City Cast Twin Cities
👩🌾 Community farm hits major setback
November 18, 2025
Hi Twin Cities! It's Adam today. Would you ride in a driverless taxi? Someone posted a photo of a trailer full of Waymo cars in Minneapolis on Reddit over the weekend. We aren't listed on Waymo's website as a city they're planning on launching in soon, but it's possible they're testing out how their electric cars handle some real cold this winter.
What the Cities Are Talking About
East Phillips Urban Farm Falls Short of Funding Deadline
A years-long effort to turn the old Roof Depot site in south Minneapolis into a community-owned urban farm has hit a major setback: organizers missed yesterday’s deadline to purchase the property after falling $5.7 million short when funding from the state legislature never materialized. [MPR / EPNI]
- How we got here: The City of Minneapolis originally planned to build a water facility on the site, but the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) pushed to preserve the building over concerns that demolition would release pollutants into the neighborhood. After years of organizing, lawsuits, and negotiations, the city, state legislature, and EPNI reached a 2023 agreement that allowed the neighborhood to buy the property and halted demolition. [MinnPost]
- What happened to the money? Under the deal, EPNI agreed to pay $11.4 million for the site, with state lawmakers pledging $7.7 million over two years. But the Legislature never formally approved the funding, and EPNI was unable to secure the full amount on its own before the deadline. [MPR / MinnPost]
- What happens next? Barring an unlikely last-minute solution for the EPNI, the city plans to put the property back on the market. The water facility is no longer in the plans, so the land’s future depends on whoever buys it. Do you have an extra few million dollars lying around? [MPR]
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Also Worth Your Time
Pro volleyball coming to town: Minnesota will be getting a professional women's volleyball team in 2027, competing in the League One Volleyball (LOVB) league. With Minnesota's track record for women's professional sports, I'm excited to have another winning team in town. [MinnPost]
A slice for the workers: The owners of Slice Brothers Pizza have sold the restaurant to their employees, who will continue to operate out of the Midtown Global Market. The news is bittersweet, though, as they will be closing their locations in Northeast Minneapolis and Frogtown. [MSP Mag]
Bundle up, soccer fans: The MLS announced major changes to its game schedule starting in 2027 to better align with the schedules of European leagues. The changes will make it less likely that we'll have our top goal scorer poached by a Spanish team mid-season again, but it also means games will be played in early December and late February. [Bring Me The News]
Long live Hamm's: The Hamm's Brewery site in St. Paul has been designated as a heritage preservation district. The site encompasses 30 buildings along Minnehaha Avenue where some thousands of Hamm's employees lived and brewed from 1865 to 1952. The new classification opens the opportunity for federal historical tax credits, which are a part of local developer JB Vang's plans for adding 200 units of affordable housing in the area. [Pioneer Press]
New push for copper drilling near BWCA: Mining company Twin Metals is asking to conduct exploratory drilling for copper near the Boundary Waters. Proponents of the mining operation say it will create hundreds of jobs and that modern mining practices will prevent detrimental environmental impacts. Local tribes, environmental advocates, and some residents are pushing back, calling the exploration a risk to water quality and outdoor heritage. [MPR]
What to Do
Tuesday, November 18
- 🍽️ Cena Entre Panas with Hilda Vera-Terhark | Crasqui Restaurant
- 🔥 Danny Brown | Uptown Theater Minneapolis
- 🪶 The Sioux Chef: Turtle Island Cookbook Tour | Guthrie Theater
- 🎬 The Man Who Saves the World? Premiere Screening | The Riverview Theater
- 😂 I Just Work Here... Comedy Show for the Service Industry 🆓 | Francis
Wednesday, November 19
- 📖 Author Talk: The House on Rondo with Debra J. Stone 🆓 | Comma, A Bookshop
- 🌲 Tofte Lake Center Presents: Echoes from the Lake | Icehouse
- 😂 Funniest in the Twin Cities! A One-Of-A-Kind Comedy Showcase | Gambit Brewing
- 🌍 Alune Wade | The Cedar Cultural Center
- 🎤 Roy Wood Jr. | Fillmore Minneapolis
Twin Cities Job Board
- Sr. Digital Channel Strategist at Minnesota Star Tribune | $70k - $106k per year
- Head of Studio - CATAN at Asmodee | $135k - $180k per year
- Chief Financial Officer at Minneapolis American Indian Center | $100k - $110k per year
- Arts Coordinator at Children’s Minnesota | $54k - $77k per year
- Government Relations Program Advisor at MN Cannabis Management Office | $77k - $115k per year
Before I go, I want to give a huge THANK YOU to our newest Neighbor, Helen L. for supporting our work! If you would like to support us and get access to member events and our ad free podcast feed, head over to our membership page.
Also, thanks to Roger for writing in to point out the fact that we have tons of great local donut shops in town after I mentioned the new Krispy Kreme last week. My personal favorite is Sarah Jane's bakery in Northeast — send me your favorite bakeries so we can consider them for a future "Top Five" segment on the podcast! [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]
— Adam Sage
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