There is perhaps nobody who expects everyone who feels invested in the future of George Floyd Square to be satisfied with whatever the city of Minneapolis decides about its upcoming redesign.
The Minneapolis City Council is plunging into the issue anyway, with its Committee of the Whole to review Tuesday a recommended plan to reshape the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue. The goal is to start construction in 2025, five years after Floyd’s murder turned the four blocks near where he died into a site of somber remembrance, an incubator of social revolution and, to some, a painful display of neglect and systemic racism.
Following two town hall meetings about the recommendations — one organized by the city and the other by residents — Council Member Andrea Jenkins, who represents the area, said residents and others with strong attachments to the site aren’t any closer to a unified vision for George Floyd Square.
“I guess it’s like the American electorate – very divided,” Jenkins said.
The plan released by the city in late October involves reconstructing stretches of 38th and Chicago with new sidewalks, pedestrian ramps, lighting and green spaces. The intersection of the two roads would feature a raised traffic circle.
Monuments and artwork would be preserved. Traffic would not be allowed to pass over the area where Floyd was murdered by police. And a yet-to-be identified nonprofit would redevelop the “People’s Way” former gas station into a community space.
The plan would also restore Metro Transit D Line and Route 5 bus service to the area and maintain vehicle access.
In interviews and public statements during the town halls, residents have repeatedly insisted redevelopment plans must benefit nearby residents and business owners. Many doubt the recommended plan would achieve that. And many accused the city of glossing over the feedback it has been provided.