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Planning Commission backs Hennepin Healthcare replacement parking ramp amid neighborhood opposition
Summary
The Minneapolis Planning Commission voted to approve the staff-recommended approvals for a new parking garage to serve Hennepin Healthcare, advancing rezoning, site plan, variance and vacation requests to the City Council despite residents’ objections about displacement and neighborhood character.
The Minneapolis Planning Commission on Monday recommended approval of a multi-application proposal to build a new parking ramp for Hennepin Healthcare, advancing rezoning, a conditional use permit, site plan review, variances and a vacation to the City Council.
The commission voted to adopt the staff recommendation after a presentation from city planning staff and testimony from Hennepin County and Hennepin Healthcare representatives and nearby residents; the clerk recorded six ayes and one abstention on the motion to approve staff’s recommendations.
Staff told commissioners the proposal covers properties that are currently surface parking and would vacate Centennial Place between Ninth and Tenth streets to allow construction of a six-story replacement parking garage. Principal planner Hillary Devark said the applicant proposes a parking structure with ground-floor commercial space and skyway connection to the hospital campus, and staff recommended approval of rezoning from DT1 to DT2 to align zoning across the campus and permit the development.
Devark described the project as the first step in a multi-phase redevelopment of the hospital campus: "The proposed parking garage is a catalyst for a future redevelopment of the hospital campus and is the first step that needs to be taken in order for that ... hospital vision to come to reality," she said, and noted the new garage would replace an existing garage across the street that would be demolished to make space for a future inpatient bed tower.
Hennepin County’s project representative Yvonne Forsyth told the commission the county and hospital view the ramp as a pivotal component of a "multi-phase and multi-billion dollar reinvestment" in the campus and neighborhood. Margot Gaffin, facilities director for Hennepin Healthcare, said the hospital already subsidizes transit for staff: "Right now we currently do half off of Metro transit passes," she said, and described ongoing staff engagement about travel demand management and bike parking.
Neighbors who spoke at the hearing urged the commission to deny or modify approvals. Stephen Schror, a resident of 900 Centennial Place, read a petition and a 41-signature letter opposing the rezoning and development of land surrounding Centennial Place into a parking structure. "We oppose in whole or in part the rezoning and development of the land surrounding Centennial Place into a parking garage," Schror said, and urged the city to consider alternative locations or mixed residential development instead.
Commissioners pressed the applicant on travel demand measures, bike parking and neighborhood outreach. Commissioners also discussed design details: Forsyth and the hospital said exterior materials are intended to "blend in with the neighborhood," citing terracotta and brownstone references, but acknowledged the structure is a parking garage and noted limitations on active uses on upper levels.
Staff flagged a number of required approvals and conditions, including a site plan condition related to skyway glazing and bird safety standards. Devark said the skyway design must meet Chapter 550, Article 15 of the zoning code and that staff included a condition because the project packet did not confirm fritting for bird safety. Public Works submitted a letter recommending approval of the Centennial Place vacation with easements for utilities and certain equipment, staff said.
After public comment and deliberation, Commissioner Conley moved to approve the staff recommendation; the motion was seconded. The clerk recorded six ayes and one abstention and the motion carried, forwarding the rezoning and vacation to the City Council for final action.
Next steps: the rezoning and the right-of-way vacation require full City Council review. The Planning Commission action is a recommendation and not the final approval for the rezoning or the street vacation.
Votes at a glance: The Planning Commission approved staff recommendations on the Hennepin Healthcare South Replacement Ramp project; recorded tally: 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 abstention (member name for the abstention not recorded in the transcript).
