational institutions located in and around Franklin

Avenue. Many groups in The Crowd may benefit from solutions that generate economic opportunities,

support greater self-sufficiency and create a sense of place. These stakeholders include local employers

and landowners, public and affordable housing residents, tourists and transit riders. However, other

stakeholders may view potential solutions less favorably if they do not feel an American Indian Cultural

Corridor represents the best strategy for their organizations. These stakeholders include influential

neighborhood groups like the Ventura Village Neighborhood Association, Seward Redesign, and

Franklin Avenue Business Association, as well as the growing East African immigrant population in the

Phillips and Seward neighborhoods.

23 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Diagnosis Conclusion

Since concerted redevelopment efforts began 25 years ago, Franklin Avenue has undergone widespread physical and economic transition. With the addition of the Hiawatha Light Rail, new

opportunities to capitalize on transit-oriented development are of increasing importance to neighborhood

organizations and planners. To date, none of the planning efforts outlined in this report has emphasized

the unique cultural presence Native Americans bring to the Franklin Avenue area. The rest of this report

will focus on how NACDI might capitalize on these past and present revitalization efforts, collaborate

with stakeholders, and create new opportunities that integrate the American Indian population into a new

vision for Franklin Avenue.

The following Vision and Action Plan define the American Indian Cultural Corridor and present short-term and long-term strategies for its implementation on Franklin Avenue. These sections are framed in a way that can address the diverse set of stakeholders who will ultimately control Corridor outcomes: government entities, program funders, non-Native American neighborhood and development groups, and different segments of the Native American community. As NACDI shares this Vision and

Action Plan with community stakeholders, it is important to address each of them according to their relative positions and interest in realizing a Cultural Corridor that is inclusive of everyone.

24 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Vision for the American Indian Cultural Corridor

The American Indian Cultural Corridor is a vibrant destination that celebrates Native American identity and stimulates economic opportunity along Franklin Avenue. On the Corridor, Native

American people, community residents, and regional tourists come together to experience and engage with Native American cultures in public gathering spaces, arts, Indian-owned businesses and restaurants, and interactive learning environments. The Cultural Corridor is the backbone for a new era of Native

American community advancement that brings energy and vitality to Franklin Avenue.

The Cultural Corridor is part of a diverse community where everyday people live, work, and play. On the Corridor, parents can be seen walking their children to school down tree-lined sidewalks, making their way to the Franklin Avenue Station, or on their way to work at one of the local hospitals.

Older students coast by on their bikes, passing through one of the Corridor’s landmark entrances on their way to class at the university. During the day, elders gather to reflect and trade stories at the local

Native American café. Window shoppers browse the Corridor’s stores on their way to meet friends for lunch and to take in the latest Native exhibit or performance at one of the street’s galleries. In the evening, families and friends of all backgrounds gather at the park to enjoy the season, discuss current events, and make plans to attend the upcoming community festival. There is a palpable energy along the

American Indian Cultural Corridor stemming from its daily social and recreational activity, local arts and commerce, diversity of residents, and influx of visitors.

25 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Narrative Explanation

The Cultural Corridor is located on East Franklin Avenue between 11th Avenue South and the

Franklin Avenue Light Rail Transit station. This area has historically served as the urban heart of

Minneapolis’ Native American population. Franklin Avenue is currently home to several Native

American organizations including NACDI, the American Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center, the Minneapolis American Indian Center, American Indian Community Development Corporation,

Many Rivers housing complexes, and local tribal offices. Over 2,000 Native Americans live within the

Phillips neighborhood, including the Little Earth Community two blocks south of Franklin Avenue.

Building on existing assets in this location, the Cultural Corridor is an opportunity to continue economic

renewal efforts on Franklin Avenue and reawaken American Indian cultures in Minneapolis.

The American Indian Cultural Corridor is a celebrated destination that honors and strengthens

Native cultures. The Cultural Corridor provides a backdrop for Native Americans, neighborhood

residents of all backgrounds, and visitors to experience and share in the sights, sounds and tastes of

Minnesota’s Native cultures. Public art and recognizable landmarks tell the stories of Native people in

Minnesota. Green space surrounded by native trees and plants encourages gatherings that celebrate

American Indian cultures through games, powwows and performances. Market space, restaurants,

retailers, art galleries, and performance venues provide places where community members can hear

Native languages spoken, enjoy traditional Indian meals, and experience first-hand the unique aspects of

Minnesota’s living heritage. A renewed vitality along Franklin Avenue offers American Indians a

reason to stay and reinvest in the Phillips neighborhood, while visitors find a new and unique destination

in Minneapolis.

Native American entrepreneurial activity along the Cultural Corridor helps to build an urban

American Indian economy in Minneapolis and promote self-sufficiency through wealth generation and

26 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

living wage jobs. Corridor enterprises strengthen and prepare Native Americans for success in the 21st century. As Native Americans begin to own businesses and expand employment opportunities, the community can recycle more of its dollars and use its leverage to generate new growth. When neighborhood land values increase, more of the wealth created in the community will be retained as community assets. Business ownerships and Corridor jobs provide a renewed sense of hope and self- determination in Indian people as they realize their capacity to control their economic destiny.

The Cultural Corridor is managed by an inclusive group that bridges the resources and efforts of both Native American and non-Native American stakeholders. Leaders of the Cultural Corridor work with existing organizations such as Franklin Avenue Business Association, Ventura Village

Neighborhood Association, East Phillips Improvement Coalition, and Seward Neighborhood Group.

Collaboration with public sector entities such as the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, and Metro

Transit serves to strengthen and support Corridor planning efforts and infrastructure investments.

Together with these local groups, the Cultural Corridor supports Native arts and cultures, local business improvements, social and recreational opportunities, public safety, and connectivity for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users.

While the Cultural Corridor strengthens the presence of American Indians in Minneapolis, it provides benefits to the community as a whole. The Cultural Corridor is a vibrant destination, giving both locals and visitors a new reason to enjoy Minneapolis. It honors Native cultures and spurs new economic growth. As the latest regional asset and example of sustainable community development, the

Cultural Corridor is an exciting destination and presentation of Minnesota’s heritage.

27 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Action Plan for the American Indian Cultural Corridor

The American Indian Cultural Corridor Action Plan is informed by our diagnosis of the

Franklin Avenue area, stakeholder interviews, review of best practices in economic development, and completion of an Action-Oriented Causal Map with input from our client (Appendix D).

Causal mapping is an analytic process used to identify outcomes (both desired outcomes and unintended consequences) that result from a goal’s accomplishment, as well as the underlying strategies and actions necessary to achieve that goal (Bryson, 2004). The underlying goal we

analyzed with causal mapping was the creation of an American Indian Cultural Corridor while

the desired outcomes identified through causal mapping were associated with the project’s three

original objectives:

 Create economic opportunities  Foster an environment for self-sufficiency  Develop a sense of place.

The result of this thought process is a detailed action plan that is meant to translate the

project goals and vision statement into a reality. To achieve these objectives, we recommend

specific action items that generate quick wins, build upon near-term priorities, and achieve long-

term goals that lead to an American Indian Cultural Corridor. These actions are categorized into

six different strategies:

1. Coordinate Planning Activities 2. Market the Cultural Corridor 3. Share Native Cultures 4. Create Public Gathering Spaces 5. Create Private Gathering Spaces 6. Improve Infrastructure

Each strategy is supported by multiple action items, which are the result of discussions

with NACDI, interviews with community leaders, and the project team’s analysis of possible and

28 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

desirable outcomes in the Phillips neighborhood. While the Corridor must serve the needs of the

entire community, special care has been taken to represent the interests of American Indians. In

some cases, action items have been suggested by previous studies and plans for Franklin

Avenue; we hope this report reinforces the importance of those items and leads to their completion. In other cases, the action items are new ideas specific to the vision of an American

Indian Cultural Corridor.

Realization of the American Indian Cultural Corridor will be a process that begins with

quick, visible, and highly achievable action items. Many of the strategies listed in Share Native

Cultures will raise the visibility of the Cultural Corridor at a relatively low cost. It will be necessary to build on these quick wins to fully realize other strategies over the long term. For example, action strategies in Create Public Gathering Spaces are tied to major renovations of the

American Indian Center (AIC), a facility with entrenched leadership that is unlikely to embrace

such a project in the foreseeable future. Quick wins will assert the relevance of AIC renovations

and facilitate future change. Still other strategies for the Cultural Corridor must begin

immediately and remain on-going well into the future. While Marketing the Corridor begins

with introducing the concept to stakeholders, it must continue as development goals are realized

to ensure the Corridor’s long-term economic success in the region. Still other action strategies,

such as job training and entrepreneurial support, are also critical to both the initiation of the

Corridor and the on-going success of this community. Accomplishing each action item listed in

this report is not required. However, each success along the way will increase the visibility of

the Corridor and build support for the longest term and most far reaching action items.

As the progenitor of Cultural Corridor concept, NACDI is the cornerstone of this action

plan. Though the organization and its partners have considerable development knowledge and

29 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

experience already, creation of the Corridor will require a concerted effort to build additional human capacity to assist in the fulfillment of the Corridor’s objectives. An important aspect of the Cultural Corridor is that it benefits the entire community; its full realization is dependent on the active participation of all the residents, businesses, and organizations near Franklin Avenue.

The action plan is a comprehensive roadmap for the American Indian Cultural Corridor.

However, it cannot address all of the problems or issues of either the American Indian community or the Franklin Avenue area. The successful completion of these action items will, however, create significant dividends for the entire community, city, and region. Progress may be slow at first, but these items will build upon the success of previous efforts along Franklin

Avenue and, most importantly, directly benefit the residents of the neighborhood.

The following section is a condensed overview of the main action strategies that comprise our action plan. This section is meant to provide marketing material that NACDI can share with other stakeholders when explaining its vision and the components of the Cultural

Corridor. In Appendix E, we provide a detailed table that outlines each strategy, identifies barriers, prioritizes action items for implementation, and measures the relative cost of achieving each strategy. This report also includes an addendum describing each action item in detail for

NACDI to use internally for project guidance.

30 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Strategy: Coordinate Planning Activities

NACDI has a unique role in the American Indian non-profit community, serving primarily as an intermediary development organization that “builds collaborations and advances community development strategies and projects” (NACDI, 2008). Discussions with community leaders reveal both need and desire on the part of the American Indian community to be involved in shaping the future of Franklin Avenue and the Phillips neighborhoods. Many development projects have already occurred along Franklin Avenue and still others are planned by key public, private, and non-profit stakeholders. Therefore, it is imperative that NACDI continue to build collaborations and Coordinate Planning Activities across Native American and non-Native stakeholders so that these groups can work together toward common outcomes. This will ensure that the Cultural Corridor is widely supported while maintaining Native Americans’ voice in activities that will impact the Corridor and their daily lives.

