Mayor Jacob Frey Wednesday formally introduced a new group of business leaders tasked with re-imagining downtown store fronts after more than two years of changing customer and business trends. Marshall’s and Nordstrom Rack are two of the bigger names that recently announced departures from the center of Minneapolis.
“Cities that see the most success post-pandemic won’t cling to the old ways that are now changed forever,” said Frey. “Here in Minneapolis, we will step boldly into the future, guided by the top experts in our region, prepared to innovate and adapt. Minneapolis has always been a hub of commerce and innovation, and I am confident that this workgroup will help ensure we continue carrying that legacy forward.”
His new downtown work group is made up of about 20 members, from a variety of business backgrounds and experiences. They are:
· Workgroup Co-chair Steve Cramer, President and CEO, mpls downtown council and Downtown Improvement District
· Workgroup Co-chair Gabrielle Grier, Managing Director, Juxtaposition Arts
· Minneapolis City Council Member Lisa Goodman, Ward 7
· Minneapolis City Council Member Michael Rainville, Ward 3
· Brian Woolsey, Principal, Monarch CRE
· Dana Swindler, CEO, Martin Patrick 3
· David Fhima, Founder and Chef, Fhima’s / Mother Dough
· Deb Kolar, General Manager, Accesso at IDS Center
· Emily Nicoll, Senior Vice President, CBRE
· Jeff Borst, Real Estate Management, Ryan Companies US, Inc.
· Jeff Johnson, Executive Director, Minneapolis Convention Center
· Jeremy Jacobs, Executive Managing Director & Market Leader, Colliers
· JoAnna Hicks, CEO, Element Commercial Real Estate
· Jonathan Weinhagen, President and CEO, MPLS Regional Chamber
· Mark Nerenhausen, President and CEO, Hennepin Theatre Trust
· Mary Taris, CEO, Strive Publishing & Bookstore
· Melvin Tennant, President and CEO, Meet Minneapolis
· Mich Berthiaume, Dayton’s Market Curator, Dayton’s
· R.T. Rybak, President and CEO, Minneapolis Foundation
· Sam Newberg, Minneapolis Research Director, JLL
· Sarah Anderson, President and CEO, BOMA Greater Minneapolis
Rybak, a former mayor, said he believes this group can do what’s been done before—and worked.
“Downtown has been written off by generation after generation and generation after generation has re-invented downtown,” Rybak said. “It comes back stronger.”
He said he doesn’t want people to just assume everything they read about the so-called demise of downtown Minneapolis on social media. Like many in the group—and Mayor Frey—Rybak wants people to find out for themselves.
“There is, in my mind, dramatic improvement going on, and we need to keep doing that,” he said. “Put your phone down, get off your butt.
Come on downtown—some great stuff’s happening, and even more’s going to happen.”
The work group will begin formal meetings in January.