mpls downtown council 2025 plan quarterly forum on Tuesday focused on intersection of inclusivity

In order to maintain vibrancy and growth in our downtown community, working to create a better downtown mpls for everyone is an essential task for all who live, work, play and visit here.

The mpls downtown council hosted its 2025 Plan Quarterly Forum featuring an “Intersection of Inclusivity” panel discussion on Tuesday, August 7 at First Avenue (701 North 1st Ave).

Tuesday’s quarterly forum included the following panelists:

  • Elizabeth Flannery, President, Community Housing Development Corporation
  • Heather Huseby, Executive Director, YouthLink
  • Mary Morse Marti, Executive Director, Move Minneapolis
  • Joan Vordebruggen, Director of Public Art and Placemaking, Hennepin Theatre Trust
  • Hedy Lemar Walls, Chief Social Responsibility Officer, YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities
  • Steve Cramer, president & ceo, mpls downtown council (moderator)

“Our vision for a thriving downtown involves everyone, and it is our focus to bring different parts of our community together to achieve that goal,” said Steve Cramer, president & ceo of the mpls downtown council and Mpls Downtown Improvement District. “When it comes to development, affordable housing, transit options, outreach efforts and overall downtown experience initiatives, this is an important time for us to come together and talk through how individual efforts can be leveraged together for an outcome that helps everyone.”

Presenters addressed several key initiatives going on downtown, including:

  • Current conversations and initiatives helping to work toward a more inclusive downtown
  • How to balance the development boom with affordable housing needs
  • Outreach work and what’s being done to help those in need
  • What work is being done to provide free activities while adding to overall downtown vibrancy
  • Current transit options and next steps for the future

Steve Cramer also provided updates from the 2025 plan’s six committees, which include development, downtown experience, greening & public realm, transportation, ending street homelessness and festival of ideas-Minneapolis Idea eXchange.

For more information on The 2025 Plan’s initiatives or overall development downtown, follow @mplsdowntown on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #mplsdowntown and #2025plan.

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