| The area surrounding the intersection of Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue and the districts immediately to the east and west will experience dramatic change over the next several decades. The Twin Cities’ first light rail transit line - the Hiawatha Corridor - will link downtown Minneapolis with the International Airport and the Mall of America. The Lake Street station (at Lake and Hiawatha) will become a major bus/LRT transfer point along the route. Significant volumes of vehicular traffic will continue to use both Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue as key connecting routes.
This district is characterized by an interesting mix of land uses, ranging from large floorplate industrial and commercial structures to older, smaller commercial buildings, fast food restaurants and residential areas. This district lacks the cohesiveness and familiar elements of a walkable, bicycle-friendly urban neighborhood. The intersection at Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue offers a unique challenge to reconnecting this neighborhood. Studies currently underway are exploring alternative approaches for mixed use development with much stronger links between neighborhoods on either side of Hiawatha Avenue. This emerging transit-oriented development pattern must anticipate and then guide future design and implementation decisions for the transformation of this important corridor crossroads.
This transformation has already begun with the YWCA opening a new facility on the south side of Lake Street between 21st and 22nd Avenues. This building has a strong presence on the street with a number of planned pedestrian realm improvements. The Green Institute has recently completed a new building one block north of Lake Street on 21st Avenue dedicated to the promotion 'green' construction practices, sustainability and recycling of building materials (among many important programs). The Midtown Greenway will pass by and connect with the north side of the Green Institute property.
A proposed LRT Station will be sited just north of Lake Street, while a flyover ramp will carry the rail line over Hiawatha Avenue and continue into the downtown area. The convergence of the Greenway, light rail and the major arterial roadways present both a significant opportunity and a design challenge.
Creating a well designed transit-oriented development plan at Lake and Hiawatha that incorporates land uses west to Cedar Avenue and east to 27th Avenue is the highest priority for this district. A wide range of issues must be addressed, including:
• Parking to support existing uses and proposes development
• Location, scale and character of new and revitalized commercial development
• Interface between residential, commercial and industrial uses
• Links between light rail and bus transit, pedestrian and bicycle use
• Pedestrian and bicycle connections under Hiawatha Avenue and across the Greenway | | |
