The BRIX Report Volume V: Resilience

THE BRIX REPORT Volume V “R E S I L I E N C E �

Life & Real Estate in the Twin Cities

Remember

Six writers commemorate meaningful places that are no longer with us.

Rebuild

We take a look at organizations that are making a difference.

The Future

What will the Twin Cities look like tomorrow and beyond?

THE BRIX REPORT Volume V “R E S I L I E N C E ” Life & Real Estate in the Twin Cities

Cover Photo by Adewale Agboola thegoodhomies_

BRIX Real Estate is a boutique brokerage operating in the Twin Cities that puts clients first in every respect. By celebrating and refining the craft of real estate, participating in the betterment of our local community and taking great pride in the relationships we build, we work tirelessly to provide exceptional service and an elegant, streamlined approach to every aspect of our service.

BRIX St. Paul 1390 7th Street West St. Paul, MN 55102

BRIX Minneapolis 748 North 3rd Street Minneapolis, MN 55401

BRIX Maple Grove 6885 Sycamore Lane North Maple Grove, MN 55369

BRIX Burnsville 101 Burnsville Parkway Burnsville, MN 55337

BRIX Stillwater 124 2nd Street Stillwater, MN 55082

BRIXTWINCITIES.COM ¡ 612-927-2749

Contributors

Luke Finsaas

Adewale Agboola

Kristy Hanson

Tracy Mumford

Andy Sturdevant

Brett Elizabeth Jenkins

Michael Kleber-Diggs

Maggie Ryan Sanford

Editor, Designer, Writer Luke Finsaas is a writer, designer, and developer from the Twin Cities. His work at Revolver was recognized as “Best of MN 2015” by City Pages and Star Tribune. Find more of his work at lfinsaas.com.

Writer Kristy Hanson is a writer, bodyworker, and yoga teacher based in Amsterdam, NL, formerly of the Twin Cities.

She’s the author of Karma, A Love Story, and can be found riding her bike and practicing yoga around the city. Visit kristyleehanson.com to see what else she’s been up to.

Writer Andy Sturdevant is an artist and writer living in Minneapolis. He has written about art, history and culture for a variety of Twin Cities-based publications and websites, including ArchitectureMN, Mpls. St. Paul, MinnPost, Apology, The Smudge, The Growler and others.

Writer Michael Kleber-Diggs is a poet, essayist, and literary critic.

His debut poetry collection, Worldly Things, won the Max Ritvo Poetry Prize and will be published by Milkweed Editions in June, 2021.

Photographer Adewale Agboola is a photographer and storyteller, now based out of Portland. His work explores simplicity, color, and movement. Recently, his editorial work on the Minneapolis uprising was acquired by the Smithsonian.

Find more of his work at goodhomiesstudio.com.

Writer Tracy Mumford is a podcast producer and writer based in Minneapolis. She has made/is making Don’t Ask Tig, Julie’s Library, The Slowdown, Decomposed, Spectacular Failures and the Peabody Award-winning 74 Seconds. She recently joined the New York Times. Follow her on Twitter at @mumfordmumford.

Writer Brett lives and writes in Minneapolis. Her go-to karaoke song is Monster Mash. She is the author of three chapbooks, most recently OVER THE MOON (Pockets Press, 2017).

Look for her work in The Sun, AGNI, Beloit Poetry Journal, Mid-American Review, Gargoyle, and elsewhere.

Writer Maggie Ryan Sandford is a writer/researcher/producer/ reformed comedian on a mission to make the world more scientifically literate through creative, research-based media projects. She lives in Minnesota, where she develops museum exhibits, and writes and speaks about evolution, neuroscience, science+art, and science culture.

Nathan Roberts Note on Market Report Data

Market Report Data represents 2020 compared to 2019 and represents all property types, including single-family homes, townhouses and condos. Source of all data is the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors, Multiple Listing Service.

Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Writer Nathan Roberts is a community organizer in Columbia Heights, a longtime South Minneapolis resident, and the Co-Founder and US Director of Daylight Center and School in Kenya reaching out to at-risk students. Follow him on Twitter at @nathaniroberts.

© 2 0 2 1 B R I X R E A L E S TAT E

INSIDE BRIX

X REPORT V 7

L E T T E R F R O M B R I X R E A L E S TAT E

8

W H AT ’ S H O T ( A N D N O T ) I N T H E T W I N C I T I E S What property types took a beating during the pandemic? What neighborhood is growing? What are the poolbuilders saying? The answers may shock you.

10

T H E B E S T TA K E O U T I N T O W N We discover the best food that’s only a click away.

12

D I G I TA L W E L L N E S S We dive into the expanding world of wellness organizations that are making a positive impact in our community, online and off.

16

CITY FALLS Our state may be flatter than a vowel in a Coen Brother’s film, but we’ve got some real beauties when it comes to waterfalls.

19

R E M E B R A N C E S O F B U S I N E S S E S PA S T Six writers from the Twin Cities pay their final respects to beloved restaurants, dance clubs, and newspapers that didn’t make it through 2020.

32

SNOWBANKS & WHERE WE GO FROM HERE “We pushed again. Then again. We trotted alongside the car until the wheels gained traction and watched her drive away.”

34

TWIN CITIES’ DIFFERENCE MAKERS & GRAND OLD BRIX AUCTION We wanted to show up and help out a few local non-profits doing good work for our neighbors.

38

TOMORROW IN THE METRO RiversEdge, The Wishbone, The Four Seasons—major projects are in motion across the Twin Cities, ranging from realistic to whimsical.

42

BRIX MARKET REPORT How did your neighborhood fare during the pandemic? Where will the Twin Cities real estate market go in 2021?

6

Letter from BRIX Real Estate T

his year’s cover comes from our long-time collaborator, Adewale Agboola (BRIX Report II & III). He took this photograph in the days following the protests over the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent unrest and rioting.

This was the clean-up. Hundreds of people came out of their homes in Minneapolis and began to pitch in, helping rebuild their community.

We could have found a nice picture of a well-lit home, or kids playing in the snow, or a pretty tree. A different real estate agency might take that approach. And this wasn’t an immediate, unanimous decision—the image brought up a lot of feelings around here. We know people who lost homes and businesses.

The cover is both an acknowledgement of where we’ve been and a hope for where we’re going.

The path ahead will be hard, but the people of the Twin Cities don’t break down in the face of difficulty. And we’ll be doing it together.

In this issue, we’ll remember businesses that didn’t make it, meet organizations that are making a difference in our community, and imagine what the future of the Twin Cities Metro might look like, both the serious ideas with funding and the more whimsical proposals.

But to sweep the massive changes that 2020 sent us (locally, nationally, globally) under the proverbial rug didn’t feel right to us. We live here. This is our community.

We’ve also got hot­(and not) trends in the metro (you won’t believe what the pool guys are saying), top wellness spots with exceptional online offerings, the hidden waterfalls sprinkled across the metro, the best takeout, and more. And, of course, as always, we’ll have the numbers from last year in the BRIX Market Report and our predictions for the coming year.

If we are going to earn anyone’s trust, we have to be real about where the metro finds itself.

