Stevens Square, Minneapolis

Stevens Square (technically Stevens Square/Loring Heights, Stevens Square being east of Nicollet Avenue and Loring Heights being west of it) is a neighborhood within the Central community in Minneapolis. It extends from Lyndale Avenue in the west to Interstate 35W in the east, and from Interstate 94 in the north to Franklin Avenue in the south. It is a short, wide neighborhood; the distance between Interstate 94 and Franklin Avenue is only a couple blocks, but the distance between Lyndale Avenue and Interstate 35W is almost a mile. Stevens Square/Loring Heights is bordered by the following neighborhoods: Loring Park to the north, Phillips to the east, Whittier to the south, and Lowry Hill East to the west. It is only about a seven-minute walk to the southern edge of Downtown Minneapolis.

The area is composed mostly of old brownstone apartment buildings or mansions that have been subdivided into apartments, giving the neighborhood a heavy population density within its small geographical area. The neighborhood was named after John H. Stevens who was the first permanent resident to settle in the west bank side of Minneapolis. The neighborhood was designated by the city as a historic district in 1989 because of the number of 3 ¹⁄₂-story apartment buildings surrounding Stevens Square Park. The buildings are similar in appearance with brown brick exteriors, contrasting limestone lintels, belt-coursing and columns flanking the main entrances. Most of the buildings have had very few external modifications. Five of the apartments are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, being designated in 1993.^[4]

Stevens Square Park is the center of the neighborhood; it occupies a city block between East 18th Street, East 19th Street, Stevens Avenue South, and 2nd Avenue South. It is the survivor of two parks historically established in the area. The other park, Franklin Steele Square, was significantly changed as a result of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. Franklin Steele Square was named after Franklin Steele, who was one of the first East bank settlers. The interchange of Interstate 94 and Interstate 35W occupies part of the park's former site.

See also

• Amos B. Coe House

References

1. ^ "Twin Cities Region Population and Household Estimates, 2006" (PDF). Metropolitan Council. 2006-04-01. http://www.metrocouncil.org/metroarea/2006PopulationEstimates.pdf. Retrieved 2007-07-24. 
2. ^ "Table 2: Population Estimates for the 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas Based on July 1, 2006 Population Estimates: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. 2007-04-05. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/cb07-51tbl2.pdf. Retrieved 2007-04-16. 
3. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2006-03-15. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 
4. ^ "Stevens Square NRP Phase II Neighborhood Action Plan". March 5, 2005. http://www.nrp.org/R2/Neighborhoods/Phase2Plans/59.pdf. Retrieved 2007-04-06. 

External links

• Minneapolis Neighborhood Profile - Stevens Square
• Stevens Square Community Organization
• Stevens Square Center for the Arts