Marcy-Homes/Dinkytown- Home to the University of Minnesota and a Quality Urban District in Southeast Minneapolis

This neighborhood evaluation includes the traditional boundaries of Marcy-Homes which includes the Dinkytown Business District serving the University of Minnesota. Dinkytown is centered at the commercial node at 14th Ave and SE 4th St.  and really came into its own in the Post WWII era as the University exploded in size. Some say the name is in reference to  the streetcars, which were called Dinky’s historically in Minneapolis. But ultimately no one really knows and residents embrace the quirkiness regardless of its origins.

Marcy-Homes hosts a significant concentration of off-campus students in its many apartments and single family homes with students crammed in. But there are many other interesting aspects of the district including several additional commercial nodes  (i.e. Main St & Central, Central & 5th, SE 9th St, and University & 6th Ave.), the stone and brick warehouse district running along Main Street above the St Anthony Falls, the dynamic mixed-use corridor running down Central and the repurposed warehouses along SE 9th St.

From an urban perspective the neighborhood excels at having convenient access to Dwtn, a high level of walkability with good access to retail and cultural amenities, decent park access, generally good urban form, and good housing diversity. There aren’t a lot of urban deficiencies other than a lack of walkable quality schools and rather monolithic age and economic population due to the large student population. But for Marcy-Homes to become a top-tier Minneapolis urban district is needs more mixed-use infill along its commercial corridors, more park amenities, and more retail amenities increasing its walkability even more.

Click here to view my Dinkytown Album on Flickr

URBAN STRENGTHS:

• Good sidewalk amenities and most intersections have ADA standard curbs.
• One of Minneapolis’s most densely populated neighborhood’s thanks to the students living off campus from the University of Minnesota.
• Very multi-model neighborhood with solid public transit, excellent bike infrastructure, a solid commercial district along 14th St & 4th Avenue and a decent amount of mixed-use throughout. Also very convenient access to Dwtn being only 2 miles away and well connected by transit.
• Overall a pretty safe district but with typical collegetown issues.
• Some nice historic homes but also plenty of mansions that have been broken up into student apartments distastefully. Small but gorgeous brick & stone warehouse district along Main Street (bricked) near St. Anthony Falls. Feels a bit European.
• Generally urban infill if good but some poor design from the mid century and cheaper recent student housing.
• Solid tree canopy especially outside of the commercial and industrial districts.
• Lots of rental options including plenty of studios leasing btwn 700K-1.4K, 1-beds btwn $800-2K, 2-beds btwn 1K-2.3K, 3-beds btwn 1.3K-2.5K. Great diversity in price and age. Some dedicated affordable housing as well.
• Less for-sale options but still decent. Vast range in 1-bed condos ranging anywhere from 150K-1 M depending on age and amenities. 2-bed range btwn 225K-800K. 3 & 4 beds range btwn 250K-1M but many of these are likely rented out to students.
• Pretty good park & recreational space including the Father Hennepin Park overlooking St. Anthony Falls and two medium sized parks with good amenities (Mercy & Homes Park).
• Solid cultural amenities including plenty of Food & Beverage Bizs, a couple art galleries, a cinema, performing arts theater, significant performing arts at the University of Minnesota, the Weisman Art Museum, and a couple night clubs.
• Good retail amenities including a Target (includes supermarket), a couple pharmacies, good # of boutiques, clothing stores & gift shops, several banks, a bookstore, University of Minnesota Hospital, a couple churches, plenty of dessert options & gyms, several salons, a local post office & library.

URBAN WEAKNESSES:

• So so walkable schools. Limited options and ratings aren’t spectacular.
• Very student dominated so some decent racial diversity but age and economic diversity are more limited.