Dissonance remains as Minneapolis proceeds with George Floyd Square reconstruction
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After years of debate, the city of Minneapolis is preparing to start street construction this summer at the intersection where George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer.
The plan, finally approved by the Minneapolis City Council in December, calls for new streets open to traffic with green space and memorials.
Some neighbors still disagree with the city's construction plan, Jeanelle Austin, lead caretaker at George Floyd Square and executive director for the group Rise and Remember, told MPR’s Morning Edition.
“It’s fair to say in the community that there is a desire for the infrastructure changes, but what that change looks like is a different imagination, I think, that the community has put forth from what public works desires,” said Austin, who helps preserve the art and memorials at Chicago Avenue and 38th Street where Floyd was killed in May 2020.
“The design that the community put forth really aims to be able to take into consideration, first and foremost, the safety of people. The design that the city has put forth prioritizes traffic.”
City leaders designed the plan after several rounds of surveys and community meetings and say it's the closest practical match to what community members say they want. There are public meetings Monday and Tuesday to share information about the construction plans.
Rise and Remember has an open student design competition for the George Floyd memorial, and is looking ahead to a festival May 23-25 at the square.
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