Barker and Hedges Real Estate Blog

Lake Harriet is a very popular destination for Twin City residents throughout the summer time. Located in the Southwest community of Minneapolis south of Lake Calhoun and north of Minnehaha Creek, it is a part of the Chain of Lakes water system. Lake Harriet has an area of 335 acres and a maximum depth of 85 feet.

The lake was named after Harriet Lovejoy. She came to the area in 1819 with her husband, Colonel Leavenworth, and lived at Fort Snelling. The lake, and the land surrounding it, was donated to the City of Minneapolis by Colonel William S. King in 1885. Ever since that time, is has been a hub of the community.

Lake Harriet has a variety of features going for it and is a destination for recreation and relaxation. The lake itself is great for sailing and fishing. It also has two beaches for swimming. There are 3 miles of bike trails and almost 3 miles of pedestrian trails, which are also a part of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. The trails connect with Lake Calhoun on the north end via the William Berry Parkway and with the Minnehaha Creek trail system on the southeast edge.

At the north end of Lake Harriet one can find a refreshment stand and its popular bandhell, used in the summer months for concerts. Through its many incarnations, the bandshell has been a part of Lake Harriet since Thomas Lowry built the first pavilion on the edge of the lake in 1888. This pavilion stood on the grounds until it was destroyed by fire in 1891. Architect Harry Jones designed the second bandshell, the “Pagoda Pavilion.” In 1903 it too was destroyed by fire. A third bandshell was built in 1904, which was once again designed by Harry Jones and was once again destroyed. This time, on July 8, 1925, a windstorm was the culprit. The temporary bandshell built in 1927 actually stood in place until 1985 when it was replaced with the current bandshell. A new patio and picnic shelter was built next to the concession stand to match the design of the original buildings. Construction of the new building was completed in May 2007.

A preserved section of the Como-Harriet streetcar line runs between Lake Calhoun and the west side of Lake Harriet. Three different restored streetcars operate on the Como-Harriet line, with only one or two cars running at any given time. The Minnesota Streetcar Museum will be celebrating the 100th “birthday” Car No. 1300 this summer, which was built in 1908. A number of events are planned, including a birthday celebration in July.

So, enough of the history lesson, here is what is going on at Lake Harriet this summer. It is the time of year that music can be heard at Lake Harriet nearly every day for its Summer Concert Series! Music has been a part of Lake Harriet’s history for 120 years. Throughout that time, many performers have taken to the bandshell stage and entertained the gathering crowds.

There will be music in the park every day of the week from June 1 through August 31. Three more concerts will be held in September, including a September 11 tribute. Primarily, concerts at the bandshell will be held at 7:30 PM Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, there are concerts at 2:00 PM and 5:30 PM. Not all concerts are held at these times, so be sure to check the full available schedule.

Music isn’t the only event going on at the bandshell this summer. Every third Thursday in June, July, and August, the People for the Parks Movie Night at the Bandshell will be held. All the movies will be shown at dusk. Their schedule is as follows:

June 19, “Roy Orbison – Black and White Night”

July 17, “The Eagles Farewell Tour – Live from Melbourne”

August 21, “Fleetwood Mac – The Dance”

Next time you’re in the area, check out Lake Harriet, its bandshell, and the surrounding parkland. Be sure to attend one of the summer concerts or catch an outdoor flick! You’ll soon discover why Lake Harriet is such a popular place to spend lazy summer afternoons.

Russia’s Grizzly Coast, the long-awaited new $30 million addition to the Minnesota Zoo, opened to visitors over the weekend. The exhibit is designed to look as though the bears could leap in amid the playful sea otters — or even reach people, who cannot see the protective moat. In other areas, a three-quarter-inch wall of glass separates visitors from swimming bears.

In addition to grizzly bears, the new exhibit is also home to otters, wild boars, and rare Amur leopards. To meet some of the residents of the Grizzly Coast exhibit, check out this Star Tribune article.

Apple Valley’s Minnesota Zoo began 30 years ago as vast acreage and concrete. In some cases, animals were hard to see. The new exhibit is sort of a rebirth for the zoo. The zoo currently houses about 2,450 individual animals which are of 445 different species.

I hope you get the chance to check out the new exhibit at this great Twin Cities treasure!

Longfellow is a community in Minneapolis comprised of five smaller neighborhoods. They are Cooper, Hiawatha, Howe, Longfellow, and Seward. The community takes its name from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who wrote about Minnesota and nearby Minnehaha Falls.

The Longfellow community is bordered by the Mississippi River to the east, as well as the city limits. The community takes full advantage of the river as green spaces and various trails wind along the shores. The light rail creating its western border. Lake Street, a main thoroughfare and commercial corridor, cuts across the upper one-third of the community and Minnehaha Park, including Minnehaha Falls and Lock and Dam Number 1, anchor the southern corner.

A transit station is conveniently located at Lake Street and Highway 55. The light rail connects the southern suburb of Bloomington and the Mall of America to downtown Minneapolis.

Hiawatha - The Hiawatha neighborhood extends from 40th Street on the north to 54th Street East on the south, and from the Mississippi River on the east to Hiawatha Avenue on the west and south. As with many Minneapolis communities and neighborhoods, the Hiawatha neighborhood is named for its elementary school. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the American poet born in 1807, made the names Hiawatha and Minnehaha famous in his poem, The Song of Hiawatha. . The light-rail transit line runs along Hiawatha Avenue. Parallel to this road, Minnehaha Avenue has a mixed commercial and residential use area which offers all the necessary amenities for shopping and entertainment. The rest of the neighborhood is mainly single-family houses. One-third of the neighborhood’s area is open land.