NACDI’s mission positions the organization to serve as a bridge between the multiple stakeholders operating in the Phillips and Seward neighborhoods. Although there are several longstanding American Indian organizations in the area, few of them directly engage with other non-Native organizations such as the Ventura Village Neighborhood Association, Seward

Redesign, Seward Neighborhood Group, Franklin Artworks, and Project for Pride in Living. As we learned through interviews with community leaders like Steve Cramer, Executive Director of

Project for Pride in Living, non-Native organizations are open to engaging with the American

Indian community, but often do not know the best and most appropriate methods to reach out to this community. At the same time, American Indian leaders such as Bill Ziegler, President of

Little Earth, indicated that the American Indian community wants to be engaged and form long- lasting relationships with other organizations and the non-Indian community. NACDI must help

31 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

these organizations find common ground as they work jointly toward improving conditions on

Franklin Avenue. NACDI must also actively encourage the American Indian community to participate in public planning efforts so their ideas and desires are directly represented in public planning processes. As interest builds for transit-oriented development around the Franklin

Avenue Station, it is important that NACDI is well-positioned to participate in public processes regarding redevelopment proposals.

Five action items were identified that support the strategic goal to Coordinate Planning

Activities:

1. Host community meetings at Little Earth 2. Build support within the urban American Indian community for NACDI and its endeavors 3. Engage Minnesota and Wisconsin tribes 4. Build external political, neighborhood, and financial support 5. Engage Franklin Avenue businesses

The actions related to Coordinate Planning Activities support many of the desired outcomes of a Cultural Corridor, particularly those related to engaging a diverse set of stakeholders and fostering community participation. Expected outcomes include:

 Strengthen Political Power  Cultural Knowledge  Revitalize American Indian Cultures  Community Pride  Develop Sense of Community  "Energy"

32 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Host Community Meetings at Little Earth and throughout the Community he American Indian community, particularly the residents of Little Earth of United Tribes, is often left out of community engagement meetings. As stated by President Bill Ziegler, Little Earth is the “stronghold” Tof the American Indian community in Phillips and serves as a cultural touchstone. By hosting community meetings at Little Earth, it sends a message to the American Indian community that their input is welcome, needed, and appreciated.

Build Support within the Urban American Indian Community eographic dispersion and lack of interest among the American Indian community pose significant obstacles for engaging this group. So far, NACDI has achieved prominence among other American G Indian organizations and leaders in the city, but less visibility and support within the American Indian community at large. Regular activities like blogging, newsletters, community meetings, and other methods of direct communication will help foster community excitement, interest, and participation in NACDI’s efforts to create self- sufficiency, economic vitality, and relationship building.

Engage Minnesota and Wisconsin Tribes (Ojibwe, Dakota, Ho­Chunk) o engage the major Minnesota and Wisconsin tribes, NACDI must approach, inform, and ask for guidance and opinions regarding the Cultural Corridor from each of these bands. The scope of work necessary to T make the Phillips neighborhood a place that encourages self-sufficiency and entrepreneurial activity is beyond the ability of a single organization. A stronger connection between reservations, tribal governments, and the American Indian community in Phillips will help generate the financial, spiritual, and technical support needed to achieve these goals.

Build External Political, Neighborhood, and Financial Support ACDI is well known among American Indian leaders in Minneapolis; however, it is less well known among non-Native community leaders and organizations. Building relationships outside of the American N Indian Community will be critical to the development of the Cultural Corridor since the input and participation of many diverse groups are critical to its success.

Engage Franklin Avenue Businesses upport of local area businesses is crucial to the full development of the American Indian Cultural Corridor. Strengthening the S effectiveness of the existing Franklin Ave Businesses Association should be a focus for NACDI; a strong business association brings funding, ideas, entrepreneurial expertise, and a cohesive community agenda that can assist efforts in the neighborhood.

33 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Strategy: Market the Cultural Corridor

The Corridor must be a well-known destination to survive and thrive. NACDI must take

the lead in establishing and branding the American Indian Cultural Corridor. Gateways, banners, color schemes, and signage will create a distinct look and feel and give geographic identify to the physical space. Boundaries can be established with banners and gateway structures indicating

the two ends of the Corridor. Marketing the Cultural Corridor is not a series of one-time events, but an ongoing activity that NACDI must undertake throughout the Corridor’s lifespan.

Recommended action items associated with this strategy are:

1. Create a Corridor branding and marketing plan 2. Create "gateways," hang street banners, and post way-finding signage 3. Promote the Cultural Corridor 4. Create a special services district

These action items are not ends unto themselves, but provide the means for achieving Corridor goals that support place-making and establishing economic power. Specific outcomes associated with Marketing the Cultural Corridor include:

 Create Destination  Improve Perception of Safety  Develop a Regional Asset  Attract Visitors and Tourists  Community Pride  Indians Stay in the Community  Attract New Dollars to Community  Strengthen Political Power  Less Dependency

Major elements of the Corridor, particularly those related to public space, art, and infrastructure require a far-reaching implementation plan that has broad community and organizational support. Therefore, Marketing the Cultural Corridor goes hand-in-hand with

34 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

strategies to Coordinate Planning Activities with other stakeholders. Marketing the Cultural

Corridor will promote actions related to Sharing Native American Cultures and celebrate the destinations that are Improved Public Gathering Spaces. The Corridor can only achieve these economic and place-making outcomes with local commitment to establish this destination as a regional asset. Therefore, a diverse stakeholder set needs to be engaged when promoting the

Cultural Corridor. NACDI should partner with existing umbrella organizations such as Ventura

Village Neighborhood Association and Franklin Avenue Business Association to achieve their input and buy-in. Public agencies, such as the City of Minneapolis through CPED and Public

Works, Metro Transit, and Hennepin County, can provide funding and or improve Corridor infrastructure. NACDI should also tap into local American Indian artists and sculptors for creation of the “gateways” and banner designs.

The Corridor should also be promoted regionally with the help of stakeholders such as

Mystic Lake (Casino and Mall of America booth), the Minneapolis Visitors Bureau, the Twin

Cities Chamber of Commerce, and on Metro Transit’s trains and buses. Native American communities travel frequently between reservations and the Twin Cities; promotional activities should be coordinated with the Tribal Embassy (see Create Private Gathering Spaces action items) and with regional reservations. NACDI also needs to proactively celebrate Corridor successes by submitting articles and press releases regarding the Corridor to local and regional publications.

One of NACDI's biggest overall challenges with the Corridor is capacity: in this case the expertise to create marketing materials and sustain on-going marketing activities. NACDI should consider hiring outside expertise to develop an overall Corridor Marketing Plan. This plan should also include style guidelines for the Corridor’s name, logo, approved color schemes,

35 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

and branding uses. Once branding for the Corridor is established, NACDI will need to communicate the branding to all Corridor stakeholders and leverage existing elements of the

Corridor (e.g. art, public spaces, private spaces) to create marketing brochures, a website, media packets, and press releases. Staff time for relationship building and continuous marketing and must be on-going. In order to realize the vision of the American Indian Cultural Corridor as a regional asset and source of community pride, marketing strategies must proactively promote this destination to regional stakeholders and residents.

36 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Create Corridor Branding and Marketing Plan

Marketing Plan and resulting materials will facilitate communication with other stakeholders, ensure consistent branding messages, and A create a sense of legitimacy for the Corridor. Forums should be created for promoting the Corridor to the community, local and regional audiences, and Midwest Native American reservations.

Create Gateways, Hang Street Banners, and Post Way­Finding Signage he Cultural Corridor will develop a distinct geographic identity through physical “gateways” at each end, branded banners along the Avenue, and signage directing visitors to and around the Corridor. Local TAmerican Indian artists should be commissioned to create gateways and to design street banners and public signage. Community input on plans and designs will produce buy-in for the Corridor concept.

Promote the Cultural Corridor he health of the Cultural Corridor is dependent on sustaining energy and momentum that is built over several years. The Cultural Corridor requires ongoing promotion – locally, regionally, and on reservations T– to establish itself as a regional asset and destination. In turn, the Corridor can become a source of community pride and a place where Indians want to live and do business.

Create a Special Services District rojects and programs that specifically benefit the Corridor’s public realm could be partially funded through a special services district. Designation as P a special services district allows landowners to pool funds that pay for public improvements such as street furniture and lighting, security measures, and tree care. If established, ongoing work with FABA and Public Works is required for the administration of special services district funds.

37 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Strategy: Share Native American Cultures

The American Indian Cultural Corridor is meant to be inclusive of all regional Native

American groups as well as non-Native American groups. Regardless of background, any community member or visitor can participate in all that the Corridor has to offer. As such,

Sharing Native American Cultures is a cornerstone of the vision for a Cultural Corridor. Sharing

Native American Cultures can be achieved through a number of actions:

1. Commission public art 2. Host community events and activities 3. Support Native American art exhibits and performances 4. Create new spaces for artists

The actions related to Sharing Native American Cultures support many of the desired outcomes of a Cultural Corridor, particularly those related to place-making and economic diversity. Expected outcomes include:

 Revitalize American Indian Cultures  Increase Cultural Knowledge Within and Outside the Native Community  Create a Destination  Create Landmarks  Attract Visitors and Tourists  Attract New Dollars to the Community  Generate Wealth  Diversify the Economic Base  Develop Community Pride  Develop a Sense of Community  Improve Perceptions of Public Safety

NACDI currently lacks the capacity and expertise to support each of the actions required to Share Native American Cultures. NACDI may consider developing its own capacity by establishing an arts sector focus (similar to its media and health sectors) and hiring the necessary expertise in-house. Regardless of whether NACDI adds arts and culture capacity, it should also

38 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

partner with existing organizations that already support local arts and artists. For example, Heid

Erdrich, famed writer, Ancient Traders curator, and sister to two other celebrated Native

American authors; as well as Juanita Espinosa, the Two Rivers Gallery curator, are existing

leaders within Phillips’ Native American arts community. Their galleries and performance space

are integral to nurturing arts and culture along Franklin Avenue. The Ventura Village

Neighborhood Association, which hosted its first arts festival last year, and All Nations Church, which hosts an annual Native American craft fair, are both good places to begin collaboration on community festivals and art displays. NACDI should continue to seek collaboration opportunities with these and other organizations.

Inclusiveness is a guiding principle of the American Indian Cultural Corridor. Better outcomes can be achieved by sharing Native American arts and cultures within the urban Indian community and with non-Native Americans. The Corridor should be an umbrella for both

Native American and non-Native community arts and cultural events in order to strengthen and support place-making in the Corridor. Actions related to Sharing Native American Cultures, particularly commissioning public art along the Corridor and in public gathering spaces, can engage the community, create a sense of place, and establish the legitimacy of the Cultural

Corridor ahead of more capital and resource intensive actions such as Creating Private

Gathering Spaces. Arts and culture related activities can also precede Franklin Avenue and LRT

Infrastructure Improvements, which are largely reliant on governmental entities for funding and implementation.

