Dear friends,

Summer is here and the streets are alive with events, garage sales, neighborhood gatherings, community art, and shared meals on the patio. It's a season that reminds us that strong communities are built through our relationships, shared experiences, and a sense of belonging.

At Redesign, we believe that communities thrive when people have the opportunity to invest in the places they call home. This quarter's newsletter highlights just a few examples of that idea in action: from the artwork at Wadaag Commons to local business stories, neighborhood events, and opportunities to get involved. Each represents the creativity, resilience, and commitment that make our corner of the city such a special place.

Thank you for being part of this community and for supporting the work of building a more equitable, vibrant, and connected future.

CONTENTS

Shop Local with Business BINGO

Pick up a BINGO card at this weekend's Garage Sales (or print one here) and challenge yourself to complete 10 squares before the Longfellow Corn Feed (July 24) to be entered for a prize!

START YOUR BINGO ADVENTURE!

Business Support Resources

Redesign provides free and low-cost services to entrepreneurs and small businesses in our community. Reach out if you or an entrepreneur you know needs:

🔍 Business Space Search & Brokerage

💼 Comprehensive Business Assistance

🏢 Real Estate Development & Project Support

🪟 Storefront Improvement

💲Low-Interest & Interest-Free Business Financing

GET SUPPORT

Hayat Salon: Determination. Creativity. Resilience.

Hayat's journey is a powerful example of the passion, energy, and grit that define many of the 100+ small business owners we work alongside each year.

READ HER STORY

Join Redesign for a Bi-Weekly Lunch

In case you need another reason to eat a delicious meal at a local restaurant, join Redesign's staff every other week as we dine around Greater Longfellow. Sign up here to receive updates on when and where.

Help Shape the Future of East Franklin Ave

The Franklin Avenue East Cultural Corridor is a vital cultural and commercial connection between neighborhoods, businesses, and community institutions. Join us for two events exploring ways to strengthen connections and create a more welcoming, vibrant experience for everyone:

📍 Community Gathering & Visioning Session
June 22 | 4:00–6:00 p.m. | Pizza Lucé | RSVP

📍 Walking Tour
June 26 | 10:00–11:00 a.m. | Starting Location TBD | RSVP

Together, we'll share stories, identify opportunities, and help shape a vision for the future of this important cultural district.

Space is limited. RSVP today!

Doors Open Minneapolis

Nearly 200 people visited the Coliseum last month as part of Doors Open Minneapolis. We loved sharing the history of the building and its restoration with so many curious people. If you missed it, you can contact us to set up a tour of your own! We are so proud of what our community accomplished in this building.

The Story of Five Square

2525 E. Franklin Ave, affectionately known as "Five Square," is a 133-year-old building that Redesign acquired in 2018 to reimagine as affordable, small-scale commercial space. Learn more about this approach and see what spaces are currently available to lease!

MEET FIVE SQUARE

Leasable Spaces

If you're looking for the next home for your business, look no further! From office space to retail, flex space, and more, Redesign has what you're looking for. View our currently available spaces here, or reach out to let us know what you're looking for!

Home Is Sacred: Art, Culture, and Community at Wadaag Commons

You may have noticed a striking new artwork on the side of the Wadaag Commons building recently. Featuring the word "Welcome" in Arabic, this is part of a more than $500,000 in permanent artwork integrated throughout Wadaag Commons, one of the largest investments in culturally grounded public art in the Seward neighborhood.

Created by a team of Twin Cities artists and rooted in East African and Islamic artistic traditions, the artwork celebrates belonging, cultural visibility, and the idea that home is sacred.

Read the story behind the artists, partnerships, and community vision that brought this extraordinary project to life. And join us on July 11 for a public celebration of the artwork.

SEE THE ART

Unearthing History at Wadaag Commons

Last month we were able to share some of the Archaeological findings that were unearthed during the archaeological work done prior to constructing Wadaag Commons. Stories from more than 200 people who lived on this small spot of land were pieced together from "one of the largest diagnostic sets of archaeological information collected within the Twin Cities."

Want to see the artifacts for yourself? Reach out!

Longfellow Collaboration Hub

If you are an individual or organization serving the Greater Longfellow area, we invite you to come checkout our new co-location workspace on The Historic Coliseum Building's third floor. We've created a sunny, flexible, collaborative space to encourage cross-collaboration and idea generation among like-minded groups and individuals. Learn more!

Redesign aims to be your voice in community development. What do you want to see in the neighborhood?

REACH OUT