Willard Hay residents caught off guard by shelter planned for Gordon Center
By David Pierini staff reporter
A vacant building in the Willard Hay neighborhood is at the center of a battle over its future use as local and county officials prepare for key votes that would open its doors to single Black women who are homeless.
Many residents and peace activists want the former Gordon Center to instead be a safe gathering place for youth vulnerable to crime and violence. They say they only learned of the proposed shelter, in the works for several months, in late July.
The proposed shelter is a new initiative in North Minneapolis with a familiar refrain from its residents: “No one talked to us.”
Cheryl Anderson tells a gathering that she understands the need for a women’s shelter, but said there’s a greater need for a youth center. Photo David Pierini
“I’m asking you to slow down so that the community can be really engaged and tell you what we want in the community, not what you think we should have,” Lisa Clemons said during a virtual town hall meeting that included Minneapolis City Councilman Jeremiah Ellison (Ward 5) and Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley (Dist. 4).
The former Gordon Center site, a two-story, 22,000-square-foot building at 2220 16th Ave. N., is one of three proposed city shelters being funded by the county board and the City of Minneapolis. The building is owned by Minneapolis Public Schools, which will vote on Aug. 18 on whether to sell the property for $1.
Advocates say there are no shelters dedicated specifically to single Black women and identified Gordon Center because it is within walking distance of NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center. NorthPoint offers a range of culturally specific services for health, addiction recovery, mental health and job training.
“I’m supporting this shelter because I know there are far more than 30 women from the Northside who have experienced homelessness and/or survived sexual violence,” Hennepin County Commissioner Irene Fernando (Dist. 2) said in a written statement. Her district includes North Minneapolis. “We have worked directly with those who are experiencing homelessness or have experienced homelessness on the Northside, and they have asked for a women’s shelter close to their community and support networks.”
More than 40 residents gathered outside the vacant Gordon Center to learn how they can fight its proposed use as a homeless shelter. Photo David Pierini
City and county officials said they blanketed the houses surrounding Gordon Center and the nearby vacant Willard School with flyers notifying residents of the proposed use. There was also notice of a meeting in January at the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach Engagement Center to discuss Gordon Center as a possible location. About 40 residents attended the meeting, Conley said.
Residents, who held a short rally near the Gordon Center on Sunday, said they do not remember receiving a flyer or any other notice regarding turning the Gordon Center into a shelter.
During the call-in meeting, Ellison assured residents they were notified. In addition to flyers, notices were published in local newspapers, and in his news letter to constituents.
“We are making sure we engage in community; what is taking place right here and now is part of this process,” Ellison said. “When something is conceptional, it is hard for the message to get out there. As you get closer to a decision, understandably, people get involved.”
Residents say the proposed shelter cleared several hurdles by the date of that meeting and that made one resident say she feels “bulldozed” by officials.
On a website devoted to stopping the shelter, residents say they are not against serving the homeless but feel a youth center is a better use for Gordon Center. Already, Willard Hay residents live within one mile of two other shelters, they said.
“I’ve lived here for 43 years,” said Willard Hay resident Esther Adams. “I’ve seen kids shot on this corner, I’ve seen kids killed on this corner. We’re just trying to help the kids here.”
The Minneapolis Planning Commission will vote Aug. 17 regarding the proposed shelter for Gordon Center. The next day, the Minneapolis school board will vote on whether to sell the Gordon Center, vacant since 2005. After that, the City Council and County Board will take final votes. Construction could begin in February with the opening planned for next summer.
The Gordon Center will cost more than $4 million to convert into a shelter, but peace activists like Clemons’ group, A Mother’s Love, believe it would cost considerably less for a youth center because of the way the building is designed. For one, it already has a playground.