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New renderings show community’s vision for Roof Depot site

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With state funding secured, East Phillips Neighborhood Institute is moving forward with its vision for the former Roof Depot site in south Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — The future of the Roof Depot site has been a saga between community members and the City of Minneapolis that has spanned nearly a decade.  

The East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) has been fighting with the city to stop the demolition of the vacant warehouse, citing environmental concerns

While the city wanted to demolish the building to expand its public works facility, the community group has been fighting to keep the building and transform the site into an indoor urban farm and community hub. 

Now the city has agreed to drop its plan and sell the site if EPNI can raise the funds needed. 

State legislators helped secure $6.5 million to pave a path forward. 

“This is an amazing opportunity. This is a great, national project. The one thing EPNI and the community board has promised, we will not let you down,” said Dean Dovolis, EPNI board president, at a press conference Sunday afternoon. 

During the press conference, EPNI unveiled new renderings for the indoor urban farm and community hub including aquaponics and solar panels. DJR Architecture & Design associate Ahti Westphal said it will be one of the largest solar arrays in an urban space in the Upper Midwest. The space would also include job training sites, services for the unhoused, green jobs, cafes, and cultural markets, and other community gathering spaces. 

“What we have here is very high-level, conceptual ideas but they represent the passion and the feelings that we have as a community about what can just be the beginning,” Westphal said. 

The city has agreed to sell the site for its current assessed value of $11.4 million if certain conditions are met.

Under a new agreement made last month, the state of Minnesota will provide a $4.5 million grant to the city to relocate its proposed public works facility, along with an additional $2 million towards the purchase cost for the site this year. 

The agreement between the state and city, which was accepted by EPNI, includes additional conditions as well. 

According to a press release from the city and state, “To ensure the $16.7 million Minneapolis Water Fund is repaid in full, there needs to be an additional $3.7 million raised in private funds by September 8, 2023. If that condition is met, the State will commit another $5.7 million to the City in 2024 and will commit additional funds to fully repay the Water Fund.”

Dovolis said community-oriented investors already have the funds needed, “pending inspections and due diligence.” 

“We plan to do so well that even Mayor Jacob Frey will come begging to be at the groundbreaking and at the ribbon cutting on this project,” Dovolis told community members. 

In a statement, Mayor Frey said, “The City’s goal since the start of this process has been to build a facility that allows us to continue to provide clean water to the people of Minneapolis… This agreement would move us closer to that goal, address community wishes, and avoid double charging Minneapolis property taxpayers.” 

In the past, the city has said the building is “unsalvageable and unsafe.” Dovolis, who is an architect, said he was inside the building 6-7 years ago and it was “structurally sound.” 

EPNI is hoping the city will give them access to the building in the next week or so to go over the property. 

Construction on the building is expected to cost $10-$15 million and will come from a mix of grants, investors, and loans. The ownership structure will consist of three groups: East Phillips residents, building business tenants, and outside investors. 

If all goes according to plan, Dovolis said they plan on closing and starting construction by the summer of 2024. 

EPNI Board Member Cassandra Holmes said, “We still have a lot more work to do and I hope that everyone still hangs in there and helps us.” 

Watch all of the latest stories from Breaking The News in our YouTube playlist:

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Local volunteers for both campaigns make final push

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With the election seemingly razor-thin, volunteers will continue working until the final ballot is cast.

MINNEAPOLIS — With only a few days left until Election Day, volunteers from both campaigns are doing what they can during the final push.

On Saturday, Kamala Harris supporters canvassed in north Minneapolis. They knocked on doors encouraging those who hadn’t voted yet, to do so. 

In Lakeville, Trump supporters gathered with Congressional District 2 candidates, as they geared up to reach those final voters.

“Donald Trump lost by a small margin here in Minnesota and we want that to be different this year, this time around,” said Crystal Mcdonnell. Mcdonnell canvases not only to try and sway voters to Trump but also to help them fulfill their civic duty.

“(We) offer assistance in registering to vote, give rides to fellow patriots who may not have the means to get out and vote,” Mcdonnell said.

In north Minneapolis, first-time canvasser Samirya Strong was doing her part to help her candidate win.

“We need to activate everyone who is able to vote, to vote up and down for freedom and justice and equality for all,” Strong said.

With the election seemingly razor thin, this type of leg work from both campaigns will continue until the final ballot is cast Tuesday night.

RELATED: Everything you need to know before casting your ballot



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Young children pulled from burning townhome Saturday

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Four people, three children and an adult, were taken to the hospital Saturday night after a townhome fire on County Road D East.

VADNAIS HEIGHTS, Minn. — A witness said multiple children were pulled from a burning townhome in Vadnais Heights early Saturday evening. 

Chief Chris Hearden with Vandnais Heights Fire said in a press release that four local fire departments were called to a fire in a townhome complex at around 5:40 on Saturday evening. 

When crews arrived in the 1000 block of County Road D East, they saw fire and heavy smoke pouring from a townhome. 

 A neighbor told KARE 11’s Ian Russell that he ran to help, but the flames were too hot for him to go inside. He said he heard the kids screaming and then saw them pulled from the home.

“Tried my best to run in there… the fire, the smoke… don’t know the blueprint, don’t know the surroundings, couldn’t see nothing so I got out of there,” said Venjoseph Brown, obviously shaken. “I was no use… and there was still kids in there. If it was that bad on the outside, I could wonder what they was goin’ through.” 

Officials confirmed two young children were pulled from the burning building by emergency crews. Two other victims, an adult and another child, were able to escape on their own. All four were taken to Regions Hospital and Hearden said their conditions are unknown at this time. 

Engines from Vadnais Heights, Little Canada, Maplewood and White Bear Lake worked to knock down the fire, which appeared to be out as of 7:15 p.m. Crews on scene noted that damage to the first floor of the townhome was extensive. 

The Vadnais Heights Fire Department, Ramsey County Fire Investigation Team and the State Fire Marshall’s Office are all investigating the cause of this fire. 





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Neighbor says children were pulled from burning townhome

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VADNAIS HEIGHTS, Minn. — A witness said multiple children were pulled from a burning townhome in Vadnais Heights early Saturday evening. 

Fire crews from a number of east metro departments were dispatched to the home at 1087 County Road D East around 5:45 p.m.  A neighbor told KARE 11’s Ian Russell that he ran to help, but the flames were too hot for him to go inside. He said children were pulled from the home. At this time it is unclear how many victims or what their conditions are. 

Engines worked to knock down the fire, which appeared to be out or at least under control as of 7:15 p.m.

This is a developing story. KARE 11 will update as details become available.



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