Howe - Howe neighborhood is bound on the north by 34th Street, on the east by West River Parkway, on the south by 40th Street and on the west by Hiawatha Avenue. Howe’s east side ends with the Mississippi River, and some of the neighborhood is in the Mississippi River valley. The neighborhood, like its elementary school, is named in honor of Julia Ward Howe, who was born in 1819 and penned “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Howe is an attractive residential community where the median income and home values are on a par or slightly above the median incomes and home values for Minneapolis proper. Most of the neighborhood is made up of residential homes. Many of the homes near the river have been upgraded pretty significantly. More modest homes farther west are also being renovated.

Cooper - The Cooper neighborhood extends from 38th Avenue South in the west to the Mississippi River in the east and northeast. From north to south, Cooper extends from the 27th street railroad tracks to 34th Street East. The neighborhood and elementary school were named after James Fenimore Cooper, an American novelist born in 1789. A mainly residential neighborhood, Cooper’s most important commercial corridor is Lake Street. Parks and green spaces cover the banks of the Mississippi River.

Longfellow – The Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis extends west to Hiawatha Avenue and east to 38th Avenue. The northern boundary is 27th Street and the southern boundary is 34th Street. The neighborhood is named after Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the famous poet born in 1807. The neighborhood is served by the first light-rail transit corridor in Minneapolis, which runs along Hiawatha Avenue. There is a large concentration of multi-family rental housing in Longfellow. There is also an industrial area, which stretches along Hiawatha Avenue.

Seward – The Seward neighborhood ois bound on the north by Interstate 94, on the east by the Mississippi River, on the south by 27th Street East and on the west by Hiawatha Avenue. The neighborhood is named for William Seward, who served as secretary of state under Abraham Lincoln’s administration. Because of its close proximity to both the University of Minnesota and the Fairview-Riverside Medical Center, many residents of Seward are education or medical professionals. Of the neighborhood’s 390 acres, 54 percent are residential and almost 20 percent are industrial. The industrial uses are located along Minnehaha and Snelling avenues and 27th Street East in the southwestern portion of the neighborhood. Parks line the river and Seabury Avenue. Seward is connected to downtown, the airport and the Mall of America through the newly opened light-rail line.

The Longfellow community boasts single-family and multi-family homes. Most of the homes along the River have been upgraded substantially, with re-development moving west on a block-by-block basis, capturing the more modest homes. The neighborhoods populations is diverse. It ranges from long-time residents to young families to students attending nearby schools. In June 2007, the average home sales price for a single family home or condo in Longfellow, MN was $224,735.

Browse homes in the Longfellow Community of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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The excellence of Minnesota schools has been in the news lately.

First, a new study shows that Minnesota’s graduation rate is among the highest in the county. The study, released Wednesday by Education Week, ranked the state’s graduation rate as the ninth highest in the nation for the Class of 2005. That year is the most recent for which data is available. The state’s graduation rate was 78 percent, compared with the national average of 71 percent.

States listed in the report as having the highest graduation rates, other than Minnesota, include New Jersey (83 percent), Iowa (83 percent), Wisconsin (81 percent), North Dakota (79 percent) and Pennsylvania (80 percent). Among neighboring states, only South Dakota had a lower graduation rate, at 76 percent, than Minnesota. States listed with the lowest graduation rates include Nevada (45 percent), New Mexico (54 percent), Louisiana (55 percent), South Carolina (56 percent) and Georgia (58 percent).

That’s not all! Minnesota educators and legislators will again push to have the state’s drop-out age raised from 16 to 18 years old. This move would possibly help to prevent students from dropping out, keeping even more youths within the schools until they graduate.

Second, when Newsweek Magazine recently released its annual list of “America’s Best High Schools,” twenty-one Minnesota schools appeared among the U.S.’s top 1,300.

The top Minnesota schools and their rankings are as follows:

Edina, 93
St. Louis Park, 209
Minneapolis Southwest, 215
Eastview in Apple Valley, 436
St. Anthony, 497
Minnetonka, 531
Mahtomedi, 719
Lakeville North, 863
Minneapolis Patrick Henry, 890
Wayzata, 940
Irondale, 1021
Mounds View, 1041
Simley in Inver Grove Heights, 1,051
Hopkins, 1,084
Highland Park, 1,187
South Minneapolis, 1,223
Brainerd, 1,252
Eden Prairie, 1,253
South St. Paul, 1,311
Apple Valley, 1,400
Century in Rochester, 1,401

Fifteen of the 21 named this year also were cited last year, including Edina, Southwest, St. Louis Park, Minnetonka, Patrick Henry, Eastview, Highland Park, Mounds View, Lakeville North, Brainerd, Wayzata, St. Anthony, Mahtomedi, Hopkins and Irondale.

Finally, at the end of April, the Choice & Education Across the States report released by The Heartland Institute ranked Minnesota 5th in the nation in school choice options that increase accountability and improve student achievement. Minnesota received an overall “B” in the report that sought to combine all aspects for school choice into one ranking.

Among the rankings in the report:

• Minnesota ranked second in the nation for the number of charter school programs in the state. There are now 143 charter schools in Minnesota. According to the report, there are 4,147 charter schools in 40 states and Washington, D.C. serving more than 1.2 million students nationwide.
• Minnesota was mentioned as the first state to enact a charter school law in 1991.
• Minnesota ranked first in individual tax credit programs for education. Minnesota has two programs—the K–12 education subtraction and the K–12 education credit—to help families pay expenses related to their child’s kindergarten through 12th grade (K–12) education.
• Minnesota ranked high in available options by providing open enrollment and magnet school choices. Minnesota fell short of a perfect score in this area by lacking a state law ensuring statewide access to online distance learning.

