Pham's Rice Bowl

In the summer of 2003, the City of Minneapolis was searching for a use for the long vacant Sears building on Lake Street. Latino business owners and neighborhood groups from the Phillips, Central and Powderhorn Park neighborhoods helped convince City officials that the historic building should be saved and, ultimately, connected to the ethnic diversity of the neighborhood and the entrepreneurial energy of the businesses on Lake Street. The Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) and a group of Latino business owners interested in opening a large Latino grocery store in the building began to meet with the Neighborhood Development Center (NDC) about ideas for the building. The “global market” concept emerged from these discussions. As the concept evolved, LEDC and NDC approached Ryan Companies about becoming a part of a mixed-use redevelopment plan it was preparing for the site. Ryan welcomed the concept and ultimately submitted a redevelopment proposal to the City that included office space, housing, and the Global Market. In 2004, LEDC and NDC added the African Development Center (ADC) and the Powderhorn Phillips Cultural Wellness Center (PPCWC) to its team. These four non-profits formed the “MGM Development Team” and worked closely on every aspect of the project, from the vision and layout to individual leasing decisions, with NDC as lead developer. Our vision was informed by studying other public markets around the country including the Reading Terminal Market, Pikes Place Market, Granville Market and our own Mercado Central project on the corner of Bloomington and Lake Street. In late 2004, the City accepted Ryan’s bid to redevelop the building, and construction began on the Midtown Global Market. The Midtown Global Market subsequently took shape through the extraordinary efforts of a wide range of people. Entrepreneurs took significant risks, made commitments to occupy space in the Global Market, and invested their time, resources and creative energy. The City of Minneapolis, under visionary leadership from Mayor Rybak, stretched to provide support for the project on many different fronts including financing, licensing, and inspections. Many donors, lenders and tax credit investors generously supported the Market’s vision of grass roots community economic development and the creation of a dynamic public space. Ryan Companies’ employees and subcontractors worked tirelessly with great skill and created a very unique space within a challenging building. Market tenants meet continuously as the MGM Tenant Association to participate in decisions about how the Market operates. NDC manages the Market under direction from the MGM Board and the Tenant Association. The Midtown Global Market opened for business on May 15, 2006.