Minneapolis gets new transit-oriented development guru

Minneapolis has a new transit-oriented development guru. He's David Frank, most recently development director for Schafer Richardson, the big Minneapolis-based developer and property management company. Frank is taking on a new job with the city of Minneapolis as "senior manager of transit-oriented development." In that role he'll be spearheading efforts to stimulate commercial and residential development along and around city neighborhoods that flank new and existing light-rail transit corridors. That includes the Hiawatha line and the to-be-built Central Corridor line, which will link downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul by 2014. Ultimately, Frank will be accountable to a variety of public officials and tax payers themselves, but he'll report directly to Mike Christianson, director for the Minneapolis Department of Community Planning and Economic Development. "My goal is to grow the tax base by leveraging the investment the public has already decided to make," he said while still getting settled in his new office. Once he's identified prospective redevelopment sites, Frank will be charged with trying to build consensus in the community, attracting financing and working with design experts. Today was Frank's first day with the city.