Wishing you the best, BRIX Real Estate

7

THREE TRENDS SWEEPING THE METRO

W H AT ’ S HOT IN THE TWIN CITIES

t) o N d n A (

8

Death to the Condo!

Long Live the Condo!

S

orry, condo owners—2020 was not your year. We saw significant slowdown in demand and where other property types rose in value, condos only crawled in growth.

Whether the properties were in the North Loop, Lowertown, or in St. Louis Park, we saw cooling across the board.

Typically, we think of condos as canaries in the mine. During the 2008 financial crisis, this property type plunged months before singlefamily homes and didn’t rebound until much later. They’re a good way to indicate where the general market will go.

So, do cooling condo prices mean general market cooling? We don’t think so. Our hunch is that the condos are uniquely impacted by the pandemic. Major selling points—lots of people around, proximity to entertainment and breweries, no lawn to mow—look like major bummers during the pandemic. Once COVID passes into infamy, we anticipate condos will look a lot more like the general home market.

At Long Last: Longfellow

W

e’ve thought this South Minneapolis neighborhood would go through serious development for awhile. Finally, in 2020, we saw signs of movement.

Longfellow is an urban family neighborhood nestled between 35W and Cooper, a neighborhood running along the Mississippi, and home to some of the Twin Cities best establishments: Moon Palace Bookstore, a vibrant host to poetry readings and hard-core shows; Blue Door, always in the running for best

burger; DuNord, the first Black-owned distillery in the United States; the Trylon Cinema, one of the last independent theaters anywhere; and so many more hidden gems. We could see Longfellow growing into something like King Field or Whittier, but part of us hopes it stays the same. It’s just so nice.

The Water Phenomenon

W

hile condos languished under COVID-19, water did much better. If your home is on a lake, you can enjoy that sunset view a little more than you already are. Homes with a waterfront saw a 12% increase in value in 2020. This is a stunning change from previous years, where the market for waterfront properties was relatively flat compared to the wider market.

Pools were also hot. According to Dan DeKock, owner of Sparkle Pool, demand skyrocketed 60% over an average year in 2020, with new installs being pushed back until late summer and early fall 2021—if you can still find a contractor. That won’t be your only concern.

Increased demand has put a squeeze on materials and labor, pushing costs for pool installations up by roughly 15% overall.

So if you’re looking to get a killer tan sipping margs poolside this summer, start making calls and saving your pennies. You won’t be the only one.

9

T H E B E S T TA IN TOWN Grand Cafe

Are you tired of gazing into the depths of your fridge for the bajillionth time? Feeling nostalgic for those golden days of sitting in a crowded restaurant and licking your fingers clean before dessert comes?

These restaurants got you! Comfort food comes in all shapes and sizes with these venues offering take-and-bake, meal planning, and Ă la carte delights.

Check out their websites to gather the most up-to-date information.

Lotus

Minneapolis & Maple Grove

To pho or not to pho? To pho, of course (duh).

Lotus has an expansive menu of noodle and salad dishes, bahn mi, and even a surf-n-turf pho option. Two locations to order from.

L O T U S R E S TA U R A N T. C O M

Malone’s Bar & Grill

Maple Grove

Think classic American burgers, waffle fries, and other delights like buffalo chicken and cheese curds.

Just looking at their menu is mouth-watering.

MALONESBARANDGRILL.NET

10

AKEOUT Red Rabbit

St. Paul

Get your spaghetti and meatballs here. While you’re at it, grab a pizza, charcuterie plate, and a cocktail kit.

REDRABBITMN.COM

Viv!r

Minneapolis

A Mexican cafe, market and bakery. Meaning you can get drool-worthy breakfast sammies and tacos, empanadas and sweets, pick up a gift package for your bestie, and get an order of takeand-bake Guava Glitter rolls for breakfast.

VIVIRMPLS.COM

Support Local Restaurants — Order Direct!

If you’re able to, ordering directly from the restaurant is a great way to support local restaurants (and get out of your house). Delivery services take a big bite:

Grand Cafe

Minneapolis

Who needs the grocery story when you can order a whole week’s worth of pre-packaged meals from a James Beard award-winning restaurant?!

Snacks, meals, and more—a delight! They even send you home with a candle, flowers, and creative activity.

KEEPITGRANDMN.COM

UBER

≤30%

DOORDASH

~20%

GRUBHUB

≤35%

CHOWNOW

$119/MON

11

D I G I TA L WELLNESS

by K R I S T Y H A N S O N

S

taying healthy is on everyone’s mind nowadays.

But what exactly does that mean—sleep well, eat lots of veggies, and move often? Can it be that simple?

Yes! And no (because we’re complicated creatures). We know exercise is good for us mentally, emotionally, and physically. Regularly exercising is hard enough; throw in pandemic, and, well... yikes. Gyms are closed and self-led at-home workouts are hard (even just searching online for a workout can be exhausting).

Before we talk you out of exercise completely, here’s a brief list of Twin Cities spaces that are serving communities online and off, and make exercising something to look forward to. Be sure to check their websites for actual class times, locations, and general up-to-date information.

12

River Garden Yoga Center

Samadhi School of Yoga

Samadhi is a neighborhood yoga school dedicated to health and wellness for all, supporting their community, and honoring the traditional roots of yoga. They have a diverse schedule from powerful flows to meditative practices to Barre/HIIT. Samadhi’s teachers are warm, welcoming, and so knowledgeable in their craft. Check out their livestream schedule. Inperson classes resume when it’s safe to do so.

MINNEAPOLIS SAMADHI-MPLS.COM

River Garden Yoga Center

River Garden Yoga Center is nestled in a twostory historic brick building in St. Paul’s West 7th neighborhood. The collective is a nonprofit organization—all profits go to teachers, studio maintenance, and community programs.

You’ll find a wide variety of yoga practices, mindfulness meditations, and movement included in their schedule.

S T. PA U L RIVERGARDENYOGA.COM 13

Jazzercise Woodbury

Okay okay, yes this is a national franchise, but listen: it’s hard to stick with an exercise routine that’s a total drag. The antithesis of not fun?

Jazzercise! This workout blends popular upbeat music to sweet dance moves for an invigorating (and most fun) workout routine. Practice your moves—or learn some—with this local arm of the Jazzercise franchise.

Solcana Fitness

At Solcana, you’ll find not only an inspiring sweaty workout, you’ll stumble into the friendliest, most welcoming-est gym in town.

This Minneapolis CrossFit style is LGBQTIAPOC friendly and fully committed to joyful health for all bodies. First class is free and community scholarships are available.

14

WOODBURY JAZZERCISE.COM

Photo by Adam Iverson

MINNEAPOLIS SOLCANAFITNESS.COM

Common Ground Meditation Center

Sometimes, you’ve gotta sit and chill for optimum health. Common Ground Meditation Center has been around for ages, offering a wide variety of meditation and movement programs.

Sign up for a guided program, participate in MINNEAPOLIS a drop-in class, and mark your calendar for a future retreat.

