Longing for a simpler time? Slow down for a few hours and enjoy the 1850's Holiday Party at the Ard Godfrey Houseon December 5th.Thank you to The Woman's Club of Minneapolis for continueing this tradition.

Submitted by Mill District resident Doug Verdier

The Third Avenue Bridge project continues with interesting activity everywhere. A major event was the erection of a fourth tower crane above one of the piers near the mid point of the bridge span. Other sections saw continuation of concrete replacement on both piers and bridge deck. Work continues into evening hours most nights under the lights. Some highlights of the past week are shown.

Forms are in place awaiting pouring of new concrete on the side of the pier near West River Parkway. Above the forms you can see where the old roadbed of the bridge has been removed from atop the steel girders.

Removal of bridge deck sections exposes the spandrels that provide support for the deck. Spandrels are also being replaced as part of the reconstruction.

The base section of the fourth tower crane that was put in place on the bridge this week can be seen in the center of the photo above. Sections of the new tower were hoisted into place by the yellow crane to the left of the red tower base section.

With all sections of the new tower in place, workers on top of the tower await the yellow crane to lift the control section into place. Sections of the cranes horizontal components can be seen to the left of the crane as they are being unloaded from a truck.

The control module of the crane is being lifted to workers atop the tower where it will be installed. The horizontal arm of the crane will then be lifted into place. That portion of the assembly operation took place the following morning.

Ta-da! The fourth crane assembled and being checked out before going into full service.

And then there were four. The newest addition is third from left (West side of the river). It was in full service by mid-week.

Three upcomingonline public hearingsare available for people to speak publiclyto the City Council regarding Mayor Jacob Freysrecommended 2022 City Budget. Comments can also be submittedonlineat the Citys website.

Online public hearings

Comments submittedonlinewill be entered into the public record and shared with the mayor and council members. The City Council is scheduled to vote on adopting the budget on Wednesday, Dec. 8.

Learn how to participate in online public hearings.

The proposed 2022 $1.599 billion City budget includes a 5.45% levy increase.

Visit theCitys websiteto learn more about the mayors recommended budget, key dates in the approval process, FAQs and more. You can also watch aseries of videoson the Citys budget process.

Join Minneapolis Public Works in celebrating the reopening of the 10th Avenue Bridge on Tuesday, November 16. A ribbon cutting event is scheduled from 11:30a to 12:15p on the downtown side of the bridge, including remarks from elected officials and project staff.

Project website: https://www.10thavebridge.com/

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Diane LucasNovember is a month for showing gratitude. Im grateful for the wealth of nonprofit organizations that serve our community. I spoke to Diane Lucas, Director Marketing and Communications of Catholic Eldercare an exemplary example of a local organization doing good works for decades.

Q: Please tell us the history and mission of Catholic Eldercare in NE Minneapolis.

A: For nearly a century, the Little Sisters of the Poor provided loving care for the elderly of Minneapolis at St. Josephs Home, located at the corner of 2nd Street NE and Broadway.

In 1976 when the building was found to be inadequate for nursing home care, the Sisters chose to rebuild in St. Paul. About this same time, the closing of St. Anthony High School had left a school building at St. Anthony of Padua parish underutilized. This location, a mere two blocks from the old St. Joseph Home, suggested the possibility for its use as a replacement nursing home for Minneapolis.

At the request of then-Minneapolis Mayor Al Hofstede, Archbishop John Roach appealed to the religious communities serving the Archdiocese for help with this project. Sister Ruth Roland, O.P., responded with an offer to help with initial planning and began work with a small group of interested people in August of 1979 those individuals are the founders of Catholic Eldercare Albert J. Hofstede, Sister Ruth Roland, O.P., Minneapolis businessmen, Thomas F. Glodek, and Robert W. Hannah. Construction of the 150-bed skilled care center was officially begun on July 14, 1982, with the projected completion date set for one year later. The first residents moved in August 24, 1983.

Founder Portraits

Our mission providing the care, housing and services needed by older adults to continue living fully with dignity in an intentionally created caring community remains our focus today. Our full continuum of living choice offers independent living communities, assisted living and memory care communities, a skilled nursing facility, transitional care for rehabilitation services and an adult day program.