Education has been made a priority in Minnesota and it shows. Not only has Minnesota had a long-standing commitment to creating and maintaining an excellent public school system, but has provided students and parents a variety of school choice options and greater flexibility. This state is truly a great place to raise a family.

This weekend, there are two great Twin Cities events occurring.  The Edina Arts Fair begins on Friday and ends on Sunday.  Grand Old Day, which takes place in St. Paul, will occur on Sunday. 

Edina Art Fair

In Edina, the summer can’t officially start until the Edina Art Fair is held!  Now in its 42nd year, this event occurs this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!  Located at 50th and France, 70,000 visitors are expected to attend the second-largest art fair in the state.  This year’s Edina Art Fair will feature 400 artists from around the country.  There won’t just be a vast selection of fine paintings, watercolors, photographs, engravings, wood carvings, jewelry, and glasswork.  There will also be music, entertainment, games, and plenty of food!

The Edina Art Fair will run Friday May 30 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday May 31 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday June 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The full Art Fair Program is available as a PDF document here.

Grand Old Day

St. Paul’s first rite of summer is also happening this weekend! That’s right!  The Grand Avenue Business Association has once again invited the public to attend the 35th annual Grand Old Day celebration this Sunday, June 1.  This is parade and event takes place along Saint Paul’s historic Grand Avenue.  Grand Old Day is the Midwest’s largest one-day festival!  It includes a parade, sporting events, seven stages which feature live music, an art fair, a family fun zone, a teenage battle of the bands, and international performances.  Because this year is the 35th anniversary of the first Grand Old Day, the theme of the festival will celebrate its 1970s roots with a “Flashback to the ’70s.”  Organizers hope that festival-goers will don their bell-bottoms and platforms.  All of the street’s stores and restaurants will be open for food, drink, and shopping. 

Free parking is located in the University of St. Thomas parking lot at Summit and Cretin.  Attendees of Grand Old Day are encouraged to carpool, walk, bike, or take public transportation.   Free shuttle rides are available to Grand Old Day guests along Summit Avenue between Cretin and Dale.

A full Grand Old Day event guide can be found here! Don’t miss it this year!  Grand Old Days promises a fun-filled day.

This weekend is certainly going to be full of festivities!  Let’s hope the weather warms up a little bit so they may be truly enjoyed!

The Powderhorn community of Minneapolis is just south of the Phillips community. Because the community has a strange L-shape, its borders are confusing and vary, but a map of Powderhorn can be found here. The area takes its name from Powderhorn Lake, a small lake shaped like a powder horn at the heart of the community. The lake, and the surrounding Powderhorn Park, is a central feature. At 65 acres, it is Minneapolis’ largest neighborhood park. It features a bandstand, ball fields, basketball courts, fishing dock, ice rink, walking paths, picnic areas with grills, horseshoe pits, and a community center with teen center. Powderhorn Park is also a name of one of Powerhorn’s neighborhoods. More about the neighborhood later. The population of Powderhorn is diverse, including residents of African-American, Asian, European, Latino, Somali, Tibetan and Scandinavian decent. Powderhorn community is within easy walking or bussing distance to downtown Minneapolis.

Now, let’s begin to explore the neighborhoods of the Powderhorn community!

Bancroft - The Bancroft neighborhood is located in the southern portion of Powderhorn. It lies between 38^th Street East to the north and 42^nd Street East to the south, and between Chicago Avenue on the west and Cedar Avenue on the east. The neighborhood was named after a school, as many other Minneapolis neighborhoods are. The Bancroft elementary school was named after George Bancroft, an American historian born in 1800. The Bancroft neighborhood is also home to the newly opened school, El Colegio/ CreArte center for the arts. The neighborhood provides convenient access to downtown via Interstate 35W, the Hiawatha Corridor, and the airport and Bloomington area via Cedar Avenue. For residents who like recreation, Bancroft lies just blocks north of Lake Nokomis, the Hiawatha Golf Course and the scenic Minnehaha Creek.

Bancroft is a small but vibrant residential community. More than 80% of the structures within the neighborhood are single-family homes built before 1940. Many are primarily owner-occupied. The neighborhood also has some commercial development along Bloomington Avenue and 38^th Street.

Bryant - Bryant neighborhood is in the southeast portion of Minneapolis’s Powderhorn neighborhood. It is bound on the west by Interstate 35W, on the south by 42nd Street East, on the east by Chicago Avenue, and on the north by 38th Street East. The neighborhood was named for William Cullen Bryant, an American poet who lived from 1794 to 1878. The neighborhood area was incorporated by the City in 1887. By 1930 it was fully developed. In 2000, Bryant’s population was 2,789.

The Bryant Unity Development Garden is located at East 40th Street and 3rd Avenue South. It was founded in 1994 by Bryant Residents Judy Anderson, local artist, and Sharon Parker, local publisher. Phelps Park, also located within Bryant’s boundaries, is home to a Boys and Girls Club.

Bryant is a residential neighborhood with mostly single-family dwellings. There are some multifamily buildings interspersed mainly in its northwestern quadrant.