C O M M O N G R O U N D M E D I TAT I O N . O R G

M O R E N O TA B L E P L A C E S T O MOVE & GROOVE

House of Dance

hip-hop dance studio + official dance studio partner of the Lynx and Timberwolves HOUSEOFDANCETWINCITIES.COM

Fly Freak Studio

aerial yoga, yoga, flexibility, dance, barre, & more F LY F R E A K S T U D I O . C O M

All Day Dance Studio

the Twin Cities’ first urban dance studio A L L - D AY- S T U D I O . S Q U A R E . S I T E

15

CITY FA L L S

M

innesota is flatter than the vowels in a Coen Brothers movie. The state’s highest point calls itself a mountain and well, we can let it think that. Now, we’re not the flattest pancake at the diner: Florida, Illinois, North Dakota and Louisiana take the top spots, but Minnesota rounds things out at number five.

I bring this up not to evoke mountain envy or deter future ski resorts, but because flatness can put a real damper on one of the most awe-inspiring natural features: the waterfall.

Waterfalls are the life of the party, always jumping off the roof straight into the pool. Who doesn’t want to watch water roar off a cliff’s edge and plunge down in a mesmerizing mist?

I come from a state with so many waterfalls, they just started naming them Susan and Martin

16

A guide to appreciating sometimes hidden urban waterfalls

by T R A C Y M U M F O R D

and Annie. And while Minnesota admittedly has fewer vertical water features than my home state, it does have some gems: the North Shore delivers, as do some scattered state parks. But in my tours of Minnesota’s waterfalls, some of the ones I’ve come to love most are within city limits. Some are calendar-worthy; others would only go into a calendar of “So That’s a Waterfall, Huh.” I love them anyway.

We all know Saint Anthony Falls—at least, the manmade version of it. What was once a natural waterfall in downtown Minneapolis has been harnessed for more than a hundred years, first to power flour mills and now to power iPhones. The original sandstone structure is now an industrial-chic concrete, thanks to an illfated plan to tunnel underneath the Mississippi

in the 1860s. (The failed tunnel created a whirlpool that almost entirely consumed the falls—whoops— and the Army Corps of Engineers had to step in to save it.) My favorite encounter with the falls came when the Corps lowered the levels of the Mississippi for maintenance, and walked on the riverbottom. I saw the footprint of old, historic structures, yes -- but also a muddy fleet of grocery carts and longstranded Lime scooters.

Minnehaha Falls definitely goes in the calendar. You know it, you love it, you’ve eaten a fish taco near it. This 53-foot tall gem anchors one of Minneapolis’ oldest parks. It’s stunning in any season, but seeing it frozen from top to bottom is always a nice postcard from the Ice Age. In warmer weather, a brave kayaker even went over the falls because...GoPro or go home?

Please note: that plunge is not illegal, but you should get a permit.

The first time I went to the appropriately named Hidden Falls, I could not find the falls. Whether that’s a signage issue or my own personal lack of direction, hard to say. The St. Paul park is large; the falls are small. On a second trip, a large graffitied stone declaring “Hidden Falls” confirmed to me that I was in the right spot. Fed by a small spring, the water trickles into a shallow pool. Though the park sits right on the river with a busy boat launch and sprawling picnic area, the falls, true to their name, are tucked back where you can forget the rest of the world exists. I think that’s part

Minnehaha Falls

Hidden Falls

17

Shadow Falls

18

of waterfalls’ charm: you get to watch nature in wild motion, like waves or wind gusts.

Shadow Falls is a noir title waiting for its plot. It also happens to be a St. Paul park that often feels forgotten. You can start where Summit Avenue runs into the river path, and hike down into the wooded enclave. Follow the creek, cross a handful of makeshift bridges built of 2x4s, and come upon the waterfall spilling its secrets into the Mississippi River.

In the winter, ice climbers scale the frozen water wall; the sight is worth the snowy hike.

The last waterfall I’ll mention also happens to be the dinkiest and my favorite: Bridal Veil Falls. This is the “little engine that could” of waterfalls. There was a time, I know from archive photography, that this majestic fount of water resembled its namesake: a long delicate spray of water hurtling down from the rocks. If it were to be named now, possibilities include The Trickle, Grandma’s Spittle or maybe Moist Spritz. The creek that feeds the falls is almost entirely underground, and while the volume of water is not high, it’s there and continues to flow.

To see Bridal Veil from the top, you can peer over the railing along the East River Parkway, just north of the Franklin Bridge in Minneapolis.

To see it from below, take the long staircase—which starts south of the bridge—down to the riverbank. That’s my preferred view: looking up at the eternally graffitied waterfall, still there after everything, dropping straight down to join the Mississippi.

The names used here come from municipal maps, but may not reflect the names given to these features by people native to the area. These waterfalls are located on Dakota lands.

Remembrances of Businesses Past One thing we know about the people of the Twin Cities is that they never quit.

Regardless of what happens tomorrow or next year, our community will continue to produce vibrant, creative, meaningful businesses, organizations, institutions—you name it.

But 2020 was tough. It’s important to take a moment and pay homage to the places and institutions that didn’t make it. Whether it’s a grimy underground nightclub where you could feel deep kinship, or an unofficial-official newspaper that connects you to a city, or a love story gone cold, or a fabulous burger deal a few blocks from work—when it comes down to it, these places are the building blocks of our lives.

One thing we can take from 2020 is that our businesses matter. Not in the way that they generate tax revenue or provide jobs for our

community, though that is very important.

Rather, it’s that they play a fundamental role in our lives. They help us through the tough times and let us celebrate the good. They provide for us in a way that friends and family can’t.

People say you can’t appreciate what you’ve got until it’s gone, but that might not be true.

Maybe by looking back and paying homage to the businesses we lost in 2020, we’ll better appreciate the new crop of meaning-makers that will surely come into our lives in our community’s next chapter. We can hope.

We asked six writers from the Twin Cities to reflect on a business that’s meant something to them. Here is what they had to say:

19

OCTO FISHBAR

H

by A N D Y S T U R D E VA N T

aving a favorite bar is sometimes a lot like having a good friend you met because you were college roommates, or because their last name came right before yours in middle school homeroom. It’s not chosen through a rigorous selection process or even shared interests, but solely because of proximity. In the case of the Octo Fishbar, in St. Paul, it was a matter of proximity that, like a friendship that blossoms over time, became something I relied on. And, probably like a lot of friendships, I didn’t realize how much it meant to me until it was over.

For years, I worked in Lowertown St. Paul and took an express bus home to south Minneapolis at the end of the day. Express

20

meant it only departed Lowertown every halfhour. If I got stuck on a phone call or something came up at work right at close, a delay of only

Probably like a lot of friendships, I didn’t realize how much it meant to me until it was over. a few minutes meant I’d miss my bus. In those situations, I’d have twenty or twenty-five minutes

to kill before the next one came. Especially in winter, what other choice would I have but to duck in for a drink somewhere?

Lowertown is full of bars, especially in the years leading up to COVID. Every year I worked down there, another handful would open. Most of them were just fine, if a little overpriced— nice places to hang out for a bit and drink a $10 cocktail surrounded by exposed brick, elbow to elbow with all the other Lowertown office workers and high-rise residents doing happy hour with their colleagues. In a fairly competitive marketplace, nothing about the Octo Fishbar seemed any more promising than its neighbors. I loved Tim McKee’s other restaurants, but the metrics in choosing where to have a fancy night out don’t often overlap with deciding where to get a beer on your way home.

