Dancing in the street: Neighbors celebrate reopening of Nicollet Avenue after nearly 50 years

On an unusually warm November afternoon, the dancing in the courtyard of East Street Crossing occasionally spilled onto a freshly repaved section of Nicollet Avenue. Current and former residents said it was the vibe shift the neighborhood needs. The “Reconnecting Nicollet Dance Party” on Sunday gave residents a sneak peek at a long-awaited milestone in the saga of one of Minneapolis’ more awkward development choices . The street had been severed since the controversial opening of a now demolished Kmart at Lake Street during the 1970s. After almost 50 years, Nicollet Avenue will officially reopen between W. 28th and E. Lake streets on Nov. 24. Advertisement Residents on Sunday were invited to stroll down the newly completed road, sidewalks and bike ways, including an updated bridge over the Midtown Greenway. Local businesses and associations set up booths and city officials had artist renderings of what the 10-acre former Kmart site may look like when completely redeveloped. The city plans to include affordable housing, space for nonprofits and a new park at the site. “It will be a big improvement,” said Dana McDill, who has lived nearby since the late 1980s. He and his wife Charlotte Carrington stopped by the event, organized by local neighborhood groups and the city, to learn more about plans to redevelop the site. “Never a dull moment,” is how McDill described life in the neighborhood, which he says includes occasional gunshots, heavy traffic and persistent homeless encampments. He recalled hearing gunshots on the January morning Alex Pretti was killed during Operation Metro Surge. McDill said he was hit with tear gas when he went to investigate.