Central - The Central neighborhood is bordered by Lake Street on the north, Chicago Avenue to the east, 38th Street on the south, and Interstate 35W to the west. The Central neighborhood is named after Minneapolis Central High School, which was one of the city’s largest schools. The school was built in 1878, closed in 1982, and razed shortly after.

This is a residential neighborhood. Here, single-family dwellings are interspersed with multifamily low-rise buildings. There is a high proportion of renters in this neighborhood, though home ownership is on the rise in Central.

Corcoran - Corcoran neighborhood can be located between Lake Street East and 36th Street East and between Cedar Avenue South and Hiawatha Avenue. This neighborhood was named in honor of William Wilson Corcoran, who lived from 1793 to 1889 and who founded the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. The light-rail stop at Lake Street gives the neighborhood an easy connection to Downtown, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America. Plans to develop the Lake Street corridor as a commercial thoroughfare are under way, and are sure to have a direct local impact. Corcoran is home to Minneapolis South High School.

The Corcoran neighborhood is primarily residential. Housing in Corcoran is about evenly divided between rental property and owner occupied housing. About 60% of the real estate in the Corcoran neighborhood is devoted to single family detached homes.

Lyndale - Lyndale neighborhood of the Corcoran community of Minneapolis is bound on the north by Lake Street, on the east by Interstate 35W and Stevens Avenue, on the south by 36th Street and on the west by Lyndale Avenue South. To explain where the name Lyndale comes from is actually quite lengthy. The neighborhood was named for Lyndale Avenue, which in turn takes its name from Lyndale farm. The 1,400-acre farm, owned by Hon. William S. King, was named in honor of Mr. King’s father, Rev. Lyndon King, an itinerant Methodist minister of northern New York. The Reverend was named for Josiah Lyndon, colonial governor of Rhode Island in 1768-1769. That’s a long line of naming!

The Lyndale Neighborhood has over the past 30 years worked together to fight crime, promote economic development, provide youth enrichment programs, rebuild the neighborhood’s housing stock, and most importantly build community spirit. The Lyndale Neighborhood developed and operates under the “Lyndale Model.” This model is a nationally recognized asset based model of community organization which encourages individual residents to propose, develop, and lead programs for the neighborhood. This philosophy has helped Lyndale develop one of the strongest and most active neighborhoods in Minneapolis. Lyndale’s programs and activities involve over 1,000 Lyndale residents each year as both volunteers and participants.

The neighborhood is predominantly residential, with about 36% of the real estate occupied by multifamily residential structures. This neighborhood is pretty evenly split between families and people living alone. Commercial uses of real estate tend to be concentrated along Lake Street.

Random Fact: The Lyndale neighborhood has one of the highest populations of artists in the nation.

Powderhorn Park - The Powderhorn Park neighborhood is bound on the north by Lake Street, on the east by Cedar Avenue South, on the south by 38th Street East, and on the west by Chicago Avenue. As noted previously regarding the name of the community, it is named after Powderhorn Lake. The neighborhood was annexed by the City in 1887. In 1986, its southern boundary was moved from 36th Street to 38th Street.The Powderhorn Park facility in the northwestern part of the neighborhood includes Powderhorn Lake, playing fields, playgrounds, and a park building that hosts community education classes. The park and lake are also used as the setting for the last act in the city’s annual May Day parade, which is actually a traveling play that has been put on by the In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre since 1975. As the parade moves south along Bloomington Avenue, participants wear a variety of costumes or manipulate giant puppets to produce a story based on sociopolitical themes. The story changes each year, but the emphasis is primarily on peace, environmentalism, current events, and more.

Approximately 9,000 people live in this neighborhood. Powderhorn Park is a predominantly residential area consisting of single-family homes on narrow residential lots. There are also quite a few duplexes and brownstone apartment buildings. Most of the housing was built between 1905 and 1920.

Standish - The Standish neighborhood is bound on the north by 36th Street, on the east by Hiawatha Avenue, on the south by 42nd and 43rd streets, and on the west by Cedar Avenue. This neighborhood was named after a local elementary school, which had been called Miles Standish after Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem “The Courtship of Miles Standish.” The area was considered the outskirts of Minneapolis until mostly Swedish and Norwegian immigrants began building their homes here early in the 1900s.

This neighborhood allows quick access to Downtown Minneapolis, St. Paul, and some of the best parks in the City. The new light-rail train line along the Hiawatha Avenue corridor connects the neighborhood with downtown, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Mall of America. New homes are being built along this corridor.

Standish is a mainly residential neighborhood with a population of around 7,000. Oddly, it shares a neighborhood organization with the Ericsson neighborhood, though Ericsson is part of the Nokomis community. Signs within the neighborhood boundaries welcome visitors to “Standish-Ericsson.”

Whittier - The Whittier neighborhood is bound on the north by Franklin Avenue, on the east by I-35W, on the south by Lake Street West, and on the east by Lyndale Avenue South. Having been originally settled in the 19th century, it is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. It was named for the influential American Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier, who lived from1807 to 1892 and was an ardent advocate of the abolition of slavery.

About 60% of the real estate in Whittier includes a wide variety of uses including eclectic restaurants and neighborhood businesses. In fact, the area is known for its diverse restaurants, coffee shops and Asian markets. Nicollet Avenue is even commonly referred to as “Eat Street”! The neighborhood is also home to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, the Jungle Theater, the Children’s Theatre Company, and the Hennepin History Museum. The neighborhood presently has a neighborhood action plan that maps out a strategy to continue to improve the neighborhood and attract residents back to the area.