But damned if I didn’t return to the Octo Fishbar more and more, eventually forsaking all other options. Sometimes I’d even dawdle at work on my way out, ensuring that, oh shoot, I missed my bus, guess I have to get a drink at the Fish Bar. The happy hour menu had two items on it that, when purchased together, would cost as much as a $10 cocktail elsewhere: a Miller High Life pony and a burger. On days where I had a little bit of extra time, I’d just order two of each. I did hope, in my heart of hearts, they’d name the twofer after me somehow, the dream of every delusional bar counter habitue. They never

did, but at some point, the bartender stopped asking me what I’d like, and just had a burger and pony ready when I sat down. That’s truly the measure of a great place.

That burger, too, was truly something special.

Made with beef from Peterson Meats, who were right across the room in the Market House, it had an egg bun, some pickles, and a slice of white American cheese on top, all wrapped in paper. The Market House, a cavernous, open air mini-food hall anchored by the Octo Fishbar, wasn’t cozy exactly, but the bar staff were very warm, friendly people you’d enjoy chatting with. They even got the TV right, which never happens in a bar. If a bar must have a TV, it should be playing late 20th century basic cable bangers, like Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Money Pit. Octo Fishbar always were.

Right before the pandemic, my office moved out of Lowertown, and my reason for dropping in on the Octo Fishbar ended abruptly. Then, of course, the pandemic ended dropping into any bar. The Octo Fishbar closed permanently last summer, one of dozens of COVID closings.

So much of what I’ve missed in the past months—low-stakes social interactions with friendly acquaintances, nursing a drink at a bar, public transportation—was rolled up in the experience of having a burger and a pony at the Octo Fishbar. I enjoyed it at the time. Nothing suggested I’d miss it as much as I do now, but after the past few months, I really do.

I did hope, in my heart of hearts, they’d name the twofer after me somehow, the dream of every delusional bar counter habitue.

21

22

HONEY

M

by B R E T T E L I Z A B E T H J E N K I N S

y favorite Yelp review of Honey MPLS says “You are paying a cover charge to party in a dirty basement.” And in no uncertain terms, we were.

To be honest, that was the allure of the place.

Made to mimic the underground club feel of New York City, Honey had that grime-charm about it. The kind where you sometimes had to wait ten minutes at a packed bar to order a Hamm’s, and you had to squish yourself up real close against the wall to make your way to a too-small bathroom to put on red lipstick under a halfburnt-out vanity light. The kind where somebody named Krista was having her hair held by three of her best friends in the stall next to you while they rubbed her back. The kind where you might slip on a puddle of beer on the dance floor, but somebody would always help you up. And we were all doing it together.

The first time I stepped into Honey I was late, because I had trouble finding it. I was on my way to a poetry reading that PANK Magazine was hosting in 2013. I was nervous because I had just moved to the Twin Cities and I didn’t know anybody. Walking into Honey felt like walking into an old friend’s house—dim lights, cheap

drinks, and plenty of seats. I didn’t know it then, but I would end up returning to Honey many times to host my own poetry readings, to send off friends before they left for Mexico, and to grind my body up against other bodies after my marriage ended in 2017.

My fondest memories of Honey were the wild 90s dance party nights they would throw—

You might slip on a puddle of beer on the dance floor, but somebody would always help you up. when everyone would be sweaty and smelling of gin, drinks in the air, throwing their bodies up against one another while Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life” poured over us like, well, honey. And I would always get accidentally body-checked by a guy who looked like his name was Seth.

But it’s 2020 and I haven’t touched a stranger in ten months. What I wouldn’t give right now to be body-checked by a stranger in a dirty basement.

23

Photo by Tony Webster

C H I N O L AT I N O

A

by M I C H A E L K L E B E R - D I G G S

t a certain point, a fling becomes a thing that persists to the point that you might almost take it for granted. At first, you like it enough to vibe with it for a while. So you do that. Early on, everything is fresh and new.

This fling thing checks a lot of your boxes: exciting - check, fresh - check, tasty - check, cheeky - check. You enjoy hanging out even as it becomes familiar. You think this is a good sign, but this is actually when things get perilous. Still, you’re not thinking about that, because, at a certain point, familiarity feels like love. Maybe you wonder if you’re drifting apart.

You stay constant for a while, then mostly

24

faithful even as, sure enough, a few of the things that used to be cute start to get a little annoying.

Like, when you hang out, sometimes you find yourself caring a lot about things you never

Still, you’re not thinking about that, because, at a certain point, familiarity feels like love. used to think about. For example, why must everything be so dark all the time? Could we lighten things up a bit every once in a while?

And forte is cool. I may have fallen in love with you at forte, but could you mix in a little pianissimo? Not every time, just every so often.

Yes. You still kick it, but it gets less fun, even difficult sometimes. Your situation becomes, if not precarious, then precarious adjacent. You want to be steadfast, but, in spite of your best intentions, you find your eyes start to wander. It’s a sexy city.

Appetizing alternatives are in abundance.

The last time I ate at Chino Latino, my wife and I had lunch with friends from Seattle.

The time before that, I went for drinks and hors d’oeuvres with a high-school buddy who now lives in Dallas. It probably occurred to me that I only went to Chino Latino when I was visiting with friends from out of town. I’m super St. Paul now. Also, I’m lazy and Uptown takes effort. I’m old-school Uptown. I was mostly running around there in the 90s—when I lived there, when Hennepin didn’t feel too narrow for four real lanes of traffic,

when I never thought about parking, when Uptown was still a little weird.

Our lunch was before the pandemic, of course. I remember we were in the front room where the light was good, and I could pretty much hear what everyone at my table was saying.

Michele Bachmann was seated right next to us. I recall my wife giving me that “don’t start nothin’” look, and I remember not starting nothin’. I don’t remember what I ordered, but I know we got a couple of orders of that spicy corn dish they had.

I’m pretty sure I had received the fortune in my fortune cookie a couple of times already.

I look back on my Chino Latino days with a we-had-our-laughs-though-didn’t-we nostalgia.

I suppose I have for years. I remember pretty good times there, even after the bloom on our romance faded, when the only thing that called me back was a desire to see myself as I was—to see us both as we were.

I look back on my Chino Latino days with a we-hadour-laughs-though-didn’twe nostalgia.

25

C I T Y PA G E S

W

by L U K E F I N S A A S

hen I was sixteen, I used to drive to Uncommon Grounds on Hennepin Avenue, order an Italian soda, and read City Pages. I’m not sure where I found the time to make the twenty-odd minute drive—after school? on weekends?—but I distinctly remember how it felt to sit on the porch and open up those slightly greasy pages.

It felt cool. Really cool.

For a kid in the western suburbs, City Pages was like a pinhole onto a world I’d only seen on TV. Concerts! Chefs! Writers!

