Neighborhood Priorities

2019 North Loop Neighborhood Association Accomplishments

Neighborhood Highlight

• Worked with MNDOT, Hennepin County and the City to have a left turn signal installed at the intersection of I-394 and Washington Avenue. Efforts continue to assure development of a long-term plan for improving this intersection for traffic as well as pedestrian safety

 Community Engagement

• Held numerous neighborhood events throughout the year that promoted engagement and community spirit:

• • Annual Meeting at MUSE
  • Annual Candy Grab
  • Annual Food Truck Fair
  • National Night Out at Target Field Station
  • Trick or Treat with North Loop Style
  • Holiday movie at Target Field Station

• Installed a third Little Free Library
• Created a neighborhood garden in the North Loop

Streets & Pedestrian Safety

• New pavement and sidewalks on 3^rd St, 5^th, 7^th and 8^th Avenues – including completion the restoration of Historic Pavers
• Pedestrian improvements including sidewalk crossing bump-outs
• Continued efforts working with the City to improve pedestrian safety
• Placed pedestrian crosswalk signs on key intersections

 Neighborhood Safety

• Established a security email blast with most North Loop business owners

Parks & Beautification

• Received City and property owner approval to assume management of the dog park on 3rd Street/8th Avenue – park improvements to begin early 2020
• Maintained the Welcome Park at I-394 and Washington Avenue (2018 NLNA clean-up and landscaping initiative)
• Volunteers cleared underbrush and branches at James Rice Park to open up views of the Mississippi River (more in 2020)
• Continued monthly neighborhood clean-up events
• Continued neighborhood tree watering program for new trees

Business Community Partnership

• Held listening session with North Loop businesses and MPD to discuss neighborhood crime concerns and measures to improve safety
• Provided videos to neighborhood businesses to promote neighborhood shopping events in spring, fall and holidays

Planning & Zoning

• Held monthly meetings of Planning+Zoning Committee to review numerous proposed development projects, providing feedback and recommendations

 Historic Preservation & Public Art

• Called for proposals for a NL Welcome Park monument and received neighborhood feedback; winner selected by external committee of art experts
  • Raised $65,000 from neighborhood businesses to fund the monument
  • Sculpture to be installed in early March
• Inaugurated ArtCrossing in Tower Loft Tunnel as part of the ongoing North Loop public art initiative
• Produced eight videos (so far) highlighting historic NL buildings and events

• Competed research on historical signage project; prepared to place signs on significant North Loop buildings

 Civic Engagement

• Registered voters and provided voter registration information at North Loop community events
• Hosted event on elections and election security with Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon
• Added 2020 voter information resource to the website

 Online Presence

• Website traffic doubled from 2018 (9.973 average monthly visits to northloop.org)
• Doubled Instagram followers and saw significant increase in Facebook engagement
• Upgraded website to new WordPress version and made structural site changes
• Added new Historic North Loop section to the website
• Established a North Loop news bureau with lots of original content

Top Ten 2020 Neighborhood Priorities 

Priorities were selected by neighborhood residents and businesses attending the North Loop Neighborhood Association annual meeting on January 29^th.

#1 Pedestrian Safety
#2 Neighborhood Safety
#3 More Trees
#4 Parks
#5 More Neighborhood Events
#6 Sustainability
#7 Parking
#8 Community Composting – Drop Site
#9 North Loop Block Party
#10 Pop-up markets for new bricks and mortar retailers

Here’s the full list of all suggested priorities 2020 North Loop Neighborhood Priorities, including the number of votes each received.