Blaisdell and Third avenues have some of the oldest houses in Minneapolis. Some of the homes along Stevens Avenue have been beautifully restored. Almost 40 percent of this neighborhood’s 348 acres are used for multifamily housing, and almost 90 percent of those housing units are renter-occupied.

In June 2007, the average home sales price for a single family home or condo in Powderhorn, MN was $172,078.

Browse homes in the Powderhorn Community of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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Camden is a community in Minneapolis, covering the upper western half of the north side. Its boundaries are 53rd Avenue North to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, Lowry Avenue North to the south, and Xerxes Avenue North to the west. The community is composed of seven smaller neighborhoods. It also contains the Camden Industrial Area and the Humboldt Industrial Area, neither of which are assigned to an official neighborhood.

Cleveland - The Cleveland neighborhood can be found on the very edge of the city of Minneapolis. Its boarders extend from Dowling Avenue North to Lowry Avenue in the south and from Penn Avenue in the east to Xerxes Avenue to the west. The neighborhood is named after Grover Cleveland, who was born in 1837 and was president of the United States two times.

The Cleveland neighborhood has a suburban feel to it, despite its location in the city. The residences which can be found here are mainly single-family detached houses. Cleveland has a larger proportion of owner occupied housing than most of Minneapolis. The price of homes here also tends to be less than the median Minneapolis price.

The local neighborhood school, Lucy Craft Laney School, is a major draw for city residents. The K-8 school offers special programming for gifted and talented students, an all day kindergarten and classes in the performing arts and choir as well as Language Learner programming in the Hmong language.

Located next to the school is Cleveland Park, a vital part of the Cleveland neighborhood. Its amenities include picnic areas, a tot lot and wading pool, an arts and crafts room with regularly scheduled activities, and playing areas for basketball, baseball and softball. The facility also has meeting rooms and rest rooms available to the public.

Folwell – The Folwell neighborhood extends north to south from Dowling Avenue North to Lowry Avenue North and east to west from Dupont Avenue North to Penn Avenue North. The neighborhood was named after Folwell Park, which in turn was named for Dr. William W. Folwell, the first president of the University of Minnesota.

Folwell Park is the neighborhood’s anchor. It is a very popular spot for recreation within the neighborhood. Also located at Folwell Park is the Folwell Recreation Center. It provides activities year round for residents. The regularly scheduled programs include youth mentorship programs, cooking classes, senior recreation programs and more.

Folwell neighborhood first began development at the beginning of the 20th century. The housing stock is mainly single-family housing on small lots and set at a moderate price. Many of the homes here were built in the 1970s.

The Folwell Neighborhood Association is very active, encouraging home ownership and responsibility in the neighborhood. It has programs for first time home buyers, assistance with repairs and renovations, and prizes for homeowners who beautify their properties with exterior improvements and gardens. They also run a volunteer organization that will help elderly and low income residents with exterior renovations.

Lind-Bohanon - Lind-Bohanon is bounded on the north by 53rd Avenue North on the City’s and extends east to the Mississippi River. An industrial area comes between Lind-Bohanon and the river, causing the neighborhood’s eastern border to shift at 48th Avenue North to Lyndale Avenue North. This border extends south to the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks. On the west, the neighborhood’s boundary is Humboldt Avenue North. Lind-Bohanon covers just over 500 acres and is smaller than one square mile. The neighborhood and its elementary school are named for Jenny Lind, a famous Swedish soprano born in the first half of the 19th century.

The neighborhood has a low resident turnover rate, with some families residing there for two or three generations. The homes are generally modestly priced compared to the rest of Minneapolis. Since 1990, the value of homes has risen, but homes in this part of the city are still cheaper than the average home price in Minneapolis. Many homes here are in the $65,000 to $85,000 price range.

McKinley - McKinley neighborhood is bound on the north by Dowling Avenue North, on the south by Lowry Avenue North, on the west by Dupont Avenue North and on the east by the Mississippi River. The neighborhood and its elementary school are named after William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States. The North River Industrial Area is located along the river and extends to Interstate 94 just to the north of McKinley.

Most of the homes in this area are original and were built between 1910 and 1930. Singly-family, two-story houses with wooden frames are the most common. Many are bungalows or stucco Tudors. There are a number of parks and business catering to families found in McKinley, making this a nice neighborhood for settling down with a family.

Shingle Creek - The Shingle Creek neighborhood is bound on the north by 53rd Avenue North, on the east by Humboldt Avenue North, on the south by 49th Avenue North and on the west by Xerxes Avenue North. Located in the northwest corner of Minneapolis, the neighborhood’s northern and western border is also the City limits.

The neighborhood is named after the Shingle Creek, which runs from the north to the south through the eastern half of the neighborhood and flows into the Mississippi River. In 1852 the first shingle mill in Hennepin County was built near the mouth of the creek, hence the name of Shingle Creek. The creek is surrounded by parkland, where people have picnics and fish in the summertime.

With around 3,300 people in residence, Shingle Creek’s population is made up largely of families. Shingle Creek is dominated by 1950s-style residences, including compact three bedroom homes, and larger one-and-a-half story residences. The area has an owner-occupancy rate of more than 90%, which is much higher than the average of the rest of the city. A small number of commercial districts are located here, as well as an industrial corridor located along the Northern portion of 49th Avenue.

The Shingle Creek Neighborhood Association works with other local organizations and the government to refurbish and renovate older homes. A Homebuyer’s Assistance Program is also in place attract first-time home-buyers to the neighborhood. The SCNA is also committed to protecting and preserving natural environments, especially its namesake.