Artists! And those back pages—plastered with scantily-clad men and women advertising, uh, companionship—lent everything a subtext of

26

danger and sex. Album reviews, investigative journalism, profiles of amazing people living just down the block—City Pages bundled up all the madness of the city and gave it to you. For free!

City Pages bundled up all the madness of the city and gave it to you. For free!

Of course, as I grew older and glimpsed how the sausage was made, the towering edifice shrank down to human size. I knew people who

had won an annual Best Of MN and had to keep slinging coffee on Grand Avenue—hell, my literary magazine won in 2015 and we saw no benefit (beyond the very nice honor, which was very much appreciated, thank you judges). The paper just didn’t ‘discover’ people—or discovery translated to what, a few more shows at the Turf?

And it was messy. I heard about who knew who, why those folks always got put up for X award, how that reviewer had beef with that artist—or whatever. City Pages wasn’t bundling up all the madness of the city—it was only ever a very select type of madness, a madness curated by mostly white, mostly passionate, mostly mad staff. In short, a flawed institution.

I still read good swathes of it. Not every week, but it was in my monthly rotation.

And it was definitely my first stop to see if anything interesting was going on in the city.

The A-List…what magical pages. Even when I had stuff to do over the weekend, I enjoyed reading what was happening out there in the city,somewhere. It gave me a sense of the city breathing, moving, swelling with possibilities beyond my comprehension.

Every city needs a map and a compass. For over forty years, City Pages was both to the Twin Cities. A swirling mess of people trying their damnedest to articulate the meaning of the city—its people, history, food, culture,

art—and simultaneously attempting to decipher the possibilities on the horizon. It really was a beautiful thing.

Some cities (*cough* New York) enshrine their histories, obsess over their streets, fixate on their food, shoving the rest of the world to the side. For the most part, that’s cool. We’re happy to hear what they’ve been up to.

Every city needs a map and a compass. For over forty years, City Pages was both to the Twin Cities.

We’re a bit more modest in the Midwest.

The problem is, I could see us fading into the background. ‘Who cares what happens in the Twin Cities? Important Things only happen in New York.’

City Pages reminded us that the Twin Cities do exist, that our communities are vibrant, rich, deep, complicated, dynamic.

For that, I’ll be forever grateful.

And to whoever steps up and fills the void, know that I’m rooting for you, too.

27

DARK HORSE

by M A G G I E R Y A N S A N F O R D

I’m one of those Saint Paul ride-or-die folk who thinks river towns should be a little rough around the edges. So when the Dark Horse went up in Lowertown, I’ll admit the words, “There goes the neighborhood,” came to mind. With its bespoke bare light bulb wrought-iron chandeliers and co-ed hand-washing area, surely this steed, like its biblical counterpart, bore an apocalyptic rider of imperial oppression. Or at least of homogeneity. One wants their beloved hood to thrive at the core like hardwood, not get particle-boarded up between faux mid-century modern condos.

I’d seen it happen to my homeland of Seattle.

I feared St. Paul’s time had come.

But a person advocating substantive content shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

Especially not before digging in. And although it’s not befitting a person who likes to think of herself as a feminist Bukowski: I love to eat. I had regular haunts, but

28

nowhere with a real kitchen. I had to admit it would be nice to warm the same bar stool where I could amuse my bouche.

I don’t remember what I ate on that first visit to Dark Horse. Good bacon was involved, and

some unexpected ingredient like shitake mushroom, which gave me that surprise umami I hunt for on a night out. But it was how it felt in there: the server was at ease, the bartender led by following your lead. As a long-time service industry person myself, I could spot it. Whoever was holding the reins at Dark Horse was the real McCoy. In the years that followed, when it came time to pick a place to eat, meet or grab a drink, I found myself betting on Dark Horse more often than not. Brunch with in-laws, cocktails before a metal show, dinner with visiting friends to show off my new hometown, happy hours with hungry coworkers.

After the painful end to my marriage, I was relieved to find the Dark Horse still felt like home. Not part of my life from before, but part of my whole life in St. Paul, bigger than one person. I found myself again at the back bar, lovingly nicknamed the Cowabunguhhh Cabana due to a lack of ‘A’s in a birthday banner that hung over the liquor shelf. It was almost always staffed by fellow black clad, self-wrestling writers. After every soul search by Big River, I could wander through the back gate, and be pleasantly overserved the pre-mixed cocktail of the day,

eternally fountaining the inside of those plexi prisms that hold horchata or red drink at a taco place. One bartender sent me home with a used Cormac McCarthy novel one night. Another sent me home with a meatball sandwich, offmenu, chef ’s special.

Then I took dates there. A beautiful masc who bought me a steak; when she cried over

Whoever was holding the reins at Dark Horse was the real McCoy. her departed father, the bartender just slid us two more ryes. I fell in love with my partner in the twinkle of the Cabana’s lights, while the bartender read to us from his latest short story.

Knowing what I know now, I’d bet on that Dark Horse from the start. I was sorry to see it ride off into the sunset.

29

M I D O R I ’ S F L O AT I N G W O R L D C A F E

On Wednesday nights, my wife and I would race into Midori’s Floating World thirty minutes before close. We both worked the late shift, but we knew the servers and Midori would have our table ready for us. A happy hour menu for me and a gluten-free menu on my wife’s side.

Midori’s Floating World Cafe was a dimly-lit Japanese restaurant with teal walls, coral colored umbrellas above, and bright green ferns popping up from the floor. The servers never rushed us and we made sure to be out no later than five minutes after 9pm close.

For those thirty-five minutes it was like eating in an art studio at the bottom of the ocean. Our table was three feet from the bar and we loved to watch Midori work. Midori Mori cut and rolled with the grace and determination of a painter. Her brightly colored fish, traditional sauces, and crunchy vegetables are art on a canvas of white rice.

Midori Mori grew up in Nagasaki, Japan. She and co-owner John Flomer (a NYC transplant

30

by N AT H A N R O B E R T S

living in Minneapolis) are both trained artists.

As two self-described “tea fanatics,” their friendship blossomed over Midori’s homecooked Japanese dishes.

Midori Mori, co-owner

Following the murder of George Floyd at the knee of Minneapolis Police, the world watched the center of the protests on the streets outside the 3rd Police Precinct—only a block away from Midori’s Floating World.

In May 2020, Midori and John watched the Minneapolis Police, National Guard, white supremacists, looters, and protesters standing off right outside their restaurant. “We kept thinking, is this finally the end? We watched, in real time, the violence, the looting, the fires, and thought ‘this isn’t going to end well.’ And it didn’t.”

Most of the buildings on their block burned down. Miraculously their’s was still standing. However, their business was gutted. “We lost our entire Midori in the aftermath inventory through not only looting, but from a feeding frenzy of senseless destruction. Our equipment was destroyed or damaged, the walls and floors damaged. It was a disaster.”

