Open house set for June 10 at Minneapolis American Indian Center

The City of Minneapolis is proposing to redevelop the property located at 3000 Minnehaha Ave., the site of the former 3rd Police Precinct, to house a new democracy center to expand access to the ballot box and provide a large space for community use. 

City experts reviewed the physical space, operational fit and feedback gathered throughout the last several years. As a result, the City is proposing to relocate its Elections & Voter Services, which is currently leasing industrial space in northeast Minneapolis, into the building at 3000 Minnehaha Ave. Additionally, more than 8,000 square feet of the space would be used for community use, which is roughly two thirds of the ground floor of the existing building. The City’s proposed timeline would have the site open as early as 2026. 

The City is taking steps to ensure 3rd Precinct residents can be part of shaping the future use of the space by hosting an open house next week. At the open house, attendees can learn more about Elections & Voter Services, provide feedback on the redevelopment proposal and weigh in on what they want to see in the community space. This will begin a several-month-long engagement process that will ultimately guide the next steps of the project. 

Community open house
5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, June 10
Minneapolis American Indian Center, 1530 E. Franklin Ave.
Information will be presented in Spanish and interpreters will be available. 

Residents can also provide input through an online survey on the City website starting June 10.

Throughout the summer, the City project team will engage with stakeholders and continue to receive community input on the future of this important site. A second open house will be held later in the early fall. 

Minnehaha 3000 background

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by a former Minneapolis police officer. During the civil unrest that followed, the 3rd Precinct building sustained heavy smoke and fire damage. The 3rd Precinct police operations were relocated, and the building has remained empty since.  

In 2023, the City Council passed an action limiting the future use of the property to non-police related functions. At the same time, the City began considering options for the space.  

Moving Elections & Voter Services into the space is a proposal that will help increase access to voters because the site is more centrally located, it sits along a number of transit lines, it’s walkable and bicycle friendly, and there is ample free onsite parking.   

Elections & Voter Services currently leases space with the lease set to expire in 2029. Moving Elections & Voter Services into a building the City already owns is a responsible use of public resources.  

More information and a newsletter signup can be found on the City website.