About the Project

Developer Redesign serves as master developer at 2800 East Lake Street, formerly a branch of US Bank that was donated to Redesign to be developed into affordable housing, commercial and outdoor retail spaces, nonprofit services, and arts and cultural destinations. The identified goals of the development are to increase density, add public amenities, and reduce environmental impacts in the community, while centering BIPOC voices in the process.

This project will reduce the environmental impact of the development by incorporating a district energy system that will use aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) along with heat pumps to heat and cool buildings. This is a cost-effective approach to eliminating the combustion of natural gas, with the added benefit of requiring only a small physical footprint. Each of the buildings on the site will be fully carbon neutral once coupled with renewable electricity, and the system is planned to be expanded to additional customers in the area.

This is the first time ATES will be used for an urban system in the US and this technology serves as the most practical option for decarbonization, given the small footprint of the site.

Milestones

• 2023 – Community engagement events
• 2023 – Test well drilling for aquifer thermal energy storage
• 2024 – Coliseum building reopening, which will be served by the new energy system
• 2024 – Nonprofit energy utility is formed, Minneapolis City Council resolution passes in support of the nonprofit business, and 501c3 application submitted

Ever-Green’s Role

Ever-Green is leading the development, financing, and implementation of this system. It has also supported Redesign at outreach events at the site, which engaged community members and provided information about the project. An event in September 2023 focused on energy and featured East Lake Street-based creative learning studio, Curiosity Studio, leading an art engagement project to foster discussion about the energy system.