As they stood outside the windowless shell of their life’s work. Midori and John had a choice to make. Give up or get to work. And Midori and John refused to give up. with the IRS, as well as insurance companies, But they found who always give you less than one would need themselves stuck in a to rebuild. ” lease with a landlord Despite all of these obstacles, they are still who refused to rebuild, committed to serving the dishes they love to the digging through neighborhood they love. “Fortunately, we have a burned pile of had a tremendous amount of help from a Go paperwork, with no help Fund Me campaign and other fundraisers on from the government our behalf.” (the same government And their hard work, grace, and determination that played a very real are paying off. In November 2020, after five part in escalating the months of setbacks and obstacles, Midori is riots that destroyed their going back into a new art studio, knife in hand. floating world).

She will begin to serve her delicious artful food “We also lost all our out of the Seward Cafe in South Minneapolis. It records, so we are dealing is not their floating world. But it is a start.

And Midori and John refused to give up.

31

Snowbanks & Where We Go From Here

by K R I S T Y H A N S O N At the start of the pandemic, every time I saw the phrase, “In these unprecedented times,” I nodded along. Yes! I thought while reading death statistics, news from the national capitol, or walking down empty streets. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Everything wasn’t simply terrible; everything was the most terrible and it was all happening at once. Articles, social media and blog posts, emails from nonprofits or national clothing lines, op-eds—everyone telling me that we were living “during these unprecedented times.”

I can’t remember when I first rolled my eyes at that phrase, but I can tell you that my slight annoyance deteriorated into disgust within weeks. Now I’d be glad to never see it again, but I’m sure it’s somehow imprinted onto our collective DNA by now: unprecedented times.

The more I read those words, the more I wondered: are these times really so unprecedented? Is this time actually like no other?

The short of it? No. Not really. The only unique part of these times is that they’re happening to us, in our own corner of history.

In the last century alone, there have been three pandemics, a handful of epidemics (including the nightmare of ebola), two world wars, multiple economic depressions, countless conflicts and natural disasters around the globe. Nearly six thousand US civilians have been killed by the police just in the past five years. People in our communities have suffered from poverty, homelessness, violence, and racism since our communities were first established.

These are precedents before and of our time.

So why do we keep hearing otherwise?

32

Time and distance create their own brand of amnesia, don’t they? It’s easier to forget than it is to address. Our short collective memories are further emeloriated in that we don’t have a great national system for peaceful conflict resolution, restitution, or accountability practices that aren’t rooted in punitive justice. It’s hard to learn from the past when everyone just wants to move forward into a shiny future.

Almost daily, I grab a facemask, put on a podcast, and go on meandering walks. I listen with half an ear, wandering sometimes for hours.

On one of these walks, I heard a different phrase.

I skipped the podcast back fifteen seconds, listened again. Repeated it out loud to myself: Hope is non-negotiable.

I’m taken by this phrase. It feels like an

essential truth. It’s become a mantra I carry when I walk, wake up in the middle of the night, when I read the news or get caught in a doom-scroll. A guiding principle for how I strive to live in this world and move forward.

It’s simple, but imperative.

Where unprecedented times rings false and just sits there all forlorn and sad-eyed, hope is honest. It’s a living, breathing thing we have to feed and carry with us. I always forget this, how hope is dynamic.

It’s having something to live for.

It’s getting to know your neighbors and looking out for one another.

It’s compassion and generosity of spirit. Hope is tending to our inner gardens. It trucks with organizing around the most vulnerable in our communities, shoring up communal aid, and caring about one another.

One winter, I stood at a bus stop on Hennepin Avenue the morning after a blizzard. I was late for work and pacing, checking the time on my phone over and over again, trying to see down the road. The sky was that sharp blue after a storm clears, the snow glittering and fresh. Across the street, a car fishtailed and shuddered to a stop. It rocked forwards and back, tires spinning. The woman inside screamed, slammed her hands on the steering wheel, and wept. I could hear her from the bus stop.

Wordlessly, a group of people gathered around her car. We kicked the snow free from her tires, calmed her. Anonymous in our hats, facecovering scarves, and snowpants, we dug our heels in as best we could and pushed. We pushed again. Then again. We trotted alongside the car until the wheels gained traction and watched her drive away. Just as quickly as we came together, we dispersed.

I know some people want to create chaos, but what I see, time and time again, is that when there’s trouble, most people want to help. Look at the efforts in Minneapolis after the riots: Residents were out in the street sweeping up broken glass, putting out fires, and rebuilding.

People were connecting with their neighbors.

Pimento Jamaican Kitchen and Samadhi School of Yoga (p. 13) organized food and supply drives.

Local St. Paul chef Justin Sutherland set up a free food market in PUBLIC Kitchen + Bar. Community centers and religious organizations had lines of people around the block waiting to drop off goods for those in need.

This is hope in action. It’s imperfect, but it flourishes alongside learning and celebrating our shared humanity.

It’s getting to know your neighbors and looking out for one another. It’s compassion and generosity of spirit.

The trouble is clear when it’s a car stuck in the snow. When facing issues of poverty and health and everything else, the fix isn’t so clear. It’s not as easy as taking a broom to the streets and sweeping up shattered glass.

In the coming months, our ability to hold space for big seemingly conflicting emotions, will be challenged. How can we be hopeful in rage? Grief? Loneliness? How can we invite hope in when anxiety and worry are already sitting at the table taking up so much space? How can we be hopeful, looking for small joys without feeling guilty? I don’t know the answers to these questions; I’ll be struggling with them right alongside you. But remember: hope is nonnegotiable. Hope isn’t an erasure or naivety. It’s remembrance and carrying the lessons of our past forward. This is our work now.

33

TWIN CITIES’ DIFFERENCE MAKERS Instead of hosting our annual BRIX customer appreciation bash this year, we chose to celebrate our community and partners a little differently: with a Silent Auction.

This pandemic has exacerbated already grotesque inequalities in our communities. We wanted to show up and help out a few local nonprofits doing good work for our neighbors.

We connected with so many amazing local artisans and businesses, auctioning off items ranging from a private cooking class to a sleigh ride to an interior design consultation. Thanks to our sponsors and you all, we raised almost $40,000 to invest back into our communities. We’re not glad to be in this situation, but we’re glad to be here with you.

Crisis Nursery One of only twenty crisis nurseries in the country, this organization works tirelessly to combat child neglect and support parents with education and services.

C R I S I S N U R S E R Y. O R G

34

’

Backpack Project gathering supplies

Jeremiah Program Works intensively with single-mother families and offers quality childcare, access to affordable housing, and supports moms working through degree programs.

JEREMIAHPROGRAM.ORG

Simpson Housing Advocating for and supporting those experiencing homelessness by offering emergency shelter, supportive housing programs for youth, single adults, and families.

SIMPSONHOUSING.ORG

MAD DADS The Minneapolis Chapter of Men Against Destruction—Defending Against Drugs and Disorder is a holistic organization with diverse offerings. MAD DADS programming includes youth support, crime prevention, family enrichment, and community building.

MINNEAPOLISMADDADS.ORG

Backpack Project MN Homeless to hopeful is Backpack Project MN’s slogan. They collaborate with Youthlink MN and Avenues for Homeless Youth to provide backpacks filled with daily necessities like weather-appropriate gear and hygienics.

B A C K PA C K P R O J E C T M N . C O M

35

Secondhand Hounds Secondhand Hounds works with at-risk animals (not just dogs!) by giving them quality health care and safe shelter. In addition to operating a no-kill shelter, they run a fostering and adoption program.

