Inside the Project: The Historic Coliseum Building
Sunrise Banks. By Amanda Theisen
In 2020, the world had its eyes on Minneapolis after the murder of George Floyd by a police officer. For more than a week in late May to early June, social unrest spread throughout several neighborhoods. This included Lake Street — a vibrant commercial corridor that runs from the Mississippi River to the Uptown district.
Many of the buildings along Lake Street were badly damaged or destroyed during the unrest. One of them, two blocks away from the third precinct in the Longfellow neighborhood, was the Historic Coliseum Building Off Site Link, located at E. Lake St. and 27th Ave South. The century-old building suffered heavy damage from fire and water and was set to be torn down.
Flash forward to now – the Coliseum Building is re-opening with a new look, new tenants and a mission to build generational wealth for BIPOC business owners and entrepreneurs.