Minneapolis and St. Paul Gentrified neighborhoods (Bloomington, Edina: middle-class, real estate, apartments)

[Cruz Azul Guy]

I don't think this has really been discussed at depth on here yet (although it has been mentioned briefly in other topics). Which neighborhoods in both Minneapolis and St. Paul do you believe fit the definition of being gentrified.

gen·tri·fi·ca·tion
–noun
1. the buying and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals, thus improving property values but often displacing low-income families and small businesses.

Gentrification is something that has been rampant in other larger U.S. cities where real estate prices have gone through the roof (think New York, Chicago, San Francisco, etc.) but for the most part hasn't happened in the Twin Cities yet from what I've seen. I guess the one obvious example of gentrification would be in the Uptown area of Minneapolis, but that wouldn't be a cut-dry case of gentrification since most of it was never really low-income in the first place. I've seen instances of gentrification in bits and pieces in South Minneapolis but nothing close to encompass an entire neighborhood.

It is likely that gentrification will eventually start happening more in Minneapolis and St. Paul but which areas do you think will most likely be gentrified?

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by Slig

I don't think this has really been discussed at depth on here yet (although it has been mentioned briefly in other topics). Which neighborhoods in both Minneapolis and St. Paul do you believe fit the definition of being gentrified.

gen·tri·fi·ca·tion
–noun
1. the buying and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals, thus improving property values but often displacing low-income families and small businesses.

Gentrification is something that has been rampant in other larger U.S. cities where real estate prices have gone through the roof (think New York, Chicago, San Francisco, etc.) but for the most part hasn't happened in the Twin Cities yet from what I've seen. I guess the one obvious example of gentrification would be in the Uptown area of Minneapolis, but that wouldn't be a cut-dry case of gentrification since most of it was never really low-income in the first place. I've seen instances of gentrification in bits and pieces in South Minneapolis but nothing close to encompass an entire neighborhood.

It is likely that gentrification will eventually start happening more in Minneapolis and St. Paul but which areas do you think will most likely be gentrified?

I was about to start a thread like this myself (in response to the off-shoot conversations we were having on the 'places to avoid' thread). A lot of the areas that could be pointed to here in Mpls don't really meet the "true" definition of gentrification, but I think the definition above is somewhat limited for a very complex topic- yes Uptown is a very expensive place to buy, but you can still find affordable rents there and it has always been somewhat middle class. Linden Hills and most SW Mpls neighborhoods I would consider a case of moderate gentrication where predominantly middle to upper-middle class neighborhoods are now unaffordable/off-limits to the average middle-class homebuyer. North Loop is probably one of the best examples, but there wasn't much of a population (and/or places to reside) prior to the loft/condo developments so even this doesn't fit the bill too well. I'm not sure which neighborhood it technically is, but the areas of Northeast closer to DT that have seen large upscale development could be considered gentrification, but even this is pretty patchwork/bits and pieces as you referenced.

As for resident displacement- I think the building of interstates and highways have done much more damage in this realm than any examples of gentrification. The razing of Glenwood-Sumner projects displaced a lot of residents for redevelopment of the area, but a vast chunk if not the majority of the housing being built to replace it was/is income-based affordable and/or subsidized housing. Of course with the new Target Field very close by and ongoing North Loop gentrification, it's possible that the percentage (and/or marketability of) private market units in the Heritage Park area will be on the rise/increase.

I think there are similarly local suburban areas that have gentrified (also in a broader sense) in that that they used to be sleepy, humble small towns that have now become pseudo-touristy and/or a haven for high-earning metropolitan residents- e.g. Stillwater, MN.

There's a lot to be said on this topic, am going to save the rest of my thoughts for future responses-

[MplsTodd]

I think the Selby-Dale area of St. Paul qualifies as an example of a gentrified neighborhood. The actual intersection of Selby-Dale used to be well-known for high levels of crime back in the '70s and '80s. Now there's a co-op there, plus lots of trendy restaurants along Selby Avenue between Dale and Western.

[uptown_urbanist]

I have pretty strong feelings about Uptown, and don't think that it can be considered "gentrified;" like Slig does note, it was never "deteriorated" to begin with. It was at one point a mix of blue collar and middle class, with wealthy people right by the lakes, and today it's mostly middle and upper class, but still with some lower income residents, too. I suppose in the greater Uptown area one could argue that Lyndale (and to a lesser extent, Whittier) have seen some larger-scale changes; Lyndale in the 1980s got pretty rough for a few years, and a lot of middle class people with options did leave. Now they're back, but there are still many affordable options in the neighborhood.