Victory – The Victory neighborhood is located west of Penn and Newton avenues, east of Xerxes Avenue, between Dowling Avenue on the south and the Humboldt Industrial Area on the north. The neighborhood was named after Victory Memorial, a memorial to World War I veterans and fallen soldiers. Victory Memorial Drive is part of the Grand Rounds parkway and bike path circuit.

In the early 20th century, the Victory neighborhood was home to factory and mill workers. Today, the neighborhood contains many homes from the 1920s and 1930s. Most of the homes here were built before 1970. Many of them are being lovingly rehabilitated. The older appearances of the homes in Victory give the neighborhood a pleasant atmosphere. The larger homes which dominate the area attract many families. Victory is also very popular with first time homebuyers.

Webber-Camden – Webber-Camden extends from Interstate 94 on the east and Penn and Newton avenues to the west to Dowling Avenue on the south and Webber Parkway on the north. Webber-Camden was named after Camden, New Jersey. In fact, until 1995 the neighborhoods name was simply “Camden.” In that year, the neighborhood added “Webber” to the original name “Camden,” changing the name to “Webber-Camden.” This was for Charles C. Webber, who donated a portion of the land for Webber Park and whom the Webber Parkway is named after.

The Webber-Camden community is a mixture of middle-class and working class homes coupled with some industrial zones. This mixture of homes and industrial areas makes Webber-Camden a great choice for people who work in the industrial area. Many middle-class families, singles and retirees also enjoy living in the Webber-Camden neighborhood.

In June 2007, the average home sales price for a single family house, town home, or condo in the Camden Community of Minneapolis, MN was $123,873.

Browse homes in the Camden Community of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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The Minneapolis community of Nokomis can be found in the southeastern corner of the city. It is named for its major landmark, the 204-acre Lake Nokomis. Steeped in Ojibwe Native American history, Lake Nokomis and the surrounding community was named after Hiawatha’s mother, the daughter of Nokomis. You may have heard of The Song of Hiawatha, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, which immortalizes these people in poem form. The smaller Lake Hiawatha and Diamond Lake are also located here. The presence of the lakes offers residents of the Nokomis community beautiful scenic views, as well as a variety of recreational opportunities.

Regina - The Regina neighborhood is located in the northwest corner of the Nokomis community. It is bordered by 42nd Street East to the north, Chicago Avenue to the east, 46th Street East to the south, and Interstate 35W to the west. This neighborhood was named after the Regina parochial school, which is now the home of a Head Start program and a day-care center. This residential neighborhood contains mostly small single-family houses built before 1940. However, located at 43rd Street and 4th Avenue South in the center of Regina is the Town Oaks Townhome complex. This is the largest housing complex in the neighborhood, with 112 town homes. Built in the 1970s, it is also one of Minneapolis’ first modern townhouse projects.

Northrop – In the northern part of Nokomis, just east of Regina, one can find the neighborhood of Northrop. Northrop is bounded on the east by Cedar Avenue, on the west by Chicago Avenue, on the north by 42nd Street, and on the south by Minnehaha Parkway. Like many other neighborhoods in Minneapolis, Northrop is named after an elementary school. Northrop Elementary, in turn, took its name from the second president ever to reside over the University of Minnesota, Cyrus Northrop. Homes in this area were mostly built prior to 1940. Many are two-bedroom homes made of stone, brick, and stucco. On the western boundary of Northrop at Chicago Avenue and 48th Street is an active business community, which is shared with the Field neighborhood located to the west. This busy area is home to many services, restaurants, banks, a theater and more.

Ericsson – East of Northrop, and still in the northern part of Nokomis, is the Ericsson neighborhood, which is bordered by 42nd and 43rd streets to the north, Hiawatha Avenue to the east, Minnehaha Parkway to the south, and by Cedar Avenue on the west. Minnehaha Creek runs west to east through the southern portion of the neighborhood. Lake Hiawatha to the north of Lake Nokomis is connected to the Chain of Lakes by Minnehaha Creek. The Ericsson neighborhood takes its name from John Ericsson, who was a Swedish engineer and inventor. He designed and built the U.S.S. Monitor for the United States Navy during the Civil War. This is a residential neighborhood with mainly single-family housing units. The greater part of Ericsson’s western half consists of recreational land, with Lake Hiawatha Park and Lake Hiawatha Golf Course atwo of the most prominent recreational sites here.

Field – The Field neighborhood, located south of Regina and west of Northrop, is bordered by I-35W to the west, Minnehaha Parkway to the south, Chicago Avenue on the east and 46th Street East on the north. Again, Field is named after the local school, which in this case was named after Eugene Field, a popular writer of children’s poetry. The Field business community is prosperous and thriving. Much of the housing stock here has been very well maintained. The largely residential neighborhood of Field is full of small, pre-1940s two-bedroom homes constructed with stucco, brick, and stone. As discussed in the Northrop section, Chicago Avenue is the main commercial center for Field.

Page – Directly south of Field is the Page neighborhood. Page is bound on the south by Diamond Lake Road and 55th Street, on the west by Interstate 35W, on the north by Minnehaha Creek, and on the east by Chicago Avenue. What is coming next? Oh yes, Page is named after a school. Page Elementary School was named after American editor and diplomat Walter Hines Page, who was born on August 15, 1855. The neighborhood is predominately residential, with most of the homes here having been built in the 1920s and 1930s. A majority of them are colonial in style and have two stories. At the heart of Page is the popular Pearl Park, which is commonly used for little league soccer, football, hockey and baseball.