The Corridor needs to be properly marketed to gain recognition as a local and regional destination. Marketing the Corridor will benefit from an expanding and vibrant Native

American arts and cultural hub along Franklin Avenue. Art exhibits, performances, and signature events such as a festival, can provide a catalyst for celebrating Native American

39 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

cultures ahead of bringing Native restaurants and small businesses to the Corridor. Moreover, the American Indian Cultural Corridor does not need to be an island of Native history and culture in the region. A stronger sense of Native cultures can be achieved and ultimately marketed by connecting the Corridor with other local Native American landmarks such as Minnehaha Falls and historic Fort Snelling.

Urban Native American artists live in and around the Phillips neighborhood, but most lack access to space, mentors and capital. There is a cultural and class divide between Native

American artists and non-Native venues that prevent Native Americans from utilizing these existing resources. Without direct support of Native American artists by the Native American community these gaps will remain. However, existing exhibit and performance space in Ancient

Traders and Two Rivers Gallery is inadequate. New and upgraded venues will provide Native

American artists with premiere space to exhibit their art and perform within the Cultural

Corridor. To be an inclusive Cultural Corridor, the area needs to embrace all entities within the

Corridor including non-Native arts and cultural centers. Supporting Native American artists and bridging the cultural divide with non-Native arts venues is a challenge that should be addressed.

Actions related to Sharing Native American Cultures can provide quick wins for the

Cultural Corridor and build momentum for large scale change. Without embracing Native arts and cultures, the Corridor will continue along a slow path of physical transformation and miss out on the benefits of a creative population segment that is central to revitalizing cultures.

40 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Commission Public Art ublic art is a way to celebrate and share Native American heritages and peoples with all Franklin P Avenue residents and visitors. To implement this strategy, NACDI should commission local American Indian artists and sculptors and engage youth organizations. One organization NACDI may solicit is Marilyn Lindstrom's Safe Art program, which created a Native American mosaic in the Franklin Avenue Library a few years ago (DesJarlait & Lindstrom, n.d.).

Running Wolf Fitness photo by K. Hendricks, Dec. 28, 2007, Flickr

Host Community Events and Activities ignature Cultural Corridor events such as an annual or bi-annual community festival can Sprovide a catalyst for celebrating Native American cultures in the community at large. On a more frequent basis, American Indian cultures can be shared within and outside of the Native American community through community education classes, guest speakers, dance displays, and art or historic exhibits.

Support Native American Artists & Arts Venues rban Native American artists live in and around the Phillips neighborhood. U Leadership is required to connect Native artists with venues for exhibits, performances, and informal sharing. A permanent Native American Interpretive Center could serve as a regional destination for showcasing Native American art and cultures. Ultimately, an expanding and vibrant Native American arts and cultural hub will facilitate Marketing the Corridor and continually provide new activity at this destination.

41 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Strategy: Improve Public Gathering Spaces

Public spaces are well-loved destinations that everyone in the community can visit and enjoy. Public spaces, whether outdoor or indoor, are safe, welcoming and friendly environments when they are well-used. They are places kids ride to on their bikes, elders sit and share stories, and neighbors greet one another. Public gathering spaces are innately flexible in the kinds of activity they encourage. They can be places to display art, host a market, play games, hold a powwow, invite a speaker, or simply enjoy the weather. Without these spaces, the American

Indian Cultural Corridor would lack focal points or obvious centers to host cultural activities.

Public space is the cornerstone of civic life and will underpin the vibrancy of the Cultural

Corridor. To Improve Public Gathering Space on Franklin Avenue, we make the following recommendations:

1. Renovate the American Indian Center 2. Improve gathering space around the American Indian Center 3. Instigate community tree plantings

Public gathering space improvements on the Cultural Corridor will support the following outcomes:

 Develop Sense of Community  Improve Perception of Safety  Create Landmarks  Community Pride  Revitalize American Indian Cultures  Attract Visitors and Tourists  Increase Land Values

Because the American Indian Center is the main emphasis of this action area, NACDI will have little direct control over how and when strategy implementation occurs. However, NACDI

42 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

can work closely with the AIC Board of Directors to support and encourage them in this project.

Funding is the biggest obstacle to renovations; as a non-profit enterprise, the AIC building is

ineligible for most public sector redevelopment grants that target residential and commercial

properties. Compounding this issue, AIC recently conducted a capital campaign that failed to

attract funds for basic building upgrades. As part of this action strategy, NACDI can work with

the AIC Board to help locate alternative sources of funding. Building support among charitable

foundations and regional tribes will be key sources of project funds, as well as introducing

revenue-generating tenants to the AIC site.

As it plans renovations, the AIC Board needs to determine how programming for the

building and its grounds supports the goals of the Cultural Corridor. Unfortunately, much of the

space in the current building is used for social service agencies rather than cultural activities.

Some progress is being made toward reclaiming the AIC as a space for culture-building; AIC is

currently taking steps to create theater space and a community arts space in the building’s

basement. To build on this activity, NACDI and the Board of Directors should host a community

visioning process to assess the community and Corridor’s needs from the site and determine

desired new uses that promote cultural activity. Many activities listed in the Share Native

Cultures action area could be housed in the renovated AIC. After completing the visioning

process, AIC should commission renovations that support this programming. NACDI can help

relocate existing agencies by finding other appropriate sites on the Cultural Corridor.

Community tree plantings are a relatively small initiative that can provide intangible

benefits to the whole community. Trees create shade, increase property values, mitigate air

pollution and enhance the walking environment. These benefits address some of community

members’ specific concerns mentioned in NACDI’s visioning process; unclean air and an

43 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

unfriendly pedestrian environment. Meanwhile, the action of planting and caring for trees can

bring communities together; school groups, business associations, and neighborhood groups can all be involved in planting and maintaining trees on community property. We recommend the

Franklin Area Business Association build on its leverage with local businesses to spearhead this

project. One source of partnership in initiating this endeavor is Tree Trust, a local non-profit that

helps communities plant trees and provides on-going maintenance.

44 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Renovate the American Indian Center ew programming in the AIC will invigorate this site as a center for Native American culture and activity. The AIC will be known community-wide as a space for art displays and performances, community events, N craft markets, and classes that share native cultures among Native and non-Native Americans alike. Renovations at the AIC will facilitate this programming and recreate the aging structure into an attractive place for visitors. As a unique cultural landmark and public space, the AIC is positioned to become one of the Cultural Corridor’s strongest assets.

Improve Gathering Space around the Indian Center omplermenting interior renovations at the AIC, the exterior space should also be upgraded to create an attractive front entrance and safe outdoor area. We specifically recommend: C  Removing the underutilized amphitheater and leveling ground in front of the AIC  Re-landscaping in front of AIC to create an attractive, safe and obvious front entrance. This landscaping could include public art and “story-telling” displays  Modernizing the AIC sign as a means to promote the entrance  Consider alternative sites for an above-ground amphitheater such as East Phillips Park, on the AIC site behind the building, or in the enclosed yard created by Anishinabe Wakiagun and the proposed affordable housing on that site

Host Community Tree Plantings dding trees along Franklin Ave is a relatively low cost effort and undeniable community benefit. In a “pedestrian-challenging” area like the Anishinabe Wakiagun approach, trees will invite pedestrians to A walk from the station to businesses on Franklin. Trees could also be linked to the strategy Share Native Cultures; each tribe could choose a representative species from a MN reservation and plant it on the Corridor. Meanwhile, the act of planting and maintaining trees can be used as a community-building tool to link local businesses, neighborhood groups, school groups, and tribal representatives in this project.

45 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Strategy: Create Private Gathering Spaces

Private gathering spaces are businesses that celebrate American Indian culture through their products, business practices, ownership, or employment opportunities for American Indians.

Private gathering spaces can be small shops or restaurants that specialize in American Indian products or food. They are places people can meet friends and spend time with one another over a game of pool, beverage, or bite to eat. Private gathering spaces can also be business and manufacturing enterprises that increase American Indian ownership and employment. These businesses promote Native American values through their work practices and ethics and offer

American Indians the opportunity to earn a living wage. We recommend the following actions to

Create Private Gathering Spaces in the American Indian Cultural Corridor:

1. Cultivate business and entrepreneurial skills, and provide job training 2. Develop business enterprises at all scales 3. Consolidate Tribal offices to form a Tribal Embassy 4. Capture redevelopment opportunities on existing parcels

Expected outcomes from Creating Private Gathering Spaces include:  Indian Ownership  Wealth Generation  Living Wage Jobs  Diversified Economic Base  Wealth Stays in Community  Indians Stay in the Community  Develop Sense of Community  Attract Visitors & Tourists  Attract New Dollars to the Community  Less Dependency  Create Destination  Community Pride  Increase Land Values  Strengthen Political Power

46 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Private Gathering Spaces are a critical element to the Cultural Corridor. Some of their benefits are essential to the Corridor itself: increased property values, safe and attractive pedestrian environments, and redevelopment of existing land uses in ways that leverage wealth.

Other benefits of these gathering spaces will penetrate throughout the community at large in real but invisible ways. Increased social interaction among residents can ultimately lead to strengthened political power as neighbors get to know one another, support local business owners, and participate in neighborhood redevelopment meetings. Intangible benefits also include community pride in an environment that creates living wage jobs Native Americans are prepared to succeed in.

The pillar of this action item lies not in parcel redevelopment but in job training and entrepreneurial skill development among American Indians. Though these programs have a long timeline for success, they are essential in preparing American Indians to realize the benefits and take advantage of the economic opportunities the Cultural Corridor will create. These programs should be concurrent with any site redevelopment NACDI undertakes.

Site redevelopment and initiating business activities will be a long process that NACDI must complete on a parcel-by-parcel, business-by-business basis. Any one of the strategies listed below could consume NACDI’s entire staff capacity (or more) at a given point in time. As

NACDI prepares for redevelopment opportunities to become available, it should be building partnerships with other organizations that can assist in such tasks as project financing, community visioning, small business support, and real estate management. Each of the action items below is an opportunity for NACDI and the American Indian community to develop skills in these areas.

While the Cultural Corridor may be “incomplete” until all of the strategies are achieved, each action item represents a major victory toward the realization of the Corridor.

47 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Cultivate Business and Entrepreneurial Skills, and Provide Job Training onnect American Indians with programming that prepares them with skills necessary to succeed in living wage jobs. These skills should target C small business entrepreneurs, manufacturing and industrial training, and basic entry-level employment. As new development occurs on Franklin Avenue, these projects can in turn become training opportunities for Native Americans in such fields as construction, skilled trades, and project management. Successful business training programs will spur community wealth generation, financial independence, and future economic opportunities for members of this community.

Develop Business Enterprises at All Scales o become a vibrant and thriving commercial street, Franklin Avenue needs businesses that serve community needs, create jobs, and attract new wealth to the community. At Indian-owned enterprises, T Native and non-Native Americans enjoy patronizing and experiencing Native culture through interactions with staff, other patrons, or a product. As NACDI begins to promote small and large business development on the Corridor, an American Indian market could serve as an incubator for entrepreneurial skills and add festivity to the neighborhood.