Albert J. Hofstede Campus

Q: How many seniors have you served since the organizations inception?

A: My gosh, that is a good question, today we serve over 500; the number would be in the thousands upon thousands for sure. Perhaps the best way to get an understanding of how many we have served would be to look at the campuses themselves.

The Albert J. Hofstede Campus

This is our main campus at the corner of 2nd Street NE and 8th Avenue NE. It consists of a 150-bed skilled care building, a 24-bed transitional care building, MainStreet Lodge assisted living with 51 apartments and the operation of our Adult Day Program which is licensed to serve 36 participants daily. This is connected to the St. Anthony of Padua Chapel, and the property is adjacent to Wyndris, a beautiful amenity rich independent living apartment building on 2nd Street NE and Broadway. There are 69 apartments in that building.

Wyndris Apartments

RiverVillage East/North Campus

This campus is located off Randolph Street NE, just 2 miles north of the main campus. It is comprised of RiverVillage East assisted living and memory care which is a 71-unit apartment complex attached to RiverVillage North, a subsidized independent living apartment building with 35 apartments.

Catholic Eldercare has evolved and grown through the years with MainStreet Lodge welcoming first tenants in 1995 and the RiverVillage East/North buildings in 2004. The Transitional Care and Wyndris buildings are the most recent additions to the Catholic Eldercare footprint in Northeast Minneapolis, opening in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

Q: Whats on the horizon for 2022?

A: Were on the verge of celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2023. With that milestone in mind, our Board of Directors and leadership team began a strategic planning initiative focused on what our desired future will be. We know that healthcare regulations will continue to change, technology will improve, and the desires of future customers will be different. Integration of technology, new models for providing care, and workforce strategies are key considerations as we plan. However, we remain committed to our mission of providing care, housing, and services needed by older adults to continue living fully. This is an exciting new chapter in Catholic Eldercares rich history, one that we embrace and look forward to.

Q: What volunteer opportunities are available?

A: There are many volunteer positions available, such as program aides, visitors, meal hosts, escorts, clerical aides, gardeners, monthly shoppers and more. Catholic Eldercares volunteer program is quite flexible striving to match the volunteers availability and interests as much as possible. A volunteer compliments and supports our staff, and by doing this we hope those we serve have the best possible experience. You can learn more by contacting me at dlucas@catholiceldercare.org.

Q: How may we follow your news?

A: You can follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Or visit our website and blog to see latest news and events https://catholiceldercare.org/newsevents/.

Curated retail experiences will meet a favorite holiday tradition at Daytons

Today, The Daytons Project announced the final round of vendors in their inaugural makers market: The Departments at Daytons. The building will open to the public on November 18thwith all 33 local makers installed at the project just in time for the holiday season.

Daytons has always been emmeshed in the community, said Mich Berthiaume, curator of The Departments at Daytons. It was important to bring that focus back to the building and celebrate the remarkable diversity of the local makers across Minnesota. The phenomenal list of vendors we have at this project are reigniting the vibrancy of downtown Minneapolis.

Native Roots Radio, local community radio merchandise;Teton Trade Cloth, beads, blankets, supplies, and other gear;Great Grandmother Mary Lyons, Minnesota-made ribbon skirts;Iron Cloud Art Designs, striking printed art from Arizona;Winona LaDuke, local CBD and hemp products;Eagle Thunder Family, Lakota beadwork, gear, and native language clocks;Nancy Beaulieu, Minnesota-made handicrafts;William Harjo, handmade wooden flutes from Oklahoma and Texas;Star Quilts, Northern Cheyenne-designed apparel;Marion Martinez, artisan rings and silver jewelry;Joseph Wrider, handmade silver jewelry;White Buffalo Prints, local wildlife photography;American Indian Movement, official AIM-branded merchandise.

In addition, The Daytons Project has announced two additional vendors who have joined the market:

Rocky Robinson a self-care brand created to empower Black and Brown girls and tell them that they matter

Joel Kaplan a watercolor artist and art instructor who was a former Divisional Director at the Daytons Department Store

The developers also announced the recreation of a beloved tradition at Daytons: the Holiday windows display. Beginning on opening day, November 18th, The Daytons Project will unveil its Christmas window decorations on both the skyway level and the first floor. The corner of 8thand Nicollet will feature a display of Santa Bears, another favorite Daytons tradition.

