Coliseum Restoration

Date

2021

The Coliseum building is set to open June 19, 2024

Mark your calendars for the Grand Opening – part of Soul of the Southside’s Juneteenth celebration!

The goal of this project is to create generational wealth for BIPOC small business owners through the equitable redevelopment of a building that was damaged in the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

The Coliseum project is part of the larger rebuilding of Lake Street following the civil unrest that impacted much of the corridor. Most of the commercial node at 27th Ave S. and East Lake Street was burned to the ground, permanently impacting a corner that was referred to as “Downtown Longfellow.” The Coliseum was badly damaged but was not a total loss like most of the surrounding structures. The restoration of the Coliseum building is a key part of the Longfellow neighborhood’s healing process.

The 85,000 square foot Coliseum building has long been a beacon for local businesses and BIPOC entrepreneurs. Through the redevelopment process led by Redesign, Inc. the building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In coalition with many community partners, we have committed to a set of principles that aims to center BIPOC voices throughout the redevelopment process along the corridor.

Redesign is partnering with a diverse group of property owners who serve and work with the BIPOC community – Alicia Belton, Janice Downing, and Shanelle Montana – to be both tenants and long-term owners in the Coliseum Building. Through this partnership, the voices of people of color will be at the table making the key decisions on how this community moves forward. The restoration of this historic building aims to ensure long-term affordability for up to 30 BIPOC and local entrepreneurs/small businesses.

The redeveloped Coliseum building will provide approximately 85,000 square feet of commercial/retail/office space, incubator space for local BIPOC professionals and BIPOC-led firms, an event center, and an on-site restaurant & bar.

The health and well-being of a community can usually be seen in the faces of its residents, in its architecture, and in its businesses & streetscape. Given the unrest throughout the Longfellow neighborhood and in particular the devastation along Lake Street, the community is in need of healing. Through the leadership of fiveXfive Public Art, artwork by local BIPOC artists will be featured throughout the building and will be available for purchase.