Consolidate Tribal Offices to Form a Tribal Embassy onsolidating urban tribal offices into a shared space on Franklin Avenue will lead to increased interaction and coordination among tribal leaders. This will encourage tribes to jointly leverage assets, strengthening C their political power as they unite to address common community issues. This tribal embassy will help foster a stronger “sense of place” for the American Indian community and may increase interaction between reservations and urban American Indian tribal members.

Capture Redevelopment Opportunities on Existing Parcels and ownership is a key component of building equity and attracting new business development to the Cultural Corridor. LAmple undeveloped and underutilized space exists along Franklin, creating opportunity to add more offices and businesses. In addition, upgrading existing sites will attract customers and quality tenants to the neighborhood. New development will excite the community as they realize the benefits of reinvestment. Specific redevelopment sites include the Community-University Health Center, the AIOIC, and Cedar Box/Ambles.

48 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Strategy: Improve Infrastructure

Despite a decade of considerable public and private investment along Franklin Avenue, significant infrastructure challenges still remain. The intersection of Franklin, Hiawatha, and

Cedar Avenues is confusing to motorists and unwelcoming to pedestrians. The light rail station remains isolated above Franklin Avenue, surrounded by legacy land uses and fences. The

Ventura Village and Seward neighborhoods remain separated by a “no-man’s land” of traffic lanes, dark underpasses, and empty space.

Some of the challenges of this area are the result of unfinished work: streetscape improvements completed by Hennepin County and Minneapolis in 2000 have not been extended,

Mn/DOT has not yet turned over excess land for development, and the light rail station remains poorly connected to the street. In other cases, area infrastructure challenges are the result of decisions made during development of the light rail station. One of these challenges is the site placement of the Hiawatha Rail Operations and Maintenance Facility. According to Minneapolis

Economic Development Senior Project Coordinator Mark Garner, the community asked Metro

Transit during station planning to shift the shops and yard facility slightly north, enabling development of the land adjacent to Franklin Avenue. Metro Transit demurred, expecting to expand this facility during development of the new Central Corridor transit line. As indicated recently by Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, a new maintenance facility is scheduled elsewhere and this expansion will no longer occur. The result is a nearly undevelopable tract of land just south of the rail yard and a disappointed community.

The infrastructure problems of the Franklin Avenue Station area are well-known and extensively documented in numerous studies and plans. These include the 1999 Hiawatha LRT

Corridor Transit-Oriented Development Market Study, the 2000 Linking Light Rail Transit to the

City, the 2001 Franklin/Cedar-Riverside Transit Oriented Development Master Plan, and the

49 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

2005 Franklin Ave LRT Station Development Implementation Plan. It is no longer a matter of study or further understanding holding back redevelopment of this part of Franklin Avenue; it is the lack of action on recommendations contained in those studies and plans.

Although NACDI does not have a direct role in Improving the Infrastructure of the neighborhood, it can inform future planning processes, ensure the American Indian community has a voice in redevelopment, and influence the decisions of key actors such as the City of

Minneapolis, Hennepin County, and the Metropolitan Council. The following action items were identified to support the Corridor strategy to Improve Infrastructure:

1. Participate in Franklin Avenue streetscape project 2. Improve the Franklin Avenue Light Rail Station 3. Connect the American Indian Cultural Corridor to the Light Rail Station 4. Develop a Parking Plan for Franklin Avenue

Much of this infrastructure related work, unfortunately, will take many years to fully develop into tangible projects. Infrastructure projects are too expensive, too wide-ranging, and involve so many stakeholders that quick actions are seldom possible or even preferable.

However, it is important to be engaged early so that active participation is possible and the community has a strong voice against any adverse decisions. Most decisions in projects have been made by the time public hearings are held. Starting early and engaging the responsible agencies before planning is complete are keys to exercising real influence. If the recommended infrastructure improvements can be achieved, the following political and economic outcomes are expected within the Corridor:

 Strengthen Political Power  Improve Perception of Safety  Increase Land Values  Create Destination  Attract Visitors and Tourists

50 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Participate in Franklin Avenue Streetscape Project ater in 2009, federal funding will be available to complete the streetscape redesign along Franklin Avenue from the American Indian Center to 21st LAvenue across Hiawatha Avenue. It is important that NACDI and the American Indian Community participate in the public planning process for this project to represent their own interests and use this project to advance the goal of the American Indian Cultural Corridor.

Improve the Franklin Avenue Light Rail Station ven though the Franklin Avenue light rail station is well maintained and in good condition, aspects of its design and location make it seem unsafe to pedestrians and bicyclists. Including station improvements that E better connect the station to the street, improve safety, and incorporate art are an important step that NACDI can undertake since it could attract foundation interest and government funding to improve the area.

Connect the American Indian Cultural Corridor to the Light Rail Station lthough design of the light rail station area separates it from the Ventura Village and A Seward neighborhoods, other transportation decisions have divided these neighborhoods further and made station access cumbersome. A plan for the Cultural Corridor could help ease these barriers by informing public and private development efforts in the neighborhood about ideas to improve walkability, pedestrian-oriented design, and desires of the community. These would fill “no- man’s land” areas with landscaping, new development and story-telling displays that draw people from the station to the Corridor.

Develop a Parking Plan for Franklin Avenue hile many potential visitors to the Cultural Corridor will use transit, many more visitors will come to the area by car. Franklin Avenue has sufficient on-street and off-street parking to serve neighborhood W businesses, but there is an uneven distribution of available parking that makes development and increasing density of the neighborhood difficult. A shared parking agreement among Franklin Avenue businesses would improve access for all businesses and make the Cultural

Corridor a more viable commercial and retail destination.

51 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Action Plan Conclusion

Together, the six strategies identified to create an American Indian Cultural Corridor –

Coordinate Planning, Market the Corridor, Share Native American Cultures, Improve Public

Spaces, Create Private Spaces, and Improve Infrastructure – will realize the Corridor’s vision

for economic opportunity, self-sufficiency, and a sense of place for the Native American

community. Though interconnected, these strategies can each stand alone as viable activities in

their own right. NACDI may pursue these strategies individually or in tandem as capacity,

funding, and opportunity allows. The realization of these strategies will require long-term

support and commitment on the part of NACDI and other stakeholders.

Implementation of the Cultural Corridor’s vision “must be both incremental as well as

comprehensive,” just as Michael Burayidi proclaimed for the success of downtown revitalizations (2001). Each strategy is supported by numerous action items, which are categorized as quick win, near term, or long term goals. If broadly celebrated and communicated, the Corridor’s quick win and near term action items will “build confidence and morale because they show accomplishments” to community members, donors, investors, and public officials (Burayidi, 2001). Accomplishing long-term goals will result from project momentum that is sustained by leadership, funding, and community interest.

An overarching concern for the American Indian Cultural Corridor’s success is NACDI’s organizational capacity. On top of its current activities, NACDI will need to assume multiple roles in relation to the Corridor as leader, gatekeeper, influencer, funder, convener, and

promoter. NACDI currently lacks the staff, funding, and in some cases power and expertise to

lead all of the Corridor strategies and action items. We have provided recommendations with

each action item as to who should take the leadership role and how NACDI can contribute to the

action strategy. Realization of the Corridor’s vision will require NACDI to honestly evaluate its

52 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

capacity and effectively collaborate with other stakeholders to take the lead on appropriate action items.

As implementation of the American Indian Cultural Corridor proceeds, ongoing evaluation of the Corridor’s strategies and action items is required to gauge the effectiveness of the action plan and progress towards the vision. Measuring and monitoring the expected outcomes that were identified with each action item will require NACDI to identify a baseline set of evaluation criteria and benchmarks, determine an evaluation method, and commit resources to the evaluation process. Deliberate action can then be taken throughout the process, rather than a blind pursuit of this project’s objectives. Furthermore, funders and other influential stakeholders will call for demonstrable progress in exchange for continued support.

This report provides NACDI with a roadmap of future action as the organization strives to implement the American Indian Cultural Corridor on Franklin Avenue. Combined, the proposed strategies will create significant dividends for the entire community, the city, and the region. Achievements may be small at first, but these items will build upon the success of previous efforts along Franklin Avenue and, most importantly, directly benefit the residents of the neighborhood.

53 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Appendix A – Franklin Avenue Maps Map 1. Phillips Neighborhoods, Minneapolis. Map 2. Franklin Ave Station Area Land Use, 2009. Map 3. Franklin Ave Station Area. Map 4. American Indian Cultural Corridor and Hiawatha Light Rail Line.

54 Map 1. Phillips Neighborhoods, Minneapolis

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Neighborhoods East Phillips City Ward Boundaries Midtown Phillips American Indian Cultural Corridor 0280 560 1,120 Phillips West Feet ¯ Ventura Village Source: Metrogis, 2009 Created by: Brad Christ, 4/27/2009 Map 2. Franklin Ave Light Rail Station Area Land Use, 2009

Franklin Ave Franklin Ave Light Rail Station bÆ

H M iaw in n at e e h v h a A a r h A a a v d e e A v 11th Ave C e

East Phillips Park

Land Use Low Density Residential Commercial Institutional Vacant Low Density Residential Vacant Commercial Transportation 0 160 320 480 High Density Residential Industrial Parks and Open Space Feet ¯ Source: Metrogis, 2009 Vacant High Density Residential Vacant Industrial Created by: Brad Christ, 3/16/2009 Map 3. Franklin Ave Light Rail Station Area

3

22 4

21

18 19 20 19 Franklin Ave 2 1 17 16 15 14 13 Hiawatha Ave Minnehaha Ave 5 7 12

11th Ave

Cedar Ave

6 11

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1. Franklin Ave Light Rail Station 8. Little Earth of United Tribes 15. Aldi 2. MNDoT Site 9. Indian Health Board 16. Ancient Trader’s Market 3. Hiawatha Maintenance Facility 10. All-Nations Church 17. Project for Priding in Living HQ 4. Cabooze/Whisky Junction, 11. East Phillips Park 18. Franklin Street Bakery North Scooterville 12. Minneapolis Public Housing 19. Many Rivers West/East 0240 480 5. American Indian OIC 13. Community-University Health Care 20. Franklin Library Feet 6. Bystrom Brothers Site Center 21. American Indian Center Source: City of Minneapolis, 2009 7. Cedar Box/Ambles 14. Franklin Business Center 22. Anishinabe Waukigan Created by Brad Christ, 3/16/2009 Map 4. American Indian Cultural Corridor and Hiawatha Light Rail Line Æb ÆbÆb Downtown MinneapolisÆb

394 §¦¨ 35WÆb §¦¨ §¦¨94 Cedar Lake Æb Franklin Ave Station M i ss Lake of the Isles is si pp i R iv Æb er Lake Street Station

