Next month, Seward Redesign will inhabit the space it is redeveloping as “Frankly 27th” — the former Smiley’s Clinic building at Franklin Avenue East and 27th Avenue South.

Redesign hopes the renovation will enhance the building’s street-front presence to be more welcoming to passersby, as well as give the community development corporation (CDC) — which for now shares office space on the 2500 block of Franklin with Seward Neighborhood Group (SNG) —better visibility itself.

Redesign will join True Thai restaurant, Jim’s Barbershop and chiropractor Dr. Gary Miller in the block-long building, and it is also attracting new tenants; the vegan retail shop Fast and Furless is expected to relocate from St. Paul on March 1. The whole place is getting a makeover; the inside has been gutted, and customized signs and awnings will soon accentuate the brick exterior, staff members announced during Redesign’s annual meeting on Jan. 24.

The move, along with the transformation of the building (and the hope for better community interaction there) is fitting, considering Seward Redesign’s mission, some proponents say. As a nonprofit community development corporation, it acts as an intermediary, “reweaving our neighborhoods together,” states a Seward Redesign brochure. That happens by encouraging all kinds of development, including affordable housing, and transit, among others, to increase vitality in the community. (For more on CDCs, see our related story here.)

As is the case in any move, however, there are some hurdles to overcome along the way; for starters, it is unclear exactly how Redesign’s relationship with SNG — with which it has long shared an office, programming and other resources — will be affected. Its move follows on the heels of SNG’s financial collapse, something that Redesign executive director Brian Miller said didn’t factor into the decision to relocate, which has more to do with convenience than anything else, he added.

Even though not all of the logistics have been worked out, no matter what, Miller said believes the good work of both SNG and Redesign will continue.

Moving forward, despite uncertainties

Since its inception in 1969, Redesign has been the catalyst for improvements in Seward, as well as the Longfellow, Cooper, Howe, and Hiawatha neighborhoods to the South. That includes the creation of affordable housing in the neighborhood; the cleanup of Franklin Avenue East and the junction of 26th Street and 26th Avenue, formerly reputed as the “Hub of Hell;” along with many others. “That’s what we mean, the executive director touted, “about mission-driven work with tangible results.

“We are focused on development…physical and economic, but mainly the built environment,” said Miller, who has been at the helm since 2002. Where the office is now, tucked in the back corner of the tan-gold building that also houses Shabelle Grocery and Shega Bakery, Redesign is easy to miss. “People have a hard time finding us,” said Emily Wergin, development project manager.

So instead of trying to rent out the vacant Smiley’s space again, Redesign opted to take it over itself. That will be more practical while also hopefully positioning it for greater engagement with the larger community. Likewise, it will provide ample workspace for part-time employees and consultants to supplement Redesign’s core staff, said Miller.

Moving forward, however, it may be tougher for Redesign to reach out to residents without as much help from SNG, as in the past. Although the dynamic between the two groups has always been in flux, Redesign has relied on SNG to facilitate communication with residents. Said Miller: “It can still happen with its existing structure” — a combination of board members and volunteers, but it will mean more work.

For example, the long-term planning process for Seward’s Franklin Avenue — from the Franklin Avenue light-rail station to the river — will make more demands on Redesign staff, Miller said. In 2006, the ad hoc Riverside Market Taskforce recommended that a more comprehensive plan for the Franklin Avenue corridor be fleshed out, according to information posted at www.sewardredesign.org.

Miller is optimistic about the future, as is Charlie Hoffman, a longtime Seward resident who serves on the SNG board. “The planning for Franklin is a process that needs to happen. We both bring our separate expertise and interests to the table. I hope it’ll be a real opportunity to work together effectively,” he said.

As for the nitty-gritty details, which Hoffman is in charge of working out for SNG, such as the groups’ shared telephone system and computer network, among other things, nobody knows how things will shake out in the end. Some stuff, such as assorted computers, desks and chairs, are likely to move with Redesign, but telephones and cabling will probably stay put. Meanwhile, SNG will also need to find a renter to replace Redesign, Hoffman added.

Reaching beyond Seward

Although Redesign’s home base is in Seward, its focus has shifted and expanded beyond the neighborhood over the years, Miller explained, pointing to an old map in the office that shows the word “Redesign” in bold (and downplays the name “Seward”). The CDC has ventured into Longfellow neighborhoods (where more than half of its board members live) and other areas in and around Hiawatha.

Over the past six years or so, Redesign has also been collaborating on a case-by-case basis with the Longfellow Community Council (LCC), the Longfellow neighborhood’s equivalent of SNG. Redesign provides technical assistance and consultation to the group, depending on its needs and capacity, according to Miller. That may vary from project planning to producing development proposals to connecting small businesses with support.

Currently, Redesign is working with LCC on the city’s Great Streets initiative, which offers grants for façade improvements, among other things. Redesign is consulting various Longfellow businesses on potential upgrades, for instance. Melanie Majors, executive director of LCC, said the organization looks to Redesign for its community-oriented, development and business expertise, especially on ambitious projects such as the revitalization of the Minnehaha Corridor. Last year, Redesign convened meetings with residents and business owners and surveyed storefront businesses, looking at individual land parcels along the avenue to scope out its redevelopment potential.

A CDC like Redesign is in line with LCC’s work because it “understands the community’s needs and has a vision — goals and ideas that are more in line with what residents want to see,” said Majors. “Redesign is a quality CDC.”

Redesign has also advised LCC on issues surrounding the Hiawatha light rail corridor, development of the Coliseum building on East Lake Street, and preparations for the reconstruction of East Lake Street, among other things.

There has been some talk of changing the name from Seward Redesign to reflect its broader mission, though that is not something it is prepared to do just yet, Miller said.

Seward business owners testify

Jim Welna chairs the Seward Civic and Commerce Association and owns Welna II Hardware, 2201 East Franklin Ave. CDCs such as Redesign help to “keep a pulse on what the community needs,” he said.

It was the efforts of Redesign staff that prompted Welna to open his second hardware store in Seward. Redesign staffers were persistent, even though he said no in the beginning. “It turned out there really was a need for a hardware store in Seward,” he said. “Both stores are now thriving.”

On a small scale, the addition of Welna’s hardware store and the redevelopment of Frankly 27th show what it is possible with an organization like Redesign that is striving to increase an area’s viability, Welna said.

Fast and Furless store owner Jon Novick, who has been lured out of his St. Paul spot, agreed. Novick said he’s looking forward to bringing his “vegan boutique,” which sells “cruelty-free” clothing and accessories, to Seward, which he sees as “veg-central.” Already, many of his customers have been traveling from South Minneapolis to browse. “Seward Redesign has been really helpful,” said Novick. “They really want me there. That is nice because, as a neighborhood organization and not a big corporation, they want to see me succeed,” he said.

For more information about Seward Redesign, check out “www.sewardredesign.org”:www.sewardredesign.org or call 612-338-8729.

last revised: February 20, 2008

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