It was important to us to bring the Holiday windows back, said Don Kohlenberger, President of Hightower Initiatives and the owners representative for The Daytons Project. This was a tradition we brought back in 2019 and had to pause in 2020 due to the pandemic. This year, were bringing it back to celebrate the holiday season and create new cherished memories for the shoppers who visit The Daytons Project.

The Departments at Daytons is the newest addition to The Daytons Project, a landmark historic restoration development in downtown Minneapolis. At 1.2 million square feet, The Daytons Project redevelopment marks one of the largest historic renovations in the country. The building will eventually host 250,000 SF in retail space from the lower level up to the skyway and will host 750,000 SF of office space in the rest of the building. Office tenants will enjoy a private tenant lounge and rooftop deck, quiet heads down working space, and a 10,000 SF fitness center, in addition to their modern office space. Ernst Young Global Limited is the projects headlining office tenant and will also take occupancy on November 18th.

Via a November 8 e-announcement from FINNEGANS:

FINNEGANS has launched their annual Drink Like You Care campaign, where beer distributor partners match donations for all beer sales from Nov-Dec and support feeding those in need in our community. They are asking friends and supporters to step up and help to make this campaign a huge success, and are offering fun ways to make a difference!

Sign-up to be a FINNEGANS Sampling Saint
In an effort to sell as much FINNEGANS as possible and to engage liquor store customers in helping to feed those in need, they are scheduling liquor store tastings at their top selling accounts (this is a paid position!).
Please Click here to sign-up.They have a bunch of open sampling opportunities now through December.

Throw a Drink Like You Care Happy Hour with your friends, family, colleagues and everyone you knowDont forget to share the joy! Post your photos and tag FINNEGANS, #DLYC.They cant wait to see your barstool philanthropy in action.

Entertain Like You Care
Invite your friends, neighbors, colleagues, family and everyone you know over to your home for a party stock your fridge with FINNEGANS and you have a fundraiser rolling to feed those in need in your community.Invite everyone to a virtual gathering; share the link for all to find FINNEGANS near them. Look for FINNEGAN variety fan packs and make it an at-home beer tasting!Click here to find cans of FINNEGANS near you.

Via a November 8 Press Release from the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA):

During the first few weeks in November, residents and visitors to the Mill District will start noticing some new signage on 16 different properties, along 2nd Street, 3rd Avenue, and Washington Avenue.

The purpose of the DMNA Historic Signage Project is to create and install signage that highlights the history behind buildings, and potentially other architecture in the downtown community. We believe the signage will enhance the pedestrian experience for residents and visitors, increase the sense of community in our neighborhoods, honor our past, and create a legacy for the future.

The DMNA modeled its project after a similar project in the North Loop neighborhood. The DMNA Historic Signage Committee received guidance on our project from volunteers from the North Loop Neighborhood Association. We appreciate and want to recognize their help!

The DMNA is starting with 16 buildings in the Mill District but will expand to other areas in the Downtown East and Downtown West neighborhoods in the future. Each of the historic signs includes a QR code that when scanned will take you to a page on the DMNA website with more history about the building. (On or around November 8, after the historic signage has been installed on all of the buildings, we will activate the building history webpages on the DMNA website.)

A video created by Peter Zenner from ZenMation showcases each of the properties the DMNA Historic Signage Committee produced signage for this year.

(You can also view the video via this link:https://youtu.be/iUbIvZanJkw)

A BIG THANK YOU to committee members Dianne Walsh, Randy Manthey, Christine Anderson, Rana Geving, and Lisa Olson. They have been working very hard on this project over the last six months. For more information about the project and an interactive map with all of the buildings on it, please visit: https://www.thedmna.org/historic-signage.

