The old Kmart site in south Minneapolis will eventually be transformed into a high-density mix of homes and businesses with public gathering spaces and a reconnected Nicollet Avenue.
But first, city officials and community leaders want the public's help deciding what the redevelopment of the 10-acre site should look like and which amenities are the biggest priority. More than 15,000 people already have weighed in through previous surveys and events.
Tuesday, residents are invited to an open house in the parking lot where the team working to reconnect Nicollet Avenue between Lake Street and the Midtown Greenway plan to paint outlines of the different roadway options under consideration for the new street.
"People will be able to see how it feels and get a more direct sense of the scale," said Kaley Brown, executive director of the Whittier Alliance neighborhood group. "I think it is going to be a very cool event."
There will be concept drawings and artist renderings of four different options for design of the roadway and three different proposals for public spaces at the site. City officials say residents' feedback will help determine the best design concepts.
"We are certainly hearing a lot from people. This is the fun part where we get to go and show them something and get their reactions and see what resonates and what doesn't," said Kelsey Fogt, a Minneapolis transportation planner.
The open house for what Minneapolis is calling the New Nicollet Redevelopment Project is 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10. People can also offer their thoughts via a survey on the city's website.
The open house is billed as a "fun and family-friendly" event with free tacos. If there is inclement weather it will be rescheduled to Wednesday, Oct. 11.