Hale – East of Page and south of Northrop is the neighborhood we call Hale. Hale bound by Minnehaha Creek on the north, Cedar Avenue on the east, 55th Street on the south, and Chicago Avenue on the west. This mostly residential neighborhood is named after the Hale elementary school. Are you surprised? The school was named after Nathan Hale, who was an American revolutionary born in 1755 in Connecticut.

Diamond Lake – South of both Hale and Page is the Diamond Lake neighborhood. This Minneapolis neighborhood is bound by Interstate 35W and Second Avenue South on the west, by Highway 77 and Cedar Avenue on the east, by Highway 62 on the south, and by 55th Street East and Diamond Lake Road on the north. The neighborhood is named after the lake found in its western end. The northeastern tip of the Diamond Lake neighborhood connects to Lake Nokomis recreation areas and parks. The Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport is located directly to the southwest, and the City of Richfield is directly south.

Keewaydin – South of the Ericsson neighborhood and east of Hale it the Keewaydin neighborhood. Itis bordered to the north by Minnehaha Parkway, 54th Street East to the south, Cedar Avenue South to the west, and 34th Avenue South to the east. The Keewaydin neighborhood received its name from an Ojibwe legend mentioned in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, The Song of Hiawatha. “Keewaydin” is Ojibwe for “northwest wind,” or “the home wind.” Most of Lake Nokomis can be found within the Keewaydin neighborhood’s boundaries. Homes here are affordable, with listing prices averaging about $80,000.

Minnehaha - Minnehaha neighborhood is located in the Nokomis communinity of Minneapolis, just south of Ericsson and east of Keewaydin. The neighborhood is bound on the east by Hiawatha Avenue, on the south by 54th Street East, on the west by 34th Avenue South and on the north by Minnehaha Parkway East. Minnehaha received its name from an Ojibwe legend mentioned in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, The Song of Hiawatha. Minnehaha means “laughing waters.” The famous Minnehaha Falls are located at Minnehaha Park in this neighborhood. Minnehaha Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Minnehaha Historic District.

Wenonah - Wenonah is located south of the Keewaydin neighborhood and east of the Diamond Lake neighborhood on the very edge of Minneapolis. Highway 62 is the southern border, 54th Street is the northern border, Cedar Avenue and Lake Nokomis on the west, and 34th Avenue on the east. Beyond the main southern border, a small piece of Wenonah extends into Richfield. This neighborhood is named after Hiawatha’s mother, the daughter of Nokomis, from a legend that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow attributes to Ojibwe people in his poem, The Song of Hiawatha. Most of the single-family homes located here were built between 1920 and 1970.

Morris Park – Finally, in the far southeastern corner of the Nokomis community, and the City of Minneapolis, is the neighborhood known as Morris Park. The Twin Cities Air Force Reserve Base makes up its border to the south, 54th Street is its northern border, 34th Avenue is its western extent, and 46th Avenue runs along its eastern edge (and the city boarder). The neighborhood took its name from the daughter of Franklin Steele, Mary C. Morris. Franklin Steele was the first European-American settler on the east bank of the Mississippi River in what used to be St. Anthony, now part of Minneapolis. He also donated land to the University of Minnesota. A majority of the single-family homes in Morris Park were also built between 1920 and 1960.

Nokomis is largely residential, but there are a few commercial districts scattered throughout the community and near Lake Nokomis. As in many Minneapolis communities, the size and style of homes in Nokomis can depend on their location and distance from the lakes. Homes closer to the water tend to be older and larger, while homes further away were built more recently and smaller. Regardless of their size or age, most of the homes are neat and well-maintained. Generally, many single-family houses were built prior to 1940 and made of stucco, brick and stone. There are some townhomes and condos available here if you search, however.

In June 2007, the average price of a single family home or condo sold in the Nokomis community of Minneapolis, MN was $234,666.

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In the Central Community, one can find the Downtown Minneapolis neighborhood. Much of Minneapolis’ history is nestled in this area. Beginning in 1880, Minneapolis was known as the “Flour Milling Capital of the World.” This is from where Minneapolis’ nickname, “The Mill City,” comes. The Washburn A Mill was at one point the most technologically advanced and the largest in the world. At peak production, it ground enough flour to make 12 million loaves of bread in a day. It received grain via rail lines that stretched into Duluth, the Dakotas and Canada. The flour was exported as well as used domestically. Minneapolis sprouted up around the mills. The city exploded from 13,000 residents in 1870 to nearly 165,000 in 1890.

After about 50 years, however, the boom ended. After World War I the milling industry in Minneapolis began to decline. As the industry moved out of Minneapolis, the old mills fell into disuse and the Washburn A Mill closed in 1965. In 1991 the mill was nearly destroyed by fire. With the help of the Minneapolis Community Development Agency, Minneapolis cleaned up the site and fortified the walls of the mill in the late 1990s. The Minnesota Historical Society has since then developed the Mill City Museum at the site.

The downtown Minneapolis Riverfront District is a unique blend of old and new, with lodging, dining, historical landmarks, and other attractions. The past and present unite along the banks of the Mississippi. One can find the Nicollet Mall Farmer’s Market in downtown Minneapolis every spring, summer, and fall.

Downtown Minneapolis offers a unique feature to its residents in the Skyway system. It is an enclosed pedestrian walkway which connects 69 blocks and nearly every core building in the Downtown area. Minneapolis has the largest continuous system of its kind with over 8 miles of skyways.

