Pillsbury United Communities (PUC) recently purchased the property at 4414 Humboldt Ave. North from Hennepin County for $487,000 and plans to renovate the existing building back into a grocery store. More than a grocery store, North Market will be a hub for wellness, with integrated health services as well as providing food access in one of the country’s largest food deserts, where 67,000 residents currently have access to 30 convenience stores and only one supermarket north of Lowry Ave.
In order to bring this to fruition, PUC has assembled a number of great partnerships that are materializing to help this PUC enterprise take shape. North Market has selected architectural and engineering firm, LSE to lead the North Market project. Most recently, LSE completed the new Webber Public Library in North Minneapolis. LSE will work closely with real estate developer, Oppidan, general contractor, Benson-Orth and Supervalu for grocery store operations.
North Market will be a 20,000 square foot building with full service grocery amenities: large fresh produce section, deli, bakery and butcher. Additionally, the store will house a community room for food demonstrations, cooking classes and a place for community to gather. In addition a wellness center, operated by its partner North Memorial Health Care, will focus on chronic disease management and provide pharmacy services.
North Market is set to break ground this March with a grand opening set for October 2017. Pillsbury United Communities has engaged the community on the design of the building, merchandising, and services that can be offered in the space. The next community engagement meeting is set for Thursday, February 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Webber Park Community Center to see the final exterior elevations and preliminary interior designs.
Recently, Pillsbury United Communities announced several major investments from our corporate philanthropic partners: $500,000 Otto Bremer Trust; $300,000 Target Corporation; $300,000 Pohlad Family Foundation; and $250,000 Best Buy Foundation. Previous gifts were received from Bush Foundation, Cargill, DEED Redevelopment, General Mills, Greater Twin Cities United Way, Northside Funders Group, and Twin Cities LISC. These investments bring total fundraising goals to $3 million with additional gifts pending. The total capital campaign for the building is $6.3 million. Pillsbury United Communities feels confident in meeting this goal.
For more info and to stay updated on North Market developments, subscribe at puc-mn.org/northmarket or find us on Facebook at MyNorthMarket.
About Pillsbury United Communities. For more than 130 years Pillsbury United Communities has worked to choice, change and connection in underestimated populations across Minneapolis to foster the resilience and self-sufficiency of individuals, families and community as a whole. Our programs and services address a spectrum of intersecting needs—from education to employment to health. We’re creating a new model for nonprofit organizations with an interconnected system of programs, community centers, and social enterprises which connects with over 55,000 individuals each year. More info at puc-mn.org.
Submitted by Adair Mosley, Chief Innovation Officer, Pillsbury United Communities