Tale of Two Cities

Life can be filled with puzzling events. In a similar manner our built environment can be puzzling in the relationship of one place to another. If suburbia is viewed as entrenched with similarity, a central city core is often viewed as a panoply of sights, sounds and smells which overload our senses. The mid-1960’s story of the murder of Kitty Genovese, while it has been debunked, nonetheless still plays a large role in the perception of how the anonymity of big city life can desensitize a population to the point of inaction, or worse, apathy. The economist Edward Glaeser notes, however, that urban poor are better off than the rural poor. Cities, he says, contain the poor because the poor arrive looking for opportunity. Opportunity, his thinking goes, is provided by amalgamation that is the city.

Downtown Minneapolis as viewed from Sculpture Garden
Photo by author

Warehouse/Industrial space being remodeled into high end loft units
Photo by author

As one walks in a city you can see the seeming dichotomy at play. Waterfronts were developed in the industrial age with warehouses and industry which took advantage of transportation or electricity which arose from dams. Today, many of those former industrial spaces have been, and continue to be, converted to high-end loft dwelling units. Perhaps the best example in modern culture is in the now 25 year old movie “Ghost” where the characters Sam Wheat and Molly Jensen remodel a warehouse space in which to live. Sam, is an investment banker, and Molly a potter, representative of the both the finance and artistic classes drawn to urban areas. Nearby are less than desirable neighborhoods.  Sam and Molly were Millennials before the term was coined.  

Gold Medal Flour sign at night, part of the structure is now loft apartments
Photo by author

A recent journey to Minneapolis further shows the milieu of urban life, and the contrasts that are present. First, is that the old flour factories and warehouses have been, or continue, to redevelop to urban loft style living or offices. These places demand high rents. As we watched fireworks over the river, behind and above our location, part of the top 10% gathered in units to party and view the fireworks from large picture windows. I am sure that not far away were dwelling units containing the less fortunate. Other than workers, central city cores are perceived as having become inhabited by the wealthy or those that struggle to meet ends meet, with little room for what we know as the middle class.

 

Minneapolis Club, Downtown Minneapolis
Photo from Google Images

Second, enjoying a picnic at Washburn—Fair Oaks Park next to the Minneapolis Art Museum on a hot summer day, the urban fabric was again shown by the variety of races and cultures present in and around the park. Some seemingly going by their business or out for a walk, others in groups that may appear rather disconcerting in one way or another. Being a regional attraction, the museum will gather persons from all walks of life, yet I suspect not many of the visitors choose to walk through this park, much less in the neighborhoods that surround the park. The museum is a structure in a classical style that exudes privilege and wealth. The surrounding neighborhood was once wealthy occupied primarily by barons from the gilded age into and up to the depression. Today, the old mansions built in a prior age, perhaps a few under single family occupancy, exist next to multi-family dwellings. Some of the multi-family are well-designed, others not so affecting the neighborhood aesthetics, but yet avoiding monotony.

  

Pocket Park owned by St. Olaf Parish, entrance to Exodus house
is to the left side of photo
Photo by author

The third and final example is one I found most telling. At the intersection of S 8th Street, and 2nd Avenue S in Minneapolis is the Minneapolis Club. This is to Minneapolis what the Wisconsin Club is to Milwaukee. Like the Wisconsin Club it is located in a grand old building, and is downtown. Unlike the Wisconsin Club which is surrounded by streets, the Minneapolis Club is next to a Minneapolis version of a skyscraper. It is at this location that the powerful, well-healed, and connected of the twin cities environs gather to party, socialize, and to network. Some may live in the city, many likely live outside in a wealthy suburb and come to their downtown playground. What makes this interesting is not the fact that the club is in downtown Minneapolis. What I found striking is what is in the block next door. Across the street from the Minneapolis Club is St. Olaf Catholic Church. Finding a church across from such a club is not unique either. After all, a massive red stone church sits across from the Wisconsin Club. It is what St. Olaf has next to their church that best represents the dichotomy and the tale of two cities. An eight story rather non-descript building of red brick is really only noticeable due to individual room air conditioners hanging from windows in a location where large buildings are cooled by equipment out of sight and concealed in a way to maintain the urban street fabric. This building is part of the social outreach of  St. Olaf church. Called the Exodus Residence, the church website describes building purpose as providing “a home to 95 single men and women in need of low cost and supportive housing. It meets the critical need of low cost housing for persons who have experienced homelessness.” The residents receive supportive medical care to deal with chronic illness or disease, and can stay up to two years. It is a place to help people. To allow the indigent of society to get a step up in the world.

  

Exodus House, owned and operated by St Olaf Parish
Photo from Google Images

In the amalgamation of urban America you can find what is essentially a homeless shelter across the street from a building that is the gathering spot of the powerful and well-connected. You find a variety of people, representing an increasing variety of cultures of the “stew” that is America continues to evolve. Minneapolis may be one administrative city, but like most of the nation it is a composed of two or more cities. Perhaps the ministry accomplished by St. Olaf Church is a reminder to the powerful that gather at the Minneapolis Club to help assist those who are less fortunate, those members of the “other city”.  This may be a tale of two cities, but we are all one humanity sharing a common home.