In addition to the skyway system, miles of trails along the shores of the Mississippi River offer residents of downtown Minneapolis opportunities for hiking, walking, jogging, in-line skating, and biking. Not only is the neighborhood walkable, but most everything is within walking distance. If you work in area, you can choose to walk or bike, bus, drive, or take the light rail.

Downtown Minneapolis is divided into two sections, Downtown West and Downtown East.

Downtown West neighborhood is the core of downtown Minneapolis. It extends from the Mississippi River to 12^th Street and from Third Avenue North, Washington Avenue North and Hennepin Avenue to Portland Avenue, Fifth Street South and Fifth Avenue South. It is bordered by the North Loop, Nicollet Island/East Bank, Downtown East, Elliot Park, and Loring Park neighborhoods.

Downtown West is the center of the busy downtown districts. This area contains tall office towers, bustling malls and shopping centers, fine dining, and theater, particularly on Hennepin Avenue. Downtown West is home to the Nicollet Mall and to Minnesota Orchestra. This area is home to many of the city’s financial and corporate residents. The Downtown West neighborhood has been attracting an increasing number of young professionals and families. Beautiful and urban, Downtown West offers residents a wealth of entertainment, recreation and shopping options.

Downtown East is a diverse and thriving neighborhood in Minneapolis’ metropolitan district. Its boundaries are the Mississippi River to the north, Interstate 35W to the east, 5th Street South to the south, and Portland Avenue to the west. It is bounded by the Downtown West, Elliot Park, and Cedar-Riverside

Downtown East is a busy urban center with a low percentage of residential housing, though that has been changing. Old developments are being renovated and some new developments are under construction as well. Many of the old mills and factories have been converted into residential or commercial uses. Between 1990 and 2000, the proportion of owner-occupied housing and residential housing overall increased tenfold. The Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association has helped to turn the area into clean, attractive and well maintained neighborhood. Residents tend to be courteous and friendly toward each other and there are regular activities to engage residents.

The Downtown East neighborhood is home to several parks along the river, some of which have themes around the history of Minneapolis. There are several museums in the area, including the Mill City Museum. The new Guthrie Theater opened here during the summer of 2006. Downtown East is home to the H.H.H. Metrodome, where the Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Vikings, and Minnesota Gophers play home games.

This is a primarily commercial and business district, though there is great housing available. Home options in Downtown Minneapolis tend to be giant single-family houses converted into multi-family dwellings, warehouses transformed into lofts, and condos in brick apartment buildings. In June 2007, the average home sales price for a single family home or condo in the Minneapolis Central, MN was $329,896.

Since the year 2008 began, the average price at which a Downtown Minneapolis home sells is $297,420, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. Condos start out at around $50,000 and go up to around $3,500,000. Though there aren’t many single family homes here, they do start as low as $30,000 and climb to over $500,000.

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The borders of Downtown Saint Paul are made up of University Avenue to the north, Marion Street to the west, Interstate 94 to the east, and the Mississippi River to the south. The river’s presence not only offers beautiful views from offices and condominiums, but also provides a place of recreation with green spaces and trails. With the Capitol just a few blocks, downtown St. Paul is an ideal location for government workers. Additionally, many state offices are located in the area. Industrialized areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul are within short driving distance. Easy access to I-94 connects you quickly with the rest of the Twin Cities.

Downtown St. Paul is home to a number of attractions. The Xcel Energy Center, home of the Minnesota Wild hockey team, is located on Kellogg Boulevard. Glacier Plaza, McNally Smith College of Music, and the Minnesota World Trade Center are also located Downtown. The Science Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota History Museum and the Children’s Museum are all located Downtown. Downtown also boasts the Ordway and the historical Landmark Center. Some of the Twin Cities’ best restaurants are located here, such as the St. Paul Grill, Kincaid’s, and Fhima and Pazzaluna Urban Italian Restaurant. The skyway system makes it easy and convenient to walk instead of drive to your destination, even in the dead of winter!

Downtown St. Paul boasts quite a few popular parks. Biking and running trails along the Mississippi River downtown connect the neighborhood to many other areas of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Mears Park, Kellogg Mall Park, Rice Park and Harriet Island are all popular locations for recreation. Mears Park hosts a Thursday nigh concert series every week during the summer through September. Rice Park hosts St. Paul Winter Carnival events, including an outdoor ice rink. Harriet Island is a popular location for outdoor music and festivals. The Taste of Minnesota is also held each summer on the Island.

There isn’t a lot of real estate in the Downtown section of St. Paul, which is also known as “Lowertown” but it is changing rapidly into a residential neighborhood. There are few single family homes but multi-family dwellings are prevalent within the neighborhood. Listings in Downtown Saint Paul are up slightly from this time last year, but this neighborhood’s housing supply has been more balanced than other neighborhoods. Also unlike many other Twin City neighborhoods, Saint Paul’s Downtown has been having more closed home sales than this time last year. Being close to the core of St. Paul has made Downtown residential real estate a hot commodity lately!

Real estate in downtown St. Paul has been evolving into a more and more residential area over the last several years. Some of the new homes include lofts, condos, and studios in renovated historic buildings and warehouses. There are newer luxury condominiums and apartments available along the river.

Homes downtown are in a variety of price ranges. In 2005, the median sales price of a home, condo, town home, or loft in Downtown Saint Paul was $180,613. Since the year 2008 began, the average price at which a Downtown home sells has risen 20% to $224,716, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. Single family homes here start as low as $19,900 and climb to over $500,000.

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