SECONDHANDHOUNDS.ORG

Zero Abuse Project Committed to creating a world where every child is free from sexual abuse. They utilize an intersectional and educational approach for educators, institutions, and legislatures.

They also work closely with survivors to support healing and a positive future.

Z E R O A B U S E P R O J E C T. O R G

THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS & SPONSORS

36

ies!

it Thank you Twin C

$16,000 of goods purchased from or donated by local businesses

$35,000+ distributed between 7 local nonprofits

99

93

auction items

auction winners (congrats!)

37

TOMORROW THE METRO Last year, the Twin Cities changed in ways that were unimaginable, both dramatic and mundane. But that got us thinking: what imagined futures are on the horizon for the metro?

RiversEdge

E

ver since the opening of the Green Line Light Rail (or perhaps the restoration of Union Depot), downtown St. Paul has been aggressively clawing its way into modernity. No longer an enclave of government workers who skedaddle from underground parking ramps at 5pm, St. Paul now boasts bars, restaurants, a really

38

spectacular minor baseball stadium, and more.

Yet, the biggest change is still around the bend.

Despite being a city on a river, St. Paul has never embraced the Mississippi.

One could argue that this was physical: the city is set on the bluff above the city. Or that in St. Paul, the Mississippi is an industrial through-way. In either case, it’s a real shame that residents living a few hundred feet from water’s edge have no easy way to reach it.

The RiversEdge project aims to fix that. The $788 million riverfront redevelopment proposed for downtown St. Paul boasts new apartments,

IN

Dayton Parkway Interchange

O

n the other side of the metro, Dayton is also looking forward to transformation.

The community sits north of Maple Grove and spans over Highway 94—but has never had access to the highway! This has had profound economic impacts for the city and serious health implications, as emergency vehicles have to navigate slower country roads.

The Dayton Parkway Interchange will connect northwest Hennepin county to the regional transportation system, providing a new access point to a 6-mile segment of Interstate 94 that currently lacks direct access. While a new highway exit might not sound like the most radical transformation, we expect it to be profound for neighbors to the north.

condos, retail, offices, and a dramatic urban park.

Four high-rise buildings will be built on the site of the old county jail and include a dramatic ‘river balcony’ that connects the downtown to the river. The site will also create over 1,500 new parking spaces—a perennial complaint in old Pig’s Eye. Will the project happen?

It appears so. Significant funds have already been invested and city officials remain adamant that the project will happen.

Rendering of St. Paul RiversEdge project

39

Renderings of Four Seasons Minneapolis

Four Seasons Minneapolis

Renderings of The Wishbone

“It’s time the Twin Cities have an 5-star, ultra lux hotel and condominium complex,” said... a few people—and the project looks like it’ll happen!

With 222 rooms, a restaurant and bar, a spa, and a pool deck, this 34-story building will be located on the north end of Nicollet Mall in the North Loop (next to the Hennepin Central Library). There will be 33 Private Residences available—let your BRIX Realtor know if you want to snag one! Kidding. (But seriously, call us if you want one.)

The Wishbone

40

The Wishbone is the brainchild of RSP Architects, taking its name from its wishbonelike shape. This 4,080-foot-long walkway would extend over the Mississippi River, just north of Stone Arch Bridge (and could really put that good old bridge to shame).

compelling landscaping, unique lighting, and plenty of spaces for programming like yoga classes and weddings.

The shape comes from obsolete structures left behind since the closing of the lock and dam, with 80% of the walkway supported by already existing structures. The architects envision

The Wishbone is still in feasibility planning so if you want it, speak up! If this looks crazy, speak up! We get a say in what this city looks like.

Rendering of Water Works

Put A Lid On It Now here’s a crazy idea: put a lid on top of 35W and build on top of said lid. The structure would be constructed between Downtown East and Cedar-Riverside and connect the University of Minnesota with the downtown core. Planners estimate that the lid could house 1,500 parking spots, a 17-acre green space, and connect a dozen-plus parcels of currently underutilized land adjacent to the lid.

While the Minneapolis Downtown Council endorsed this proposal as part of its 2025 Plan, don’t hold your breath. As with all crazy ideas, there’s a 1% chance that it happens—but the possibilities!

The possibilities!

Rendering of 35W Lid

Other Things To Watch The Towerside Innovation District has been hard at work since 2013 reimagining 370 acres between the University of Minnesota campus and St. Paul. A ton of small projects are bundled into this initiative, including greenways, building improvements, and park enhancements— including a Bridal Veil Regional Trail! (See City Falls, p18.) This trail would complete the ‘green necklace’ of parkways and open spaces around the Twin Cities known as Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway.

Water Works—another river project! This project will help revitalize the waterfront near St. Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis.

Developers are promising strong storytelling possibilities with a mill-embedded pavilion, tree-sheltered city steps, and natural playspace.

Look forward to a restaurant and programming from The Sioux Chef!

41

BRIX MARKE When we analyze a market, we want to understand why home prices are going up or down, how fast a home will likely sell, and what homebuyers are snapping up or skipping over.

Consumers today are awash in data on the housing market, and that data is often inexplicable and even contradictory. We’re in the business of giving advice to our clients and we want that advice to be based on all the facts in our arsenal.

42

The Market Snapshots in The BRIX Report compare the data from 2019 to 2020 and uses four key market indicators to give you a sense of trends.

ET REPORT

Photo by Chris Yunkers

43

What Do The Numbers Mean?

44

D AY S O N M A R K E T This is the median number of days from the listing date to the day that the listing broker reports in the MLS that the seller has accepted a contract for purchase. We show Median Days on Market, which represents the point at which half the homes went under contract in fewer days and half went under contract in more days. When the total number of Days on Market decreases from one year to the next, this indicates that it is a “seller’s market” because buyers are quickly going under contract on homes. Homes at the upper end of the price range in nearly all communities have longer Days on Market, simply because there are fewer buyers of more expensive homes.

MONTH’S INVENTORY We show this as the active inventory of homes for sale versus the previous twelve months of homes reported as Under Contract. Think of it this way: if the Month’s Inventory is two, this means that the available number of houses would be sold out in two months. This is based on the rate of sales in the past year. A low Month’s Inventory shows that houses are selling quickly.

There are fewer buyers for higher-priced homes, so the higher-end market usually has a greater Month’s Inventory.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE Median represents the point at which half of the homes that sold in a given year were priced higher and half were priced lower. Calculations are based on Sold data and the prices do not account for seller concessions (e.g. a closing cost credit). We don’t use Average Sales Price because even just a small number of very high or very low priced transactions can distort our understanding of the market. A year-to-year decrease or increase in Median Sales Price needs to be carefully analyzed. In a market with a relatively small number of sales, it may mean that a number of much lower or much higher priced homes were sold in this year compared to the previous year.

T O TA L S A L E S This is a count of the actual sales that have closed in a given year. Calculations are based on Sold data from the Northstar Multiple Listing Service and do not include off-market transactions. A decrease in Total Sales doesn’t necessarily mean that the market is declining, because if the Inventory is low there may simply not be enough houses to meet buyer demand. An increase in Total Sales from one year to the next may reflect a variety of conditions, such as the opening of a major new subdivision or condo building, or a dramatic change in interest rates.

