MINNEAPOLIS — There's a new vision for the old Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct that burned down during riots nearly four years ago.
Frederic Brathwaite is behind the plan, which he unveiled Monday night at a meeting with community members and some city council members. Brathwaite is the co-owner of the popular restaurant called Mama Sheila's House of Soul.
Dozens of people filled the Hook and Ladder Theater and Lounge to see presentations of what Brathwaite calls the Minneapolis Black Cultural Center for the first time. The theater is right next to the third area.
“We want to change the negative image of this sacred land into something glowing and positive,” Brathwaite said.
The building has been closed since rioters set it on fire after the killing of George Floyd in 2020. The future of the burned-out building remains unclear, despite many heated discussions.
“They want to see the building gone, and that's what many in the community have said,” Brathwaite said.
The cultural center will include two buildings replicating African headdresses, along with a restaurant, museum, memorials, sports fields, theater and more.
“It's not just a historic center,” Brathwaite said. “It's a cultural center, so when people come to visit, they'll learn about black history and culture.”
He says the cost could reach $80 million, not including the property.
KARE 11 reporter Jennifer Huff asked Brathwaite, “This proposal is very dependent on the city council agreeing to give you that property, what happens if they don't?”
“First of all, I'm a very optimistic person, but if they don't give us the building, we'll find other ways they can help us,” Brathwaite said. “Money exists, money exists in society, in society, in the country.”
There were at least three council members at the meeting, including former President Andrea Jenkins who called the concept “beautiful,” saying she would like to see something like this come to fruition if not here, somewhere in Minneapolis.
The council voted late last year to move the 3rd District from its original location to a new location a few blocks north.
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