The Wedge (which I consider part of Uptown) had a rough decade in the 1970s, but even then I don't think it can be counted as being gentrified.

It is worth pointing out, I guess, that technically the Hennepin-Lake corner was designated as "blighted" by the city so that Calhoun Square could come in and receive financing. It was highly controversial at the time, to say the least.

I wouldn't call Linden Hills gentrified, either; while the nicest houses are still out of reach for the average homeowner, there are still some pretty affordable options out there, even for buying, within walking distance to the lake and the commercial core (especially if you're willing to live on a busier street, like Xerxes). Not low-income buyer affordable, but within the realm of possibility for most middle class families affordable. You'll still get more for your money in other parts of the city (at least as far as house itself goes), but the options are there. I've even seen listings for (small) 3-BRs under $200k.

[laxster]

Lowertown in Saint Paul - it was abandoned warehouses and now it is trendy lofts with new bars and restaurants opening everywhere.

[west336]

Looking at things from a different angle, I'd suggest that you may find "reverse gentrification" more than gentrification here. In other words, I expect other, once middle-class areas to become poorer over the coming years and decades. Without any intensive research or articles to confirm, my "out of the hat" guesses would include:

- the area near CR-42 and Cedar Ave in Apple Valley (mostly townhomes and apts)
- Richfield east of Lyndale Ave
- parts of Columbia Heights
- Bloomington east of Nicollet Ave and north of 98th St.
- parts of Woodbury

....and the biggest surprise (Edina, near Strachauer Park). I know, a ridiculous stretch of the imagination, but I can see it happening and possibly starting a little. Not race, but more people moving out and less development and upkeep of SOME houses. That's a sign of gentrification to me, not necessarily more or less of a certain group of people.

Just some thoughts...

[tpk-nyc]

Gentrification can happen in non-residential areas as well, so you could argue that the Warehouse District was gentrified. It's not as controversial because hardly anyone was displaced. There's a gentrified micro-neighborhood along Hennepin in downtown stretching up to Loring Park (compare the Tom Waits song "9th and Hennepin" to that intersection today).

Gentrification has two constituents: the hipster/artist/recent-grad and the yuppie/family. MPLS preempted yuppie gentrification by rezoning/developing the Warehouse District and the riverfront. The market for renovated/new apartments close to downtown was sated without displacing existing residents.

The hipster/artist/recent grad demographic isn't large enough to expand much beyond Uptown.

The most likely candidate for new gentrification is the area from Stevens Square to Phillips, although I don't think it's going to happen because the demand isn't there. It's close to downtown, has an architecturally interesting mix of mansions and apartments buildings (somewhat reminiscent of Brooklyn), and will likely be well served by light rail/streetcars. Stevens Square is partially gentrified, but still has a ways to go.

If the the cities ever became really hip with new-grads (like Austin or Portland), they'd probably go to Phillips.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

It seems the best examples of gentrification in Minneapolis and St. Paul are taking place in specific intersections, although I guess that's how it starts and then it just slowly creeps through entire neighborhoods. A great example of this was just mentioned in another topic where blight on the intersection of Franklin Ave and Nicollet Ave has been converted into swanky new mixed use condo buildings. It looks like they are doing the same thing in other nearby intersections. On Franklin and Portland for instance, it looks like that intersection is completely being torn up and redone.

Another example is bits and pieces along the light rail on both sides of Hiawatha. Anybody seen what's happening on a large sized lot on 38th St a few blocks west of the light rail station? It's under construction to become a huge new condo complex right now. I'm not exactly sure what used to be there, but for a while I want to say it was an unkept and unused parking lot.

Another small instance of gentrification is what took place where the old Sears building sits near the intersection of Lake St and Chicago Ave in Phillips. That place was full of blight and now it's a completely refurnished facility with nice new condos (of which 1 br's went for more than what we paid for our house). I would classify that area as in the process of being gentrified.

[eastside38]

Originally Posted by west336

- the area near CR-42 and Cedar Ave in Apple Valley (mostly townhomes and apts)
- Richfield east of Lyndale Ave
- parts of Columbia Heights
- Bloomington east of Nicollet Ave and north of 98th St.
- parts of Woodbury

What parts of Woodbury are you referring to? The Steepleview rd. area? The Woodbury Heights area? I do find it disturbing that you group certain parts of Woodbury with east Bloomington, Columbia Heights, and Richfield.

[gearedtowardssalad]

It's impossible for anywhere in the midwest outside of Chicago to be completely gentrified, at least for now. It's too cheap here to have neighborhoods that are only affordable by professionals and the upper class. Uptown has the amenities of a traditional yuppie neighborhood, but the population is varied with hipsters, musicians, artists all living there.