Hearing will take place at 6:45 pm in the second-floor Board Room at Mary Merrill Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Headquarters
A public hearing on the proposed concept plan for North Loop Park is scheduled Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at 6:45 pm in the Board Room at Mary Merrill Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Headquarters, 2117 West River Road.
View Concept Plan Diagrams
Resolution 2025-142 has more information on the concept plan.
Participate in the Public Hearing
Speak in person: Go to MPRB Headquarters on the day of the hearing and add your name to the sign-up sheet at the front desk. You can also call 612-230-6400 before 3 pm on the day of the hearing to sign up to speak.
Email written comments: Email your comments to opentime@minneapolisparks.org by 3 pm on the day of the hearing. Comments will be included in the public record of the meeting.
Project Background
The MPRB purchased a 25,000-square-foot surface parking lot located on 3rd Street N between 7th and 8th Avenues in 2021 to create new parkland in the North Loop neighborhood. Initial work converted the parking lot into a grassy field with several trees, which is programmed with events and adult leisure sports leagues.
Park design was guided by the Downtown Parks Plan, created in 2017 to guide development of existing neighborhood parks and potential new parkland in downtown Minneapolis. In addition, a series of meetings conducted by the North Loop Neighborhood Association’s Park Committee helped further define community priorities for the park.
A first phase of improvements could begin construction as soon as late 2025. The first phase would include improvements in the west portion of the park, along with walkway and lighting improvements. Essentially, improvements would occur in the areas most remote from street access, building outward toward the street with future improvements.
First phase improvements are funded through $600,000 in North Loop Parkland Dedication Fees. Future phases would be funded through a $740,000 funding allocation scheduled in 2028, as well as potential future Parkland Dedication Fees.