Midtown, Minneapolis
Encyclopedia
Midtown is a loosely-defined region in south Minneapolis, Minnesota
. There are no hard-set boundaries to the midtown area, but it is generally agreed to include the area in the vicinity of Lake Street
between Interstate 35W
and Hiawatha Avenue. Lake Street is the border between the Phillips
and Powderhorn
communities of Minneapolis.
The midtown area was historically known as being somewhat of a run-down area. However, in the past decade or two, there has been a large revitalization effort along Lake Street, driven largely by an insurgence of new Latino
and Northeast African businesses.
Near the Chicago and Lake intersection is the Midtown Exchange
building, which was a Sears
department store and mail-order catalog facility until the company closed it in 1994. After sitting vacant for a decade, the building was fully redeveloped. It features office space, residential units, and the Midtown Global Market, a large marketplace featuring an ethnically-diverse variety of restaurants, grocers, and retailers.
Other indoor markets that have opened in the midtown area include the Mercado Central (at Bloomington Ave and Lake St), which houses numerous Latino businesses, and the Lake Plaza (at 3rd Ave and Lake St), which houses Somali
and Latino
businesses. As of January 2009, a new market has opened in the former True Value Hardware site at the Hi-Lake Shopping Center (21st Ave and Lake St), housing Somali businesses.
At 22nd Ave and Lake Street (in the parking lot of Anishinabe Academy School) the Midtown Farmers' Market
operates on Tuesdays and Saturdays from late spring to early autumn. This area will inevitably see further redevelopment due to its proximity to the Lake Street/Midtown LRT Station
along the Hiawatha Line
. Several parcels of land immediately adjacent to the light rail tracks, some completely vacant, are likely to be redeveloped in the near future.
Many places and groups use the "midtown" descriptor in their names. Examples include:
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. There are no hard-set boundaries to the midtown area, but it is generally agreed to include the area in the vicinity of Lake Street
Lake Street (Minneapolis)
Lake Street is a major east-west thoroughfare in Minneapolis, Minnesota which is located between 29th and 31st Streets in south Minneapolis. It was named such because it runs through the Chain of Lakes area on the west side of town and passes over a small channel linking Lake Calhoun and Lake of...
between Interstate 35W
Interstate 35W (Minnesota)
Interstate 35W , is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Minnesota, passing through downtown Minneapolis. It is one of two through routes for Interstate 35 through the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the other being Interstate 35E through downtown Saint Paul...
and Hiawatha Avenue. Lake Street is the border between the Phillips
Phillips, Minneapolis
Phillips is a community in Minneapolis, just south of downtown. It is one of the most diverse and culturally-rich communities in Minnesota. Traditionally, it was both a community and a neighborhood . In other words, the Phillips community only contained one neighborhood, also called Phillips...
and Powderhorn
Powderhorn, Minneapolis
Powderhorn is a community in Minneapolis, which consists of eight different neighborhoods.-Official neighborhoods in the Powderhorn community:*Bancroft*Bryant*Corcoran*Lyndale*Powderhorn Park*Standish*Whittier*Central-External links:****...
communities of Minneapolis.
The midtown area was historically known as being somewhat of a run-down area. However, in the past decade or two, there has been a large revitalization effort along Lake Street, driven largely by an insurgence of new Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
and Northeast African businesses.
Near the Chicago and Lake intersection is the Midtown Exchange
Midtown Exchange
The Midtown Exchange is a large commercial building located in the Phillips community of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It is the second-largest building in Minnesota in terms of leasable space, after the Mall of America. It was built in 1928 as a retail and mail-order catalog facility for...
building, which was a Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
department store and mail-order catalog facility until the company closed it in 1994. After sitting vacant for a decade, the building was fully redeveloped. It features office space, residential units, and the Midtown Global Market, a large marketplace featuring an ethnically-diverse variety of restaurants, grocers, and retailers.
Other indoor markets that have opened in the midtown area include the Mercado Central (at Bloomington Ave and Lake St), which houses numerous Latino businesses, and the Lake Plaza (at 3rd Ave and Lake St), which houses Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
and Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
businesses. As of January 2009, a new market has opened in the former True Value Hardware site at the Hi-Lake Shopping Center (21st Ave and Lake St), housing Somali businesses.
At 22nd Ave and Lake Street (in the parking lot of Anishinabe Academy School) the Midtown Farmers' Market
Midtown Farmers' Market
The Midtown Farmers Market is a seasonal open-air farmers market in the Midtown area of south Minneapolis. Established in 2003, the market is held Saturdays from May through October, and Tuesdays from June through October in a parking lot in the Corcoran neighborhood...
operates on Tuesdays and Saturdays from late spring to early autumn. This area will inevitably see further redevelopment due to its proximity to the Lake Street/Midtown LRT Station
Lake Street/Midtown (Hiawatha Line station)
Lake Street/Midtown is a light rail station on the Hiawatha Line in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the eighth stop southbound.This station is a bridge above Lake Street along the west side of Minnesota State Highway 55 in Minneapolis. This is a center-platform station...
along the Hiawatha Line
Hiawatha Line
The Hiawatha Line is a light rail corridor in Hennepin County, Minnesota that extends from downtown Minneapolis to the southern suburb of Bloomington. It was formerly known as the Hiawatha Line named after Hiawatha Avenue. Major connections on the line include the Minneapolis-St...
. Several parcels of land immediately adjacent to the light rail tracks, some completely vacant, are likely to be redeveloped in the near future.
Many places and groups use the "midtown" descriptor in their names. Examples include:
- The Midtown GreenwayMidtown GreenwayThe Midtown Greenway is a rail trail in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is considered under segregated cycle facilities.Used both recreationally and for commuting, the partially below-grade Greenway runs east-west about one block north of Lake Street...
, a major bicycling and walking trail paralleling Lake Street - The Midtown ExchangeMidtown ExchangeThe Midtown Exchange is a large commercial building located in the Phillips community of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It is the second-largest building in Minnesota in terms of leasable space, after the Mall of America. It was built in 1928 as a retail and mail-order catalog facility for...
and the Midtown Global Market - The Midtown Freewheel Bike Center, a bike shop on the Midtown Greenway with contract and daily bike parking, a coffee shop, and commuter-oriented amenities
- The Midtown YWCA (Lake Street and 22nd Ave)
- The Lake Street/Midtown light rail stationLake Street/Midtown (Hiawatha Line station)Lake Street/Midtown is a light rail station on the Hiawatha Line in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the eighth stop southbound.This station is a bridge above Lake Street along the west side of Minnesota State Highway 55 in Minneapolis. This is a center-platform station...
on the Hiawatha LineHiawatha LineThe Hiawatha Line is a light rail corridor in Hennepin County, Minnesota that extends from downtown Minneapolis to the southern suburb of Bloomington. It was formerly known as the Hiawatha Line named after Hiawatha Avenue. Major connections on the line include the Minneapolis-St... - The SheratonSheraton Hotels and ResortsSheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:...
Minneapolis Midtown Hotel