Lake Calhoun Æb §¦¨35W

Lake Harriet Æb

Æb Minnehaha Falls and Park Lake Nokomis Æb

Æb Historic Fort Snelling

Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport Æb

r Æb e iv R ta so e n in M §¦¨494 Mall of America Æb Æb Æb §¦¨35E

American Indian Cultural Corridor Interstate Freeways and Major Highways Hiawatha Light Rail Line Æb 0120.5 Light Rail Stations Miles ¯ Source: Metrogis, 2009 Created by: Brad Christ, 4/28/2009 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Appendix B – SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses •NACDI has regional and national support •Lack of cohesive strategy and vision for area •NACDI has a strong and influential board •Poor urban design choices •NACDI creates opportunity for self‐determination •North‐South bias to station area development •Strong representation by Vice President, Minneapolis City Council Robert Lilligren •Infrastructure built for vehicular traffic •Support of Mayor R. T. Rybak •Easements and restrictions on AIOIC site •Support of Commissioner Peter McLaughlin •Existing land uses‐underutilized, legacy land uses •Minneapolis recognized nationally as top Native American population center •MNDOT traffic noise barriers •Concentration of urban Native American population in South Minneapolis •Anishinabe Wakiagun site placement •Neighborhood is focus for American Indian organizations •Future development depends heavily on public investment •Native Land ownership and favorable equity to debt ratio •Access to credit within the Native American community is low •Strong Native American culture, resiliency, spirituality •Native American organizational aversion to debt •Relational and familial focus of the Native American culture •Inability to use Federal American Indian funds in urban setting •Mobility of the Native American population •Local non‐Native resources underutilized by Native Americans:, e.g. library, Aldi, Franklin •Native American history of entrepreneurialism Street Bakery, PPL training programs •American Indian Center as a gathering space •Aversion to sharing space and services with non‐American Indians •AIOIC property •History of urban Native Americans reinforces insularity •Connectivity via Franklin LRT Station •Urban Indians’ loss of cultural identify through urban living, tension with return to roots •Relationship with Minneapolis Community Technical College •Reservation‐Urban Indian disconnect re: investment, projects, politics •Tribal disinterest, lack of involvement, minimal support •Lack of formal education of the local urban American Indian population •American Indian Center underutilized and misused •Little Earth community is distinct community from Franklin Ave •Great Neighborhoods!’ has shifted focus to Broadway Ave; loss of community trust SWOT Analysis

Opportunities Threats •NACDI‐ability to represent American Indian community •Continued dispersion of the American Indian community •Strong political support •Over‐programming of American Indian leadership •Franklin Ave designated as commercial corridor •NACDI results are not immediately visible •City of Minneapolis’ Great Streets program •Perpetuation of Pan‐Indian, homogenization phenomenon •MNDOT to Hennepin County Land Transfers •Presence of outsiders—threat to American Indian community cohesion and place‐making •TEA‐21 Franklin Avenue streetscaping project •Tension between neighborhood organizations and different visions for Franklin Ave and •22nd Avenue Realignment (Bystrom Brothers Re‐development) LRT station •Strong local, regional, and national interest in Transit Oriented Development •Competition amongst organizations over the same spaces •Busy inter‐modal transportation station •Distrust and collaboration issues with non‐Native American organizations •Well‐studied area •Turf battles between Native American organizations •Underdeveloped and undeveloped land available •Focus of city leaders could shift to other neighborhoods •Great potential for American Indian Center re‐use •Sustaining internal and external momentum—more setbacks like the failure of •Fort Snellingredevelopment; potential relocation of AIOIC training activities Ambles/Cedar Box redevelopment could derail other redevelopment projects •Redevelopment of AIOIC site •Current economy •Active neighborhood organizations •Outsiders’ perception of a poverty neighborhood •Alliance with the Phillips Partnership •Social service focus of the neighborhood creates negative perceptions of the •Pride of the Native American community neighborhood •Leverage and wealth of local American Indian organizations •Anishinabe Wakiagun site as gateway to neighborhood •Cultural Heritage of American Indians •Lack of successful local American Indian businesses •Increased interest in improving cross‐tribal relationships •Few role models •Interest in American Indian culture by non‐Native Americans and Native Americans •Immigrant populations are better leveraging public and non‐profit resources without a sense of history/roots •Mall of America and regional tourism

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Appendix C – Power vs. Interest Grid

Power vs. Interest Grid SubjectsSyd Beane NACDI Players Ventura AICDC AIOIC Mpls Councilman All MCTC Village NA CPED Lilligren Nations Com m issioner Church FABA EPIC McLaughlin

MIGIZI Indian Franklin Ave Seward Comm. Health Businesses Redesign Board

MN OIC (B. Means) MIWRC LERA HOPE Seward LSS Businesses Mpls Mayor Mpls Am. Rybak Indian Center Red Lake, Visitors PPL McKnight State Rep. Hennepin Cty White Earth, 3rd Precinct Mille Foundation Clark Commissioners Franklin AIM (C. Leech Lake, Lacs Funders Library Bellecourt) Shakopee Band Bands Indian Press/ Mpls Visitor Allina Great State Sen. Mpls Public Media Bureau Foundation Am. Indian Neighborhoods Berglin Works Interest Chamber of (Theresa Carr) Commerce Community MN Indian Youth Affairs Phillips Mpls City Partnership Council Community Councilwoman Franklin Art Little Earth Am. Indian Elders Goodman Works Residents Residents Augsburg Key: Public E. African Met Council Government Housing Residents Board Business Residents TC Chamber Phillips U of MN Metro MN DoT Non Profit LRT Riders of Commerce Area Physicians DEED Transit Downtown Hospitals Clinic Native Employers American Local Land Local Homeless Owners Individuals The Crowd Context Setters Academia

Power

56 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Appendix D – Action­Oriented Causal Map

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Appendix E – Action Item Summary Coordinate Planning Activities

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Host community NACDI LERA, EPIC, Mpls ‐ Plan and host community meetings and NACDI, Little $1 ‐ Quick ‐ Lack of participation by Little Strengthen Political Power Little Earth residents feeling "left out" of meetings and planning CPED, Mpls Public focus groups for Corridor projects at Little Earth, AICDC Win Earth residents Community Pride process. Fewer American Indians engaged in sessions at Little Earth Works Earth Develop Sense of Community broader community "Energy" Build Support within NACDI LERA, AIC, AIOIC, ‐ Solicit community input and regularly NACDI $ 2 ‐ Near ‐ Dispersed American Indian Strengthen Political Power Lack of community involvement and support. urban American Indian Indian Health Board, inform the American Indian community Term community Community Pride A Cultural Corridor in name‐only community All Nations Church, ‐ Promote successes and preview upcoming ‐ Lack of interest Develop Sense of Community MIGIZI, AICDC developments ‐ Community disappointment over Revitalize American Indian Cultures length of time required to achieve results Engage Minnesota/ NACDI Leaders of other ‐ Approach, inform, and ask for guidance and NACDI (staff $2 ‐ Near ‐ Inter‐tribal tension Strengthen Political Power Lack of tribal interest and investment Wisconsin Tribes American Indian opinions on NACDI's strategic goals and time) Term ‐ Lack of tribal interest in Franklin Community Pride organizations in Cultural Corridor action plan Ave "Energy" Minneapolis, Tribal leaders Build external support NACDI Bill Ziegler, ‐ Inform East Phillips, Seward and Ventura NACDI $ 2 ‐ Near ‐ Suspicion of NACDI and American Strengthen Political Power Opposition to NACDI plans by Ventura Village (i.e., political, Councilman Robert Village neighborhoods of NACDI planning, Term Indian community goals Cultural Knowledge and Seward neighborhood groups. Low neighborhood, Lilligren, Mayor actions, and successes ‐ Opposition to including American "Energy" prioritization of American Indian community financial) Rybak, Commissioner ‐ Involve local political leaders in NACDI Indian community goals by political leaders Peter McLaughlin, planning VVNA, EPIC, Seward ‐ Attend neighborhood events and meetings Neighborhood ‐ Encourage Native Americans to run for Group, AICDC positions on the VVNA board and participate in committees ‐ Build relationships with non‐Native American community leaders including the East African community

Engage Franklin Ave NACDI FABA, VVNA, ‐ Join FABA NACDI, other $$ 2 ‐ Near ‐ Cost of membership Strengthen Political Power Weak connections to other local area businesses Minnesota American ‐ Encourage other American Indian new members of Term ‐ Disinterest by other organizations "Energy" businesses. One less organization available to Indian Chamber of organizations to join FABA (some are already FABA to join FABA Community Pride promote Cultural Corridor. No ability to Commerce members, e.g., AIOIC, AICDC) Increase Land Values provide input to FABA plans

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Market the Cultural Corridor

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Create a Corridor NACDI VVNA, FABA, Mpls ‐ Develop an overall Corridor Marketing Plan NACDI $$ 1 ‐ Quick ‐ NACDI's capacity to sustain Create Destination A Marketing Plan and resulting materials can marketing plan CPED ‐ Leverage branding and components of the Win marketing activities (Corridor Develop a Regional Asset be used for communication with other Corridor (e.g., art, pubic spaces, private marketing needs to be ongoing) Attract New Dollars to Community stakeholders, ensure consistent branding of spaces) to create marketing brochures, ‐ Funding if a special services the Corridor, and create a sense of legitimacy website, media packets, etc. district is not created or funds not for the Corridor ‐ Hire graphic designer, technical writer, yet available marketing specialists as needed ‐ Alignment of Corridor marketing ‐ Work with FABA to merge existing Franklin with existing marketing efforts, Ave. marketing materials with Corridor e.g., FABA already has a brochure marketing materials for Franklin Ave.

