The Nicollet Mall, a mile-long transit pedestrian corridor that runs through downtown Minneapolis, is undergoing revision as the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID) aims to implement its “Downtown by Design” plan by 2035.
The plan focuses on transforming the mall into a more pedestrian-friendly area through initiatives such as widening sidewalks, providing secure bike storage and expanding access to public infrastructure, according to The Minnesota Daily.
“One thing [the DID] was throwing out there was calling it the Nicollet Mile and pedestrianizing it, or not allowing vehicles on it,” Senior Director of Community Safety Shane Zahn said. “So I think what [the mall] was in the past, what it is today, and where it goes in the future, is all part of the work that our downtown council is doing with the 2035 plan.”
The DID has hosted events to progress the 2035 plan. Residents, such as associate librarian Caitlin Fitzgerald, have noticed efforts to involve the whole community in the project. For instance, Dinner du Nord was an event where different restaurants came together to host a mile-long dinner party with the Minneapolis community at the Nicollet Mall, according to Zahn.
“There’s definitely been an increase in effort put towards getting people to stay at Nicollet Mall,” Fitzgerald said. “The DID has been up and down the mall, which is a relatively new thing in the past three or four years. They’ve also done a bunch of events on Nicollet Mall to draw audiences, such as food trucks and chalk art.”
Future efforts will focus on increasing foot traffic to counterbalance the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Senior Director of Economic Development Lisa Maddag. Co-owner Geoffrey Fischbein of Solomon Optical, a small business located in the Nicollet Mall, has noticed small businesses having to shut down due to a lack of customers.
“If we can help these communities and fill these vacancies and make downtown feel vibrant and full of life again, I feel like our community will thrive,” small business owner Ana Castillo-Jimenez said. “We’re all social beings. We’re all sorts of creatures, and I feel like if we can restore that sense of connection between ourselves, we will see a much better not only Minneapolis, but Minnesota overall.”
The DID plans to continue carrying out its 2035 plan to not only Nicollet Mall, but all of downtown Minneapolis. In the near future, the focus will shift toward achieving the four pillars of the plan, which are neighborhood cultivation, foundational safety, hassle-free systems and irresistible vibe.
