Folwell neighborhood looks to own commercial space in pursuit of community control
Members of the Folwell Neighborhood Association met at Folwell Park to discuss their plans for securing the space at 3701 Fremont Ave N. Photos by Abdi Mohamed
By Abdi Mohamed Staff Reporter
Folwell residents are exploring different models of community ownership as they look to purchase a stake in a commercial space in their neighborhood. The space at 3701 Fremont Ave N has stood dormant for decades and is now the center of conversation as residents look to preserve spaces that protect their sense of community.
Originally built as a grocery store in the 1920s, this space is now the focus of business talks for Folwell residents who look to it as a location for community building and economic development.
Members of the Folwell Neighborhood Association (FNA) have been in talks about purchasing the space since last November. Although they didn’t intend to buy the space for themselves, FNA would like to find some way to hold the property in order to have it be available for the community. “FNA is not looking to own this building,” said Danielle Tietjen, communications and outreach associate at FNA. “FNA has been sitting in as a bridge builder to hold this place while the community organizes itself so a cooperative entity that may be a part of Folwell residents to own this building.”
The space is set to be purchased by Thomas Hertzog, a North Minneapolis resident and business owner. He has been in talks with members of the Folwell community to discuss ways in which he might be open to sharing ownership of the space. In a series of meetings with the board of FNA and the larger community, Hertzog expressed his desire to lease the space to black-owned businesses in order to help foster businesses on the Northside.
“When I heard the Folwell community had been interested in this building for some time, it felt like the stars aligned,” Hertzog said. Hertzog had returned to talks with FNA when initial renters dropped out. He currently has one potential renter interested.
When it comes to how the space can be used, Hertzog says he is all ears. “My neighbors and especially those who have been here a long time have the best idea of what the neighborhood needs.”
With an 1800 square feet at $1800 a month, the association would be unable to support those costs alone. In their conversations with Hertzog, the FNA has signed a letter of intent to rent the space for the next year and develop a business plan to renovate the building. In their surveying of the community, residents shared an “overwhelming” desire to see a café or some sort of food business in the space according to Tietjen. They’ve been in talks with the Northside Economic Opportunity Network to help them envision the possibilities for their space.
Hertzog and FNA differ on their approaches when it comes to how ownership of the building is structured. While Hertzog hopes to find black business owners and Northside residents to use the space, he’d like to lease it in a traditional landlord and tenant agreement. Residents of Folwell would like to go further. FNA has advocated that their organization work to lease the building and accruing credit for a future buyout. Hertzog and FNA are currently in discussion to find an agreement that would suit both their goals for the space.
Mysnikol Miller serves as the project manager at FNA and has been involved in the key talks with Hertzog and the board over this space. “They feel isolated cause there’s not much in Folwell,” Miller said of community members invested in the commercial space. Miller says ownership would give residents a sense of belonging to their community. “It’s important that we have that sense of ownership of the spaces that we’re in because it creates a different relationship with the geographical space when we feel like it belongs to us.”
FNA board member Pierre “Unspeakable” Jenkins shared his thoughts on why ownership was a key factor to moving forward with the property. “Ownership promotes a sense of lineage and promotes a sense of direction,” Jenkins said. “It provides an opportunity and a space to inspire creativity and inspire more ownership, especially when you have people in a space that look like you.”
FNA would continue to operate out of Folwell Park but would help maintain the space for community use. They aim to raise $10K at their “Leap of Faith” fundraiser on Feb. 29 to secure the building for the next year. The FNA is continuing their conversations with Hertzog while researching community ownership and coop models in existence around the Twin Cities that they might be able to emulate for the space. In the meantime, FNA will continue to speak with their residents about their desires for the space and build bridges with community members to make those aspirations happen.
Learn more at folwell.org/3701-freemont.