Create Corridor brand, NACDI VVNA, Mpls CPED, ‐ Determine Corridor name, logo, approved CPED Great $$ 1 ‐ Quick ‐ Pushback from Neighborhood Create Destination Without agreed upon branding, logo and color logo, colors, uses FABA, Phillips color schemes, logo uses Streets Program, Win Association or FABA on branding Attract Visitors & Tourists schemes the corridor will lack a cohesive look Residents ‐ Engage Partners for input on branding, FABA, an American Indian cultural Community Pride and feel. colors, etc. NACDI corridor The Corridor brand needs to be marketed and ‐ Hire graphic designer, marketing specialists ‐ Inability to gain consensus on used in a consistent manner and "controlled" as needed naming, design, colors with by NACDI as the keeper of the brand ‐ Communicate branding to all Corridor Partners stakeholders Hang street banners NACDI VVNA, Mpls CPED, ‐ Utilize Corridor branding to design street CPED Great $1 ‐ Quick ‐ Pushback from Neighborhood Create Destination Without signage to designate the boundaries and way‐finding Mpls Public Works, banners and public signage Streets Program, Win Association or FABA on branding Attract Visitors & Tourists of the Corridor it will not be obvious to signage along the FABA, Metro Transit ‐ Work with Partners to approve and Special Services an American Indian cultural Community Pride residents and visitors where the Corridor is Corridor implement banner and signage display District, corridor Improve Perception of Safety located FABA, ‐ Coordination with City on NACDI purchase, hanging and maintenance of banners and signage ‐ Lack of existing sign‐posts for hanging banners & signs ‐ Ability to place branding & banners in and around the LRT station Create "gateways" at NACDI Local American ‐ Commission local American Indian artists to Hennepin County $$$ 1 ‐ Quick ‐ Lack of consensus from Create Landmark Without gateways to designate the both ends of corridor Indian Artists and design gateways consistent with Corridor TOD grant, Win community and/or Partners on Attract Visitors & Tourists boundaries of the Corridor it will not be Sculptors, VVNA, branding CPED Great gateway design and Community Pride obvious to residents and visitors where the Mpls CPED, Hennepin ‐ Engage community for feedback on Streets Program, implementation Corridor is located County gateway designs Special Services ‐ Funding if a special services ‐ Work with Partners to approve and District district is not created or funds not implement gateways yet available

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Market the Cultural Corridor, Continued

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Promote Corridor NACDI LERA, AIC, AIOIC, ‐ Share the Corridor vision and action plan NACDI (staff $1 ‐ Quick ‐ NACDI's capacity to sustain Develop Sense of Community The Corridor will not achieve its expected within Phillips FABA, VVNA, EPIC, with stakeholders including Native and non‐ time) Win marketing activities (Corridor Community Pride results without local community participation neighborhood Franklin Library Native residents marketing needs to be ongoing) Improve Perception of Safety and commitment ‐ Build relationships with Partners and ‐ Ability to build and sustain Indians Stay in the Community existing Franklin Ave. enterprises energy and momentum within ‐ Provide Corridor marketing brochures to community as the Corridor is built Partners and relevant area attractions for out distribution ‐ see issues/obstacles re: ‐ Co‐promote the Corridor with existing Coordinating Planning Activities: events, e.g., art exhibits Build Community and Business ‐ Create links to Corridor website from local Support websites, e.g., VVNA, FABA, EPIC, City of Minneapolis Promote the Corridor NACDI Mystic Lake (Casino ‐ Provide Corridor marketing brochures to NACDI (staff $2 ‐ Near ‐ NACDI's capacity to sustain Create Destination The Corridor needs to be properly marketed locally and regionally & MOA booth), Partners and relevant area attractions for time) Term marketing activities (Corridor Improve Perception of Safety to gain recognition as a local and regional Minneapolis Visitors distribution, e.g., Mall of America marketing needs to be ongoing) Attract Visitors & Tourists destination Bureau, ‐ Co‐promote the Corridor with existing ‐ Ability to build and sustain Create Regional Asset Twin Cities Chamber events, e.g., Spring powwows energy and momentum locally of Commerce, ‐ Advertise in local and regionally relevant and regionally as the Corridor is Metro Transit (LRT media outlets including Metro Transit built out and buses) ‐ Submit articles re: the Corridor to local and ‐ see issues/obstacles re: regional publications Coordinating Planning Activities: ‐ Create press releases to celebrate Corridor Build External Support successes

Promote the Corridor NACDI Tribal Embassy (not ‐ Work with urban Tribal representatives to NACDI (staff $2 ‐ Near ‐ NACDI's capacity to sustain Attract Visitors & Tourists The Native American community is within Native yet created), share information and marketing with MN & time) Term marketing activities (Corridor Create Regional Asset particularly mobile between the reservation American reservations Mille Lacs Band, WI reservations marketing needs to be ongoing) Attract New Dollars to Community and urban Twin Cities. The Corridor needs Red Lake, ‐ Provide Corridor marketing brochures to ‐ Ability to build and sustain Indians Stay in the Community reservation support and commitment to White Earth, Partners and Midwest casinos for energy and momentum with effectively build out the Corridor Leech Lake, distribution Midwest tribes as the Corridor is Shakopee, ‐ Co‐promote the Corridor with existing built out LCO reservation events and festivals ‐ see issues/obstacles re: ‐ Submit articles and press releases to Coordinating Planning Activities: celebrate Corridor successes in reservation Engaging Tribes publications

Create special services Minneapolis NACDI, Councilman ‐ Work with FABA to gain support for a NACDI (staff $2 ‐ Near ‐ The Corridor may not have the Strengthen Political Power A special services district can help to fund district for the Corridor City Council Lilligren, special services district time) Term traction and community buy‐in Less Dependency projects and programs that specifically benefit Councilwoman ‐ Work with Council members Lilligren and required to approve a special the Corridor; without this funding source the Goodman, FABA, Goodman to usher special services district services district, especially if it is Corridor will need to continually seek other Mpls Public Works through the City's approval process pursued too soon funds ‐ Provide leadership on guidelines for ‐ Support from FABA members and administering service district funds and non‐members to "tax" themselves programs ‐ Determining the entity that will administer the special services district

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Share Native American Cultures

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Commission Native NACDI Local American ‐ Create overall Public Art plan to include art Hennepin County $$$$ 2 ‐ Near ‐ NACDI capacity to create and Create Landmark Public art along the Corridor can create a American public art Indian Artists and for public spaces, sound barriers, overpasses, TOD grant, Term implement a public arts plan Develop Sense of Community sense of place ahead of public and private along the Corridor Sculptors, LRT station CPED Art in ‐ Lack of consensus from Community Pride spaces being built out, which may be more Marilyn Lindstrom's ‐ Commission local American Indian artists Public Places community and/or Partners on Revitalize American Indian Cultures long‐term goals Safe Art program, and youth arts programs to create public art program, public art design and Improve Perception of Safety VVNA, Mpls CPED's consistent with Corridor branding Special Services implementation Art in Public Places, ‐ Engage community for feedback on public District ‐ Funding if a special services Hennepin County, art district funds are not available Metro Transit ‐ Work with Partners to approve and implement public art

Host annual signature NACDI FABA, VVNA, LERA, ‐ Plan an annual festival or event focused on NACDI (staff $$ 2 ‐ Near ‐ NACDI capacity to plan and Create Destination The Corridor needs to be properly marketed Corridor event EPIC sharing Native American cultures with the time) Term implement a signature event Attract Visitors & Tourists to gain recognition as a local and regional greater community Special Services ‐ Funding if a special services Community Pride destination. A festival can provide a catalyst ‐ Coordinate marketing and sponsoring the District district is not created or funds not Develop Sense of Community for celebrating Native American cultures event with Partners, Midwest tribes, local yet available Improve Perception of Safety ahead of bringing Native businesses to the and regional media ‐ Ability to compete with other Revitalize American Indian Cultures Corridor ‐ Seek to host the Event in conjunction with Twin Cities events to attract Increase Cultural Knowledge the Franklin Ave. Art Crawl attendees ‐ Challenges coordinating with the existing Franklin Ave. Art Crawl

Support Native All Nations NACDI, VVNA ‐ Support existing biannual American Indian Volunteer time $ 1 ‐ Quick ‐ Existing Craft Fair may not want Revitalize American Indian Cultures The Craft Fair is an existing community American craft fair Church Craft Fair currently held at All Nations Church Win to be marketed with the Corridor Increase Cultural Knowledge activity. However, the Corridor should be an ‐ Take a sponsorship role in bringing the Craft Create Destination umbrella for Native American community Fair to the Corridor Regional Asset related events in order to strengthen and ‐ Support promotional activities for the Craft Attract Visitors & Tourists support place‐making in the Corridor Fair in connection with the Corridor Wealth Generation Diversify Economic Base

Develop Native TBD NACDI, ‐ Identify organization that can take Native American $$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ There may not be an existing Revitalize American Indian Cultures The American Indian Cultural Corridor should American cultural Urban Indian Tribal leadership role in establishing Native Tribes, McKnight Term organization with the capacity to Increase Cultural Knowledge not be an island of Native history and culture tours (e.g., hop‐on/off Representatives, American cultural tour Foundation, MN take the lead on creating Native Create Destination in the community. Better outcomes can be LRT for guided tour Minneapolis Visitors ‐ Take a sponsorship role in bringing Cultural History Center American cultural tours Attract Visitors & Tourists achieved by connecting the Corridor with and native history Bureau, Tour to the Corridor and Metro ‐ There is currently a lack of other Native American landmarks along Franklin Ave., MN History Center, ‐ Support promotional activities for Cultural cultural "destinations" to support Minnehaha Park, Fort Hennepin County Tour such a tour Snelling, etc.)

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Share Native American Cultures, Continued

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Develop Native TBD NACDI, AIOIC, ‐ Identify organization that can take Minneapolis $1 ‐ Quick ‐ There may not be an existing Revitalize American Indian Cultures Inclusiveness is a guiding principle of the American community Minneapolis Public leadership role in supporting Native Public Schools, Win organization with the capacity to Increase Cultural Knowledge American Indian Cultural Corridor. Better ed classes Schools, Minneapolis American arts Participant Fees, take the lead on creating Native Develop Sense of Community outcomes can be achieved by sharing Native American Indian ‐ Take a sponsorship role in bringing Native AIOIC, AIC and American arts and culture American arts and cultures within the urban Center, Franklin Arts and Cultures classes to the Corridor Franklin Library community ed classes Indian community and with non‐Native Library ‐ Support promotional activities for Native donated space ‐ Ability to secure instructors and Americans American Community Education classes space for classes ‐ Ability to compete with other Community Ed classes to attract pupils Support Native TBD NACDI, Two Rivers ‐ Identify organization that can take Metropolitan Ongoing 2 ‐ Near ‐ There may not be an existing Revitalize American Indian Cultures The Corridor needs to be properly marketed American art exhibits Gallery, Ancient leadership role in supporting Native Regional Arts program Term organization with the capacity to Increase Cultural Knowledge to gain recognition as a local and regional at Corridor locations Traders, Bockley American arts Council, funding take the lead on supporting Native Create Destination destination. Art can provide an economic Gallery, Birchbark ‐ Take a sponsorship role in bringing Art McKnight required American arts Regional Asset catalyst and celebrate Native American House Non‐profit, Exhibits to the Corridor Foundation, ‐ Existing venues for art exhibits Attract Visitors & Tourists cultures ahead of bringing other Native FABA ‐ Support promotional activities for Corridor Target are inadequate Wealth Generation businesses to the Corridor Art Exhibits Foundation, Diversify Economic Base Walker Art Attract New Dollars to the Center Community Support Native TBD NACDI, Two Rivers ‐ Identify organization that can take Metropolitan Ongoing 2 ‐ Near ‐ There may not be an existing Revitalize American Indian Cultures The Corridor needs to be properly marketed American Gallery, Ancient leadership role in supporting Native Regional Arts program Term organization with the capacity to Increase Cultural Knowledge to gain recognition as a local and regional performances at Traders, Bockley American arts Council, funding take the lead on supporting Native Create Destination destination. Art can provide an economic Corridor locations Gallery, Birchbark ‐ Take a sponsorship role in bringing McKnight required American arts Regional Asset catalyst and celebrate Native American House Non‐profit, Performances to the Corridor Foundation, ‐ Existing venues for performances Attract Visitors & Tourists cultures ahead of bringing other Native FABA ‐ Support promotional activities for Corridor Target are inadequate Wealth Generation businesses to the Corridor Performances Foundation, Diversify Economic Base Bush Foundation Attract New Dollars to the Community Establish training & TBD NACDI, Two Rivers ‐ Identify organization that can take Metropolitan Ongoing 2 ‐ Near ‐ There may not be an existing Revitalize American Indian Cultures Urban Native American artists exist today, but mentorship program Gallery, Ancient leadership role in supporting Native Regional Arts program Term organization with the capacity to Wealth Generation most lack access to space, mentors and for Native American Traders, Bockley American artists Council, funding take the lead on supporting Native Diversify Economic Base capital. There is a cultural and class divide artists Gallery, Birchbark ‐ Support promotional activities for arts McKnight required American arts Indians Stay in the Community between Native American artists and non‐ House Non‐profit within the Corridor Foundation, ‐ Existing venues for artist sharing Livable Wage Jobs Native venues that prevent Native Americans ‐ Determine if NACDI should establish an Target are inadequate, i.e., no Native from utilizing these existing resources. "Arts" sector focus Foundation, American artists salon exists Without a Native American artist training and ‐ Support artists in obtaining other skills, e.g., Bush Foundation ‐ Reaching Native American artists mentoring opportunity these gaps will remain business, finance, entrepreneurial who can benefit from and are willing to participate as mentees and mentors