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

Photo credit: Skyline ArtEveryday, thousands of people cross the Hennepin Avenue Bridge, from those who are commuting to work and students arriving for class at DeLaSalle High School, to locals walking their dogs or going for a jog. We take our many bridges for granted these days, but it wasnt always a luxury the citizens of the Twin Cities had. An important piece of infrastructure, this bridge helped industry and commerce blossom in the Mill City.

Before bridges started to pop up across the Mississippi River, ferries were the only way to cross when the ice cleared the river. In order to connect the two villages of Minneapolis and St. Anthony, businessmen Franklin Steele and John Stevens began operating a rope ferry in 1847 from Nicollet Island to Minneapolis to help travelers cross safely. Shortly after, in 1851, a bridge was built from St. Anthony to Nicollet Island. Steele and Stevens noticed how important commuting back and forth between the two villages was for the local economy and began discussing the possibility of building a bridge at the spot where they run their ferry service.

On March 4th, 1852, Steele, Stevens, and other investors started the Mississippi Bridge Company when they received a charter from the Territorial Legislature to build a bridge. The $36,000 bridge, or over $1,015,000 after inflation, was completed in December of 1854, and officially opened to the public on January 23rd, 1855. When the Father Louis Hennepin Bridge first opened, it was dubbed as the link between the Atlantic and Pacific, because it became the first bridge to span the Mississippi anywhere on the river. It wasnt New Orleans, it wasnt Memphis, it wasnt St. Louis; Minneapolis is the true Gateway to the West.

The original anchors for the suspension can still be seen in First Bridge Park underneath the current Hennepin Avenue Bridge. Since the wooden suspension bridge was built by a private company, it was initially a toll bridge. Pedestrians paid 3, or 5 for a round trip, horses and mules cost 15, cows and oxen cost 10, and pigs and sheep cost 2. Because the bridge was small, and rather close to the river, there was a strict rule that you had to cross the bridge at a walking pace or slower. If they did catch you going faster than a walking pace, they would fine you $10! That doesnt seem like much now, but the average day wage for those who worked in the mills was 25.

Photo of the first and second bridges taken in 1876 during the construction of the second bridge.

When the bridge first opened, the population of Minneapolis was roughly 480 residents, and St. Anthony had over 1,000. Only five years later in 1860, the populations quickly rose to 2,500 and 3,200 respectively. There is no doubt that the Hennepin Avenue Bridge was a major factor in the growth of both villages. In 1869, the Minneapolis Bridge Companys charter expired, and Hennepin County purchased the bridge to become its new owner. In February of 1872, St. Anthony agreed to merge with Minneapolis to become one city and the ownership of the bridge once again changed hands, this time to the city of Minneapolis. The rapidly rising population, quickly growing milling industry in the city, and almost constant repairs to the bridge meant that it was close to obsolete. New plans to make a larger wooden suspension bridge came to fruition in February of 1877. During construction of the second bridge, the original was left up because taking away that crossing would have been devastating for the city and its residents. Once that second bridge was open, they tore down the original, the very first bridge to span the Mississippi River.

A couple decades later, the city needed a much larger bridge, so in 1888 they started construction on a steel arched bridge, moving away from the previous suspension bridges. The third bridge on this site opened to the public in 1891 and lasted almost 100 years. By the 1980s, city and county officials knew the third bridge was in dire need of repairs, and once a study was complete, they were split on whether they should invest in the almost 100-year-old bridge or build a state-of-the-art new bridge. Led by John Derus, who was also key in securing the future of the Stone Arch Bridge and the Merriam Street Bridge,the city and county officials decided to build a new bridge that the city would be proud of.

Photo of the second and third bridges in 1891 before the second was torn down.

The new, and current Father Louis Hennepin Bridge is once again a true suspension bridge. Two 150-foot-tall towers support the suspension for two separate bridge decks, thus making it the shortest suspension bridge to carry highway traffic built in modern times when it opened in 1990.

Now one of the most recognizable sites in Minneapolis, the Hennepin Avenue Bridge is featured on everything from postcards to t-shirts, and Im sure it helps that its located right next to another Minneapolis icon, the Grain Belt Beer sign. The next time you traverse the Hennepin Avenue Bridge on your commute to work or your next bike ride, take a second to imagine crossing the bridge in 1855 when it was a revolutionary feat of engineering; the first bridge to span the Mississippi River.

