On Friday, October 14 the City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) closed their request for qualifications (RFQ) period seeking submissions for the Upper Harbor Terminal (UHT) Phase 1 redevelopment in North Minneapolis. The UHT site is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, from 33rd Ave. N. to about 40th Ave. N. – that’s generally in our Camden Community from Lowry Ave. to the Camden Bridge.
One submission was received from a team comprised of United Properties, Thor Development and First Avenue Productions. Five submissions for development partners were also received.
The City’s and MPRB’s goal for the property is to redevelop this key riverfront site from its previous use as a barge shipping terminal to a mixture of riverfront parkland and inland private development. The site is the largest remaining single-owner development opportunity along the River in Minneapolis; it is just two miles from downtown and offers excellent freeway access. The redevelopment goal is to transform this 48+ acre site from its historic use as a barge shipping terminal to a combination of riverfront park amenities and private development. Find more info about the site, the redevelopment goals and the RFQ process at upperharbormpls.com.
Following an initial staff review, the submission will be revealed at a community input meeting to be held on Thursday, November 3, from 6-8 p.m. at Folwell Park Rec Center, 1615 Dowling Ave. N.
Additional info about the submission will be posted on the upperharbormpls.com website, along with more details about the community meeting and other ways for the public to provide input on the submission.
A City/MPRB Recommendation Committee then will complete its review and make a recommendation to the City Council and Park Board as to whether this development team should be selected to enter into a collaborative planning process with the City and MPRB, with community input. This process will be guided by a three-party exclusive rights agreement that will be authorized at the same time as the developer selection. It is hoped that developer selection can be completed and the exclusive rights agreement executed so that the planning process can begin in March of 2017.
Submissions also were received from five teams interested in being considered as “potential development partners.” These submissions will not be reviewed by the City or MPRB, but will instead be passed along to the selected master developer for consideration as part of the development concept and team.