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By Melissa Townsend and Kenzie O'Keefe, for MPR News

The 48-acre parcel of land known as the Upper Harbor Terminal site is currently owned by the city of Minneapolis. The site, located on the Mississippi River in north Minneapolis, was originally on Dakota land until the United States government took it and other land through the treaties at Traverse des Sioux and Mendota in 1851. There have been many uses of the land since, including lumber yards, mills, a commercial garden and a barge terminal.

Upper Harbor is the test

Here’s a look at the history of the site and its development through the years.

The Upper Harbor Terminal site is developed as an intermodal barge shipping terminal. It closes in 2014 when barging ceased due to the planned closure of the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock in 2015.

Upper Harbor Terminal community engagement begins.

The City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board issue a Request for Qualifications seeking a development team to work with those agencies and the community on the first phase of redevelopment. The only submission is from the development team of United Properties, Thor Construction and First Avenue.

City council and the park and recreation board select United Properties to redevelop the site.

Both north side city council incumbents are defeated by political newcomers Phillipe Cunningham in the 4th Ward and Jeremiah Ellison in the 5th Ward. Jacob Frey becomes mayor.

City secures $15 million in state bonding for infrastructure improvements to the site.

Residents organize the Eco-Harbor Co-creation team to envision an alternative plan for the site. 

 City councilmembers are scheduled to vote on the concept plan, but the vote is pushed back.

. It includes a direction to create a first-of-its-kind community advisory committee to guide the project.

Thor Companies shuts down due to financial trouble.

Minneapolis City Council establishes a 17-member Upper Harbor Terminal Collaborative Planning Committee to work with the project team on community engagement, refinement of the Phase 1 development plan and visions for future development phases. Members are north and northeast Minneapolis community members.

 The advisory committee for the portion of the nearly 20-acre park of Upper Harbor Terminal begins meeting monthly.

 about the UHT begin being hosted monthly, during which community members explore aspects of the project development and talk about what they want from development.

The Collaborative Planning Committee will create three possible plans for development in partnership with the development team. The development team will then conduct a feasibility analysis of the three plans. One plan will be put forth for public comment in March. 

 The city of Minneapolis anticipates making a request for $20 million in state bonding from the Minnesota Legislature to build a proposed music venue on the site.

Public input is scheduled on the possible coordinated plan for the site.

City Council is expected to vote on the coordinated plan.

Deadline to begin spending $15 million in state funding awarded to the city in 2018. If the city has not started to spend the money, legislators will need to approve an extension.

History

Minnesota News

Minnesota History

The 48-acre parcel of land known as the Upper Harbor Terminal site is currently owned by the city of Minneapolis. Here’s a look at its long history and development through the years.

The Minneapolis skyline is seen beyond an industrial site.

Evan Frost | MPR News

MPR Photo/Matt Sepic

City council members vote to approve the Upper Harbor Terminal plan

Gabriel Kwan | MPR News

People sit at tables inside of a community room.

Timeline: A history of North Minneapolis' Upper Harbor Terminal site

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