Bottineau Citizens in Action

Fleischmann Site Housing Development Opportunity Summary

Jun 24, 1998

FLEISCHMANN HOUSING DEVELOPMENT REPORT SUMMARY

OPPORTUNITY - Rare Chance

Bottineau Citizens In Action raised the issue of land use in 1992 and residents agreed that the Fleischmann site, directly adjacent to residences, was a blighting influence. It was razed in 1995.

A cleared, unpolluted development parcel of this size is not likely to become available again in Bottineau. What development has the best potential to move the area toward a better future, and how will site development affect investment in the surrounding area?

The site has no significant pollution, and developers say that power lines are not a problem.

Bottineau Citizens In Action and Bottineau Neighborhood Association surveyed residents and found the same conclusion - housing is favored over other development.

The Fleischmann site has great housing potential because of its size; proximity to the Mississippi River, three parks, and job centers; potential for revitalizing river corridor neighborhoods and likelihood of raising the tax base.

CITY POLICIES AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING: Housing at Fleischmann

The city residency requirement, Housing Principles 1995, Metro 2000 and the Minneapolis Plan all support housing at the Fleischmann site. The Bottineau Comprehensive Plan, the Bottineau Neighborhood Revitalization Plan, the Mississippi Corridor Neighborhood Coalition Conceptual River Corridor Plan and the Upper River Citizens Advisory Committee report all favor increased housing in the upper river corridor area.

LAND USE AND HOUSING CONDITIONS: Residential Character in Jeopardy

Northeast has the highest level of non-residential land use in the City outside the University of Minnesota. Bottineau has 33% of its land area zoned for industrial use; it is in a transition from mixed residential/industrial to residential. The optimal use of the Fleischmann parcel is a high quality housing development as a new anchor for the neighborhood.

DEMOGRAPHICS ?– Losing the Middle Class

Bottineau has one of the lowest rates of white collar workers in Northeast at just 41%. Bottineau's poverty rate increased from 11.6% in 1980 to 14.5% in 1990. If "near poor" are added, Bottineau's low income rate is 29.5%, an alarming 12% increase over 1980. The number of households receiving public assistance cash grants increased from 26 in 1990 to 84 in 1996, a 223% increase. Bottineau's low income rate could be over 35% by 2000. The collective wealth of this area of the city is dwindling. Without an increase in middle income residents, it will not be possible to sustain this community.

PROXIMITY TO EMPLOYMENT ?– Close to Everything

The Fleischmann site is three miles from downtown where nearly one-half of the jobs in Minneapolis are located and less than four miles from the University's Minneapolis campus mall where 47,000 students attend classes and 20,000 employees work. The Fleischmann site is a short commute to seven commercial or industrial job centers.

LAND USE ?– Receding Industrial Glacier

Northeast Minneapolis has 444 acres devoted to industrial use. This number is almost three times more than any other residential area. Northeast has 1,705 acres used for transportation, utilities and communications, second highest in the city.

Past haphazard planning cannot create a sustainable community. The Fleischmann site is a tremendous opportunity to overcome past mistakes by providing a critical mass of residential housing that will help make the transition to a more stable, sustainable residential area.

CONCLUSION ?– Housing is the Best Option

Based on demographics; city policies; neighborhood planning; resident opinion; long-range development potential; need for increased tax base and proximity to jobs, amenities and recreation, only one conclusion can be drawn. A high quality housing development is not only needed, appropriate and the only development that makes sense.