Rebuilding an Intersection: South Minneapolis Regional Service Center at Lake and Hiawatha

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

In 2014, Hennepin County purchased a dilapidated eight-acre site at the intersection of Lake and Hiawatha in Minneapolis. The county purchased the property to create a vibrant neighborhood center including a new, decentralized Human Service Center, commercial spaces, a space for The Corcoran Neighborhood Organization’s farmer’s market, and to provide housing opportunities on the remaining property. In the summer of 2020, the building, which was closed due to COVID, was damaged by civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd. The Hennepin Healthcare East Lake clinic, located two blocks away, was also heavily damaged and closed. Due to the changing nature of work, the county was able to reduce its presence in the building, and Hennepin Healthcare relocated its clinic to the Hennepin County Human Services Center (HCSC). Additionally, the county took this opportunity to relocate the Mental Health clinic from a nearby leased location to co-locate with the East Lake Clinic. During this time, the county finished the new farmer’s market location, called Market Plaza, and welcomed a third minority-owned tenant to the commercial space on the ground floor. The SMHSC demonstrates the role local government can have in, not only providing services, but also cultivating positive environment in the community. By holistically addressing the needs of a community, and by building and fostering partnerships to help in addressing those needs, the SMHSC and surrounding properties seeks to make a significant impact on the lives of community members.