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🌸 April miscellanea

Spring bloom report, Doors Open preview, hand-painted sign rundown, restaurant updates, and much more.

Longfellow Whatever
— 7 min read
🌸 April miscellanea
Crabapple trees in bloom in front of Starr Automotive

🏛️ Neighborhood spots at Doors Open Minneapolis

The Doors Open Minneapolis Festival is coming up next weekend, May 9-10, an annual event that opens up notable buildings for public viewing across the city. This year there will be five Longfellow buildings on display:

  • The Lift Garage (2401 E Lake): The non-profit auto repair shop provides low-cost repairs for people in need. (Saturday only)
  • Historic Coliseum Building (2708 E Lake): The historic former department store and ballroom was extensively damaged in 2020 and subsequently renovated, now housing community groups like Longfellow Community Council, Redesign, and COPAL. (Saturday and Sunday)
  • Met Council West Meters Odor Control Facility (2955 West River Parkway): Several sewage pipes converge near this spot under the Lake Street bridge before tunneling under the river into St. Paul, venting a smelly byproduct. This building near the Lake Street bridge was constructed in 2017, and upgraded a year later, to minimize those odors. (Saturday only)
  • Minneapolis Rowing Club (2968 W River Parkway): The architecturally ambitious boathouse beneath the Lake Street bridge was rebuilt in 2001 after a fire. (Saturday and Sunday)
  • Christ Church Lutheran (3244 34th Ave S): The internationally-famous modernist church that changed the way churches were designed in the 20th century. (Speaking of the church: the secular nonprofit dedicated to preserving the building, Friends of Christ Church Lutheran, is looking for board members. E-mail boardchair@friendsofccl.org if you're interested.) (Saturday and Sunday).
Christ Church Lutheran (📸: Peter J. Sieger)