Minneapolis City Council — Transcript
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Liquor and Gambling License Renewals
Commemorative Street Naming for Officer Jamal Mitchell
Updated Agreement with Cowles Center
Minneapolis Convention Center Carpet Replacement
Meet Minneapolis Contract Amendment for Incentive Funding
John Cook House Demolition Appeal
Affordable Housing and Upper Harbor Terminal Redevelopment
Votes (3)
Minneapolis Convention Center Carpet Replacement
Dissent: Council Member Chavez voiced intent not to support the motion.
Moved by Chair Osman [13:20] · Seconded by Unknown [13:22]
Council Member Chavez questioned the nearly $1.2 million low bid for carpet replacement, requesting more information before the full council vote. Jeff Johnson, GM of the Convention Center, explained it's routine maintenance for high-traffic lobby areas (700,000 visitors/year, 10-year-old carpet) funded by the Convention Center budget (revenues or downtown sales/use taxes), not the general fund. Chavez expressed he could not support the item today without further learning.
Contract Amendment with Meet Minneapolis
Dissent: Council Members Chavez and Warren voiced concerns about the scope of authority for fund allocation, but ultimately supported the motion with requests for refinement.
Moved by Chair Osman [18:27] · Seconded by Unknown
The amendment sought to reallocate $400,000 in unused incentive funding from Meet Minneapolis (due to unmet KPIs) to support other city events, like Taste of Minnesota or Special Olympics, thereby injecting funds into the hospitality community. Director Jeff Johnson explained the funds are restricted but this amendment would allow the COO to reallocate them. Council Members Chavez and Warren raised concerns about transparency, the COO's authority in allocating funds, and desired a broader list of potential events to support. Both ultimately supported the motion but requested further refinement.
John Cook House Demolition Appeal
Dissent: Council Member Warren voiced strong opposition to the demolition. Council Member Chavez clarified his support for moving without recommendation was not a stance on demolition.
Moved by Chair Osman [28:30] · Seconded by Vice Chair Chaundry [28:50]
The item, referred multiple times, involves a property owner seeking a demolition permit for the historic John Cook House. The owner's representative cited economic infeasibility for renovation (estimated over $1 million vs. $245,000 list price) and high vacant building registry fees. A 6-month period for community purchase attempts yielded only a $25,000 offer. Staff and the HPC recommended denying the demolition. The City Attorney reminded the committee of its quasi-judicial role, emphasizing decision-making based on unsafe conditions or lack of reasonable alternatives, including economic viability. Council Member Warren opposed demolition, suggesting the owner take the $25,000 offer instead of incurring demolition costs. The committee ultimately voted to send the item to full council without a recommendation, committing to list the property until July 15th contingent on holding further enforcement of vacant building fees.
Notable Quotes (7)
The carpet there sees a lot of traffic, 700,000 people a year. And we've had it for about 10 years. And so, it's just a normal thing that we put into our budget each uh certain amount of time frame to remove that carpet so that we have good, beautiful, not worn carpet for our guests.
I don't think I can support 1.2 million dollars for carpets today, but would love to learn more ahead of that vote on Thursday.
What this amendment is seeking is to uh unrestrict those funds. So if they don't earn them uh for for an incentive, that we would be able to uh use those funds for another opportunity within that contract that we have with Meet Minneapolis.
The reason I'm bringing that up is because we will be given authority to the COO uh to decide what to do with this money. I guess part of the reason why I pulled it out for discussion is because I think the council should also have a conversation and have conversations with our COO of what other events we can do to support our communities.
I think this is indicative of the fact that it is uh really not economically feasible uh to renovate this building, which is why uh we've asked to to demolish it.
And in determining whether there are no reasonable alternatives, um you're to consider it issues such as the significance of the property, the integrity of the property, and the economic value or usefulness of the existing structure including its current used, cost of renovation, and feasible alternative uses.
So staff's recommendation was um the HPC voted um consistently with staff's recommendation to deny the demolition. Um in that the the findings that um the City Attorney just read, uh staff did not believe that the applicant submitted materials met those or were consistent with them.
Ordinances & Resolutions (27)
Licenses approved on the consent agenda.
Licenses approved for renewal; discussion focused on activation timeline.
Licenses approved on the consent agenda.
Licenses approved for renewal on the consent agenda.
Guidelines approved on the consent agenda.
Contracts authorized on the consent agenda.
Accepted bid for Minneapolis Convention Center carpet replacement.
Amendment to reallocate unused incentive funding.
Approved for Officer Jamal Mitchell on Blaisdell Avenue.
Agreements authorized on the consent agenda.
Set for the 2026 Housing Urban Development (HUD) action plan.
Referred to staff for further review.
Memorandum of Understanding related to the John Cook House, setting a decision deadline.
Requested for the John Cook House due to economic infeasibility.
Multiple Listing Service, used to list the John Cook House for sale.
Document explaining the proposed contract amendment for Meet Minneapolis.
The duration of the existing contract with Meet Minneapolis, which the amendment would become a permanent part of.
Staff report related to the John Cook House demolition appeal.
Historic Preservation Commission standards for rehabilitation.
Document needed for demolition of a historic property.
Part of the denial recommendation for the John Cook House demolition.
Governs the standard for demolition of a historic resource, specifically economic infeasibility.
Cited regarding deprivation of economic value in property rights.
Cited regarding deprivation of economic value in property rights.
Denied applications for housing financing for the Upper Harbor Terminal Redevelopment Project.
Community-developed plan for 700 mixed-income units at Upper Harbor Terminal.
Submitted to the state legislature by housing advocates.