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Share Native American Cultures, Continued

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Build out artist exhibit, TBD NACDI, Minneapolis ‐ Identify organization that can take AIC, $$$$ 2 ‐ Near ‐ There may not be an existing Revitalize American Indian Cultures Urban Native American artists exist today, but performance, and American Indian leadership role in supporting Native Metropolitan Term organization with the capacity to Increase Cultural Knowledge most lack access to space, mentors and informal sharing Center, Local American arts Regional Arts take the lead on supporting Native Create Destination capital. There is a cultural and class divide spaces American Indian ‐ Support space build out as part of AIC Council, American arts Regional Asset between Native American artists and non‐ artists redevelopment or other Corridor McKnight ‐ Funding for a capital intensive Attract Visitors & Tourists Native venues that prevent Native Americans development Foundation, project Wealth Generation from utilizing these existing resources. Target ‐ Competition with existing arts Diversify Economic Base Foundation, and performance venues Attract New Dollars to the Existing performance space in Ancient Traders Bush Community and Two Rivers Gallery is inadequate Foundation, Private debt/equity Create permanent TBD NACDI, Minneapolis ‐ Identify organization that can take AIC, Tribes, $$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ There may not be an existing Increase Cultural Knowledge Opportunities and venues for sharing the Native American American Indian leadership role in supporting Native Metropolitan Term organization with the capacity to Attract Visitors & Tourists history of Minnesota's native people are Interpretive Center Center American arts Regional Arts take the lead on supporting Native Create Destination virtually non‐existent. A history and ‐ Support space build out as part of AIC Council, American arts Revitalize American Indian Cultures interpretive center would serve to revitalize redevelopment or other Corridor McKnight ‐ Funding for a capital intensive American Indian cultures and educate locals development Foundation project and visitors on Minnesota's diverse history ‐ Competition with existing arts and history venues Leverage TBD NACDI, ‐ Identify organization that can take Staff time $ 3 ‐ Long ‐ These existing non‐Native venues Strengthen Political Power By not leveraging existing non‐Native neighborhood arts Franklin Art Works, leadership role in supporting Native Term and resources are "unfriendly" Increase Cultural Knowledge American arts resources there would be a venues and resources Playwright Center, American arts from a Native American duplication of efforts, which may not be for programming and Clay Center, Textile ‐ Take a sponsorship role in bringing Arts to perspective financially sustainable within the Native mentorship Center the Corridor ‐ Significant cultural hurdles within American community. As well, to be an ‐ Support promotional activities for arts the existing arts organizations inclusive Cultural Corridor the area needs to within the Corridor would need to be overcome for embrace all entities within the Corridor ‐ Determine if NACDI should establish an Native American artists to work including non‐Native arts and cultural centers "Arts" sector focus with them ‐ Negative perceptions within the Native community re: Franklin Art Works as it was supposed to support the Native American arts community

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Improve Public Gathering Spaces

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Renovate Minneapolis Minneapolis NACDI, AmerIndian ‐ Organize focus groups Tribes, McKnight $$$$ 2 ‐ Near ‐ Buy‐in from AIC board Community Pride No focal point for community, no destination American Indian American Architecture, ‐ Seek funding Foundation Term ‐ Project funding Revitalize American Indian Cultures to attract arts, exhibits, public events Center Indian Center community focus ‐ Relocation of existing AIC social Develop Sense of Community groups service programs Attract Visitors & Tourists Increase Cultural Knowledge Improve outdoor Minneapolis NACDI, AmerIndian ‐ Work with leadership from the Indian Tribes, McKnight $$$ 2 ‐ Near ‐ Buy‐in from AIC Board Community Pride Today poor visibility causes safety issues, beer space around AIC American Architecture, AICDC, Center to update the center's signage to align Foundation Term ‐ NACDI's ability to influence the Revitalize American Indian Cultures bottles detract from community image, there through landscaping, Indian Center community focus with Corridor branding and banner activities project to align with Corridor Develop Sense of Community is no focal point for the community, nor art and signage groups ‐ Organize focus groups, seek funding branding Attract Visitors & Tourists destination to attract arts, exhibits, public ‐ Preference to wait to update Improve Perception of Safety events. outdoor space and signage in Create Landmark The Minneapolis American Indian Center can conjunction with other Center be a catalyst for other improvements within redevelopment the Corridor. The Center needs to serve as an anchor within the Corridor; without Community tree FABA NACDI, VVNA, ‐ Serve as a liaison between tribes and FABA Tree Trust, $$ 1 ‐ Quick ‐ On‐going tree maintenance Community Pride "Grey zone," pollution plantings Neighborhood ‐ Seek funding Special Services Win ‐ Coordination among stakeholder Attract Visitors & Tourists schools, tribes, Tree District groups Increase Land Values Trust, Minneapolis ‐ Upfront costs Park and Recreation

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Create Private Gathering Spaces

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Cultivate business AIOIC NACDI, ‐ Support programming efforts Neighborhood $$ 2 ‐ Near ‐ Marketing capacity to achieve Indians Stay in the Community Continued socio‐economic disparity and skills, provide Neighborhood ‐ Engage community Development Term attendance goals Wealth Generation service dependence business/ Development Center, ‐ Assist in identifying growth sector job Center, ‐ Creating partnerships to form Less Dependency entrepreneur training, local partners, MCTC, training opportunities City of placement opportunities Indian Ownership provide job training Migizi Minneapolis

Use Corridor AIOIC NACDI, project ‐ Ensure training programs exist at the right AIOIC curriculum $$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Project requires defined goals Diversified Economic Base Decreased capacity among community to development projects leaders times Term and benchmarks to achieve results Wealth Generation sustain economic development as training ‐ Work with development partners to that are intangible Less Dependency opportunities negotiate hiring mandates ‐ Time and dedication required Livable Wage Jobs

Develop small NACDI Neighborhood ‐ Assist in obtaining space Minneapolis 2% $$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Funding Wealth Stays in Community No space for informal activities, lost businesses/ open a Development Center, ‐ Identify partners Loan, Term ‐ Training Create Destination entrepreneurial activity restaurant Great Great ‐ Finding a space Community Pride Neighborhoods, Neighborhoods ‐ Tough area for small business Develop Sense of Community AIOIC Attract New Dollars to the Community Diversified Economic Base "Energy" Attract Visitors & Tourists Wealth Generation Indian Ownership Develop American NACDI AIC Board of ‐ Coordinate event in Corridor, e.g., at AIC or VVNA, $$ 2 ‐ Near ‐ Advertising Wealth Stays in Community Lost business opportunities and wealth Indian market/ Directors, VVNA, an existing parking lot AIC Term ‐ Coordination Community Pride generation, no incubator space for farmers' market FABA, Great ‐ Market event to vendors and customers ‐ Funding up‐front costs Attract New Dollars to the entrepreneurs Neighborhoods! Community "Energy" Attract Visitors & Tourists Attract existing NACDI FABA, VVNA ‐ Recruit businesses to the Corridor NACDI $3 ‐ Long ‐ Lack of capacity Increase Land Values Loss of employment opportunities, continued businesses to Franklin Term ‐ Long project timeframe Wealth Generation economic disparity Avenue ‐ Need for benchmarking Livable Wage Jobs

Consolidate Tribal NACDI Bill Means, Tribes ‐ Identify appropriate space Tribes $$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Tribal buy‐in Strengthen Political Power Less interaction among tribal representative offices to form a Tribal ‐ Create tribal buy‐in Term ‐ Site location "Energy" and tribal members decreases political power Embassy ‐ Filling commercial space vacated by tribes

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Create Private Gathering Spaces, Continued

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Redevelop existing Property NACDI, FABA ‐ Educate and encourage owners to take City of $$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Buy‐in from owners Increase Land Values Inability to attract quality tenants or new storefronts and owners advantage of funding sources Minneapolis Term Wealth Generation customers buildings Façade Community Pride Improvement Attract New Dollars to the Matching Grant Community Acquire land and build‐ NACDI Investors, ‐ Identify space Hennepin $$$$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Disinterest of owners Wealth Stays in Community Lost revenue and economic opportunity, out office/business Site owners ‐ Identify redevelopment partners and County, Met Term ‐ Costs, lack of capital Create Destination Less NA control over corridor, space funding sources Council, ‐ Administration Wealth Generation decreased capacity to shape future ‐ Oversee redevelopment process City of Less Dependency development Minneapolis, Indian Ownership private debt/equity partners Redevelop Community‐ NACDI Investors, ‐ Assemble investors to purchase land Private equity, $$$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Funding Wealth Stays in Community Lost revenue and economic opportunity, University Health Care Site owners, ‐ Oversee redevelopment process private debt, gap Term ‐ Owner's unwillingness in selling Create Destination Less NA control over corridor, Center site University of MN financing ‐ Relocation of Care Center Wealth Generation decreased capacity to shape future Physicians ‐ Loss of community medical Less Dependency development resource Indian Ownership ‐ Lack of development experience

