New Green Infrastructure Projects Planned for Fridley and Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS — The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) approved a new round of Stewardship Fund Grants totaling $146,389.72 and advanced five water-quality and habitat initiatives through targeted studies and pre-construction work. Together, these actions will help capture and clean stormwater, restore habitat, and build community capacity across the watershed.
“This month’s approved investments reflect MWMO’s approach of creating a strong foundation for effective action by working with community partners for local insights and advancing strategic analysis to best target resources,” said MWMO Executive Director Kevin Reich.
Summaries of the approved projects are below. You can learn more about the MWMO’s grant programs on our website.
Stewardship Fund Grants
Action Grants
Midway Contemporary Art Educational Wing Expansion — $50,000
Grantee: Midway Contemporary Art
Green campus upgrades at 1509 NE Marshall St. include solar, native plantings, geocell/permeable parking, and a sitewide stormwater plan designed to retain runoff on-site before overflow. Partners: Aloha Landscaping, Bolton & Menk, III-AD Design.
Planning Grants
Riverfront Regional Park NRMP in Anoka County — $20,000
Grantee: Mississippi Park Connection
Mississippi Park Connection (with Anoka County Parks and National Park Service) will update the park’s natural resources management plan to guide post-buckthorn restoration and native plant community establishment on the 74-acre site in Fridley.
Landings Townhomes Stormwater Planning — $20,000
Grantee: North Loop Neighborhood Association
North Loop Neighborhood Association will evaluate practices to filter, store, and infiltrate runoff at a 58-unit river-adjacent townhome site, aiming to reduce untreated discharges to the Mississippi River.
PFG Rain Garden — $20,000
Grantee: Seward ReDesign
Seward ReDesign (with Phelan Manufacturing and Metro Blooms) will plan permeable pavers and two rain gardens at 2523 Minnehaha Ave. as a capstone to site sustainability upgrades.
Ecosystem Shifts: Digitally Fabricated Ceramic Structures for Aquatic Restoration — $16,398.72
Grantee: University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota (with City of Minneapolis and Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory) will design modular ceramic structures to stabilize sediments, support aquatic vegetation growth, and improve nutrient uptake in a city stormwater pond.
Heritage Park Youth Leadership Rain Garden Takeover — $20,000
Grantee: Urban Strategies
Urban Strategies (with Green Garden Bakery, Metro Blooms, Earth Wizards, McCormack Baron Salazar) will mobilize youth to maintain 22 rain gardens, reduce litter, and build sustainable land-care skills in the North Minneapolis Green Zone.
Studies and Pre-Construction Actions Approved
Shoreline Improvement and Access Feasibility Study – 1500–1600 Marshall St. NE
MWMO Funding: $112,000
With redevelopment underway along the Northeast riverfront, MWMO and MPRB will study opportunities to restore and improve shoreline ecology from the BNSF bridge to the Broadway Bridge. The project will also assess new public access, including a bike/pedestrian path, a river overlook, and a non-motorized boat launch.
The feasibility study will identify design alternatives that balance habitat restoration with new recreational connections, aligning with the MPRB’s Above the Falls Plan and expanding community access to the Mississippi River.
4300 Central Avenue NE, Columbia Heights – Feasibility Study
MWMO Funding: $80,000
Jackson Pond, originally built in 1965 and retrofitted in 2015 with an iron-enhanced sand filter, provides regional flood control and water-quality treatment. A 13-acre adjacent site is being considered for redevelopment into multifamily and mixed-use housing.
This feasibility study will evaluate development scenarios that preserve regional stormwater benefits while enhancing urban ecological health and habitat creation. The study will provide planning-level recommendations to ensure redevelopment continues to protect downstream water quality and community resilience.
MWMO Limits to Infiltration and Karst Guidelines Study
MWMO Funding: $45,000
State guidelines currently restrict infiltration practices across much of the MWMO due to mapped “Active Karst” areas, driving up costs and limiting stormwater treatment options. This study will refine MWMO’s infiltration-limitation database, identify where small infiltration systems can be safely built, and develop design parameters for safe use in karst-prone areas. Findings will support more cost-effective stormwater management and inform potential updates to state regulatory guidance.
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Media Contact
Akadia Johnson, Communications Manager
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization
Direct: 612-746-4982
ajohnson@mwmo.org
About the MWMO
The MWMO is a public organization that partners to protect and improve water and habitat in our urban watershed. We invest in people and infrastructure to support clean water, and provide knowledge, scientific data and expertise to help manage our vital water resources.
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