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About Michael Rainville, Jr.

A 6th generation Minneapolitan, Michael Rainville Jr. received his B.A. in History from the University of St. Thomas, and is currently enrolled in their M.A. in Art History and Certificate in Museum Studies programs.

Michael is also an intern at the Hennepin History Museum and a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment LLC, giving Segway tours of the Minneapolis riverfront for 7+ years.

He can be reached at mrainvillejr@comcast.net.

Try something new this Thanksgiving - whether it's dessert, or the entire feast!

Photo: The Restaurant ProjectHark!Cafe is serving up scrumptious, scratch-made Thanksgiving pies. These decadent holiday favorites are filled with real Minnesota apples, pumpkins and winter squash - and are 100% plant-based, gluten-free and celiac-safe. Hark! Cafe is located in the Warehouse District at 430 1st Avenue.

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Ono Hawaiian Plates offers a ready-to-eat dinner for four for $149. Choose your pick up time on Thanksgiving Day: 3pm, 4pm or 5pm (not a take n bake, it comes hot!) Ono Hawaiian Plates is in the North Loop Galley, 729 Washington Avenue N. Online pre-orders only.Your feast includes:

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Photo: Union Hmong KitchenUnion Hmong Kitchen invites you to experience theirVinai Thanksgiving Feast.$220 per order, ready to reheat at home. This meal serves 3-4 people (if youre feeding 6-8 people, you would place an order for two meals, etc.).

Meal package includes:

3 Mains:

Sides:

Plus: Vinai-branded reheating and serving instructions, banana leaves for tabletop setting, plus a link to fun table and meal assembly video by Yia Vang and a curated Thanksgiving Spotify Playlist.

Also available (on its own, not part of the above packaged): 10"Gochujang French Silk Pie $30, feeds 6-8. Made with real MN-raised lard, topped with whipped cream, dark chocolate curls; flavored with gochujang Korean chili.

Order by Friday November 19 at unionkitchenmn.com.Meals and pies available for pick up between 10am to 5pm at Vinai,1717 NE 2nd Street, in NE Minneapolis on Wednesday, November 24. Home delivery available for$25.

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Patisserie 46 / Rose Street Patisserie is offering an8 Classic Kentucky Derby Pecan Pie with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, 70% dark chocolate and Georgia pecans. Topped with a rich chocolate Chantilly. Other seasonal/Thanksgiving items include savory breads, a pumpkin cheesecake, and stuffing mix. Order for either location at https://patisserie46.com.

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Here is a more expansive list from WCCO.

Downtown real estate market update fromCynthia Froid Group:

The Mill City Farmers Market is dedicated to providing a safe and reliable year-round marketplace for small farmers, makers and shoppers. Their winter farmers markets return to theMill City Museumlobby (no ticket required) with 30-40 farmers and makers two Saturdays per month, November through April. Face coverings are required andsafety protocols in the buildingwill be followed.

Two Saturdays per Month, 10am 1pm:

November 13 and 20

December 4 and 18

January 8 and 22

February 12 and 26

March 12 and 26

April 9 and 23

Via an excerpt from the November 5 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Following an extensive clinical trial and final recommendations from CDC for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds, Gov. Tim Walz announced that Minnesota will begin vaccinating children this week.

There are over 500,000 children across Minnesota that are now eligible for the vaccine. Ninety-four percent of Minnesotas population is now eligible to be vaccinated. To find vaccine locations and learn more, go tomn.gov/vaxforkids.

In addition to thewebpage, two new videos were created featuring Minnesota pediatricians sharing information about the COVID-19 vaccine for children and why it is important to get kids vaccinated:

Via November 5 e-announcements from the City of Minneapolis:

1) 4th Street Reconstruction Project Update

The City of Minneapolis will reconstruct 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and 4th Ave. S in downtown Minneapolis. The reconstruction will include wider sidewalks, improved crossings, a new bi-directional off-street bike path on the north side of the street, lighting, trees and planting beds. Utility work and roadway construction are underway and are expected to be complete by the end of 2022.

Rendering of the future 4th St. design between Marquette Ave. and 2nd St.

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