Relocate AIOIC to AIOIC NACDI, MNOIC, City ‐ Encourage AIOIC relocation MNOIC, private $$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Determining proper relocation Create Destination Lost opportunity to build Corridor landmark larger site in Phillips of Minneapolis, ‐ Site identification debt/equity, Term site Create Landmark and maximize site's economic potential Neighborhood VVNA public gap ‐ Obtaining site Wealth Generation financing ‐ Timeliness of action ‐ Financing new site Acquire Cedar NACDI AIOIC, Investors, Site ‐ Identify investors Private $$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Excessively high asking price Create Destination Lost revenue and economic opportunity, Box/Ambles sites owners ‐ Assemble investors debt/equity, gap Term ‐ Assembling partners Create Landmark Less NA control over corridor, decreased financing ‐ Competing with other potential Wealth Generation capacity to shape future development, buyers Continues poor pedestrian environment Redevelop NACDI AIOIC, ‐ Coordinate redevelopment process Private $$$$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Organizational capacity to Create Destination Lost opportunity to build Corridor landmark AIOIC/Cedar AmerIndian ‐ Leverage financing debt/equity, Term manage large‐scale redevelopment Create Landmark and maximize site's economic potential Box/Ambles sites Architecture, public TOD ‐ Funding Wealth Generation community leaders grants, Determining appropriate vision and stakeholders, tribal donations, among stakeholders owners and investors Met Council ‐ Environmental clean up (brownfield clean‐up)

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Improve Infrastructure

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Participate in TEA‐21 Minneapolis NACDI, Mpls CPED, ‐ Actively participate in TEA‐21 community NACDI (staff $1 ‐ Quick ‐ Incompatible visions of NACDI Strengthen Political Power No input to TEA‐21 process, more "zebras" in Franklin Ave Public Works Hennepin County, planning meetings time) Win and Seward and Ventura Village "Energy" sidewalks, further disenfranchisement of streetscape planning Seward ‐ Develop American Indian community vision neighborhoods Increase Land Values Native American community Neighborhood for TEA‐21 area (21st Ave to Bloomington ‐ Insufficient funding to accomplish Create Destination Group, VVNA Ave) significant streetscape changes Improve Perception of Safety ‐ Coordinate vision with that of VVNA and Seward NA Improve pedestrian Minneapolis NACDI, Mpls CPED, ‐ Facilitate development of American Indian Transit for $$$ 2 ‐ Near ‐ Lack of adequate funding Improve Perception of Safety Inability to effect city prioritization of projects. experience from Public Works Hennepin County, community vision for LRT station area Livable Term ‐ Lack of American Indian "Energy" Significant impediment to luring LRT Franklin Avenue LRT Seward ‐ Coordinate and share station area planning Communities community participation Increase Land Values passengers to Franklin Ave area station to the Corridor Neighborhood with Seward and Ventura Village grant, Federal Create Destination Group, VVNA neighborhoods Government, Attract Visitors & Tourists ‐ Foster relationships with key political State of leaders, e.g., Commissioner McLaughlin, Minnesota, City Councilman Lilligren of Minneapolis, Hennepin County

Replace Corridor bus Metro Transit NACDI, VVNA ‐ Work with Metro Transit to replace the NACDI, Metro $$ 2 ‐ Near ‐ Funding to replace current Create Destination Without public infrastructure and signage to shelters and benches existing bus shelters and benches with ones Transit, Term shelters and benches that are Improve Perception of Safety designate the boundaries of the Corridor it that fit with the branding of the Cultural Hennepin County already functional Attract Visitors & Tourists will not be obvious to residents and visitors Corridor TOD Grant Fund ‐ Agreement on design of Community Pride where the Corridor is located ‐ Seek funding for bus shelter improvements replacement shelters and benches ‐ Coordinate improvements with TEA‐21 activities, public art and other streetscape modifications

Develop parking plan FABA NACDI, AICDC, ‐ Work with FABA, Franklin Ave businesses, NACDI, FABA, $2 ‐ Near ‐ Opposition to sharing parking Improve Perception of Safety Parking problems will continue to hamper for Franklin Ave Franklin Business and the American Indian organizations along City of Term areas "Energy" commercial development businesses Center, AIC, AIOIC, the avenue to create a pooled parking space Minneapolis ‐ City ordinances may block or Increase Land Values Community‐ agreement significantly affect the feasibility Create Destination University Health and attractiveness of sharing Attract Visitors & Tourists Care Center, Great parking Neighborhoods!, Franklin Circles Shopping Center

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Improve Infrastructure, Continued

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Connect cultural NACDI, City of Metro Transit, Met Develop American Indian community vision Fundraising $$$$ 3 ‐ Long Insufficient funding to accomplish Improve Perception of Safety Franklin LRT station will remain isolated from corridor to light rail Minneapolis, Council, Federal for LRT station area. Cooperate and share Activities, Term significant changes. Competing "Energy" community and the cultural corridor will not station and reconnect Seward and Highway station area planning with Seward and Federal and incompatible ideas to better Increase Land Values be able to draw the LRT riders to the avenue. Seward and Ventura Ventura Administration, Mpls Ventura Village neighborhoods. Government, connect Franklin Ave to LRT. Poor Create Destination The gulf between the Seward and Ventura Village Neighborhoods Village Public Works, Mpls State of economic environment for Attract Visitors & Tourists Village neighborhoods will remain. Neighborhoo CPED, AIOIC, AIC, Minnesota, development. ds Hennepin County, Hennepin Seward County, City of Neighborhood Minneapolis, Group, VVNA Metropolitan Council Reduce width of Minneapolis NACDI, Mpls CPED, ‐ Facilitate development of American Indian Federal $$$$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Significant political opposition to Improve Perception of Safety Very limited development potential of small Franklin Ave near LRT Public Works Hennepin County, community vision for LRT station area Government, Term closing part of Franklin Avenue "Energy" land parcel located south of the trains and station Seward ‐ Coordinate and share station area planning State of ‐ Prioritization against other traffic Increase Land Values yards facility Neighborhood with Seward and Ventura Village Minnesota, City and road improvement projects Create Destination Group, VVNA neighborhoods of Minneapolis, Attract Visitors & Tourists ‐ Foster relationships with key political Hennepin County leaders, e.g., Commissioner McLaughlin, Councilman Lilligren

Improve Franklin Metro Transit NACDI, Mpls CPED, ‐ Facilitate development of American Indian Federal $$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Lack of adequate funding Improve Perception of Safety Unwelcoming station area with limited Avenue LRT station Hennepin County, community vision for LRT station area Government, Term ‐ Lack of American Indian "Energy" pedestrian access and barriers (fences) access and aesthetics Seward ‐ Coordinate and share station area planning State of community participation Increase Land Values surrounding the platform Neighborhood with Seward and Ventura Village Minnesota, City Create Destination Group, VVNA neighborhoods of Minneapolis, Attract Visitors & Tourists ‐ Foster relationships with key political Hennepin County leaders, e.g., Commissioner McLaughlin, Councilman Lilligren

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Improve Infrastructure, Continued

Action Item Responsible Other Partners NACDI Actions Required Funding Estimated Priority Anticipated Issues/Obstacles Related Strategic Goal(s) Consequences of Inaction Party Source(s) Project Cost Slow vehicle traffic Minneapolis NACDI, Mpls CPED, ‐ Facilitate development of American Indian Federal $$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Lack of available funding Improve Perception of Safety Area remains unfriendly to pedestrian and within the Corridor Public Works Hennepin County, community vision for Corridor transportation Government, Term ‐ Lack of American Indian "Energy" bicyclist use between LRT station and Ventura Seward and street traffic State of community participation Increase Land Values Village and Seward neighborhoods Neighborhood ‐ Coordinate and share station area planning Minnesota, City ‐ Opposing traffic management Create Destination Group, VVNA with Seward and Ventura Village of Minneapolis, ideas Attract Visitors & Tourists neighborhoods Hennepin County ‐ Foster relationships with key political leaders, e.g., Commissioner McLaughlin, Councilman Lilligren Create pedestrian/bike Minneapolis Mpls Public Works, ‐ Develop American Indian community plan Transit for $$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Lack of available funding Improve Perception of Safety East Phillips and Little Earth remain path through East Park and Mpls CPED, Hennepin for the pathway Livable Term ‐ Opposition of Minneapolis Park "Energy" disconnected from light rail station and Phillips Park to Recreation County, NACDI, EPIC ‐ Coordinate planning effort with East Phillips Communities Board Increase Land Values Cultural Corridor Franklin Avenue LRT Board neighborhood, Hennepin County and City of grant, State of Create Destination station Minneapolis Minnesota, City Attract Visitors & Tourists ‐ Foster relationships with key political of Minneapolis, leaders, e.g., Commissioner McLaughlin, Hennepin County Councilman Lilligren

Remove or modify MnDOT Federal Highway ‐ Develop American Indian community vision State of $$$ 3 ‐ Long ‐ Lack of available funding Improve Perception of Safety A graffiti magnet remains in the neighborhood Hiawatha Ave traffic Administration, Mpls for south side of Franklin Ave. Minnesota, Term ‐ Statutory prohibition to wall "Energy" and inability to redevelop south side of noise barrier Public Works, Mpls ‐ Create plan for reconfigured area with Hennepin County removal Increase Land Values Franklin Ave near Hiawatha Avenue CPED, Minneapolis VVNA, Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, ‐ Opposition of public housing Public Housing and CPED residents to noise Authority, Hennepin County, NACDI, Seward Neighborhood Group, VVNA

American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

Interview List

Bean, Sydney. Senior Consultant, NACDI. Personal Interview. 18 February 2009.

Christensen, Mike. Director, City of Minneapolis Department of Community Planning and Economic Development. Personal Interview. 27 February 2009.

Cramer, Steve. Executive Director, Project for Pride in Living. Personal Interview. 2 March 2009.

Feidt, Dan. Vice President, AmerIndian Architecture. Personal Interview. 17 February 2009.

Garner, Mark. Senior Project Coordinator, City of Minneapolis CPED. Personal Interview. 27 February 2009.

Goze, Michael. President, American Indian Community Development Corporation. Personal Interview. 18 February 2009.

Lilligren, Robert. Vice President, City Council, City of Minneapolis. Personal Interview. 23 February 2009.

Markusen, Ann. Professor, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. Personal Interview. 11 March 2009.

Means, William. Director, MN State OIC Council. Personal Interview. 25 February 2009.

Mogush, Paul. Principal Planner, City of Minneapolis. Personal Interview. 11 March 2009.

Nyberg, D. Peer. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, American Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center. 30 March 2009.

Rendon, Marcie. Author and former Ventura Village resident. Personal Interview. 30 March 2009.

Romano, Christopher. Executive Director, Riverview Economic Development Association. Personal Interview. 4 March 2009.

Salinas, Elaine. President, Migizi Communications. Personal Interview. 24 February 2009.

Watson, Mary. Co-Chair, Franklin Area Business Association. Phone Interview. 7 April 2009.

Weinmann, Linda. Resource Manager, Great Neighborhoods Development Corporation. Personal Interview. 16 April 2009.

Ziegler, Bill. Executive Director/CEO, Little Earth of United Tribes. Personal Interview. 26 February 2009.

70 American Indian Cultural Corridor: Vision, Strategies and Actions

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