21-02-2025
Stanley's Northeast Bar Room faces closure over construction project, asks for community support
Stanley's Northeast Bar Room is making a plea to their community.
In social media posts on Thursday, the restaurant said the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) "is considering acquiring our building as part of the proposed 2027 University Avenue Construction Project."
Two of the four proposals for reconfiguring the intersection in front of the Minneapolis restaurant involve acquiring the building, per a survey issued by the MnDOT.
"Stanley's is more than just a restaurant," the restaurant writes, "it's a vital part of this neighborhood, a place where memories are made and relationships are built."
Stanley's is asking its community to share feedback with the MnDOT to "protect the spirit of our neighborhood," advocating for alternatives that would preserve the restaurant "and the unique character of our area."
The post also links to an MnDOT survey about the proposals for two intersections involved in the project that aim to increase safety along the corridor.
"The rate of crashes at the intersection is four times the statewide average," the MnDOT says of the intersection at Lowry Ave. NE and University Ave. NW, where Stanley's is located. Additionally, the department says "the pedestrian experience is difficult, especially for people with disabilities. Sidewalks are too close to moving traffic and have telephone poles and other obstructions. They do not align with federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards."
Two of the proposed options, turning the intersection into a roundabout or shifting Lowry Ave. NE to the north, would require the acquisition of the Stanley's building.
Two other options — reducing the number of lanes and adding a truck apron or shifting Lowry Ave. NE southward — require, among other things, that the MnDOT acquire the land at 312 Lowry Ave. NE where Auto Body Care is located.