APPLE VALLEY D AY S O N M A R K E T

15 Days

INVENTORY

/ -16.7%

SALES PRICE

1 M.

/ -23.1%

SOLD HOMES

$290,000

/ +2.8%

982

/ -1.4%

ARDEN HILLS D AY S O N M A R K E T

12 Days

INVENTORY

/ +55.6%

SALES PRICE

$362,000

1 M.

/ -37.5%

SOLD HOMES

/ +6.8%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

95

/ -14.4%

45

BLOOMINGTON D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -22.2%

SALES PRICE

1.2 M.

/ -14.3%

SOLD HOMES

$299,500

/ +7%

1,210

/ -6.9%

B R O O K LY N C E N T E R D AY S O N M A R K E T

12 Days

INVENTORY

/ -22.2%

SALES PRICE

$240,000 46

1.1 M.

/ -8.3%

SOLD HOMES

/ +9.1%

478

/ +9.4%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

B R O O K LY N PA R K D AY S O N M A R K E T

15 Days

INVENTORY

/ -25%

SALES PRICE

283,255

1.2 M.

/ -20%

SOLD HOMES

/ +6.9%

1,369

/ +10.2%

BURNSVILLE D AY S O N M A R K E T

17 Days

INVENTORY

/ -10.5%

SALES PRICE

$290,000

1 M.

/ -23.1%

SOLD HOMES

/ +2.8%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

1,057

/ +6.7%

47

CHAMPLIN D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -26.3%

SALES PRICE

1.3 M.

/ -27.8%

SOLD HOMES

$288,000

/ +6.7%

427

/ +1.9%

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS D AY S O N M A R K E T

12 Days

INVENTORY

/ -29.4%

SALES PRICE

$241,000 48

1.1 M.

/ -21.4%

SOLD HOMES

/ +9.4%

330

/ +4.9%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

COON RAPIDS D AY S O N M A R K E T

12 Days

INVENTORY

/ -33.3%

SALES PRICE

.9 M.

/ -30.8%

SOLD HOMES

$256,950

/ +9.3%

1,211

/ -11.1%

C O T TA G E G R O V E D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -30%

SALES PRICE

$315,000

1.6 M.

/ -20%

SOLD HOMES

/ +8.6%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

812

/ +1.2%

49

C R Y S TA L D AY S O N M A R K E T

11 Days

INVENTORY

/ +27.7%

SALES PRICE

0.9 M.

/ -18.2%

SOLD HOMES

$255,000

/ +9.2%

437

/ +3.1%

EAGAN D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -17.6%

SALES PRICE

$320,000 50

1.2 M.

/ -20%

SOLD HOMES

/ +4.9%

969

/ -9.3%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

EDEN PRAIRIE D AY S O N M A R K E T

19 Days

INVENTORY

/ -20.8%

SALES PRICE

1.7 M.

/ -19%

SOLD HOMES

$380,000

/ +5.6%

1,052

/ -3.6%

EDINA D AY S O N M A R K E T

30 Days

INVENTORY

/ -3.2%

SALES PRICE

$520,000

3.1 M.

/ -13.9%

SOLD HOMES

/ +10%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

1,013

/ +2.1%

51

FRIDLEY D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -22.2%

SALES PRICE

1.1 M.

/ -8.3%

SOLD HOMES

$260,000

/ +8.1%

456

/ -19.7%

GOLDEN VALLEY D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -36.4%

SALES PRICE

$367,450 52

1.7 M.

/ -15%

SOLD HOMES

/ +7.2%

426

/ +4.7%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

HUDSON, WI D AY S O N M A R K E T

42 Days

INVENTORY

/ -16%

SALES PRICE

3.4 M.

/ +6.2%

SOLD HOMES

$363,000

/ +8%

536

/ +4.9%

HOPKINS D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ 0%

SALES PRICE

$288,000

1.2 M.

/ -7.7%

SOLD HOMES

/ +10.8%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

212

/ -14.9%

53

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS INVENTORY

D AY S O N M A R K E T

15 Days

/ -25%

SALES PRICE

1.4 M.

/ -12.5%

SOLD HOMES

$270,000

/ +1.8%

499

/ +2.7%

LAKE ELMO D AY S O N M A R K E T

32 Days

INVENTORY

/ -39.6%

SALES PRICE

$495,250 54

3.5 M.

/ -33%

SOLD HOMES

/ +5.7%

338

/ +21.6%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

LAKE MINNETONKA AREA INVENTORY

D AY S O N M A R K E T

31 Days

/ -31.1%

SALES PRICE

3.1 M.

/ -34%

SOLD HOMES

$503,500

/ +3.1%

1,210

/ +12.5%

LAKEVILLE D AY S O N M A R K E T

16 Days

INVENTORY

/ -36%

SALES PRICE

$397,000

1.9 M.

/ -24%

SOLD HOMES

/ +7%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

1,603

/ +18.3%

55

LITTLE CANADA D AY S O N M A R K E T

19 Days

INVENTORY

/ -24%

SALES PRICE

1.4 M.

/ -17.6%

SOLD HOMES

$268,700

/ +1.4%

119

/ -7.8%

MAPLE GROVE D AY S O N M A R K E T

17 Days

INVENTORY

/ -19%

SALES PRICE

$335,550 56

1.2 M.

/ -33.3%

SOLD HOMES

/ +6.6%

1,572

/ +4%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

MAPLEWOOD D AY S O N M A R K E T

16 Days

INVENTORY

/ -20%

SALES PRICE

1.3 M.

/ -13.3%

SOLD HOMES

$267,000

/ +6.8%

618

/ +13%

MEDINA D AY S O N M A R K E T

47 Days

INVENTORY

/ -7.8%

SALES PRICE

$675,373

3.7 M.

/ -39.3%

SOLD HOMES

/ +9.5%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

166

/ +10.7%

57

S I N G L E F A M I LY

MINNEAPOLIS D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -26.3%

SALES PRICE

1.6 M.

/ -5.9%

SOLD HOMES

$307,150

/ +10.3%

4,615

/ +15%

M E N D O TA H E I G H T S D AY S O N M A R K E T

27 Days

INVENTORY

/ +58.8%

SALES PRICE

$406,000 58

2.2 M.

/ +4.8%

SOLD HOMES

/ -4.3%

167

/ -16.9%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

TOWN HOMES/ CONDOS

MINNEAPOLIS D AY S O N M A R K E T

35 Days

INVENTORY

/ +2.9%

SALES PRICE

4.1 M.

/ +51.9%

SOLD HOMES

$267,950

/ -6.2%

1,305

/ -20.5%

MINNETONKA D AY S O N M A R K E T

20 Days

INVENTORY

/ -9.1%

SALES PRICE

$399,000

2.1 M.

/ -16%

SOLD HOMES

/ +11.4%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

1,000

/ 0%

59

MOUNDS VIEW D AY S O N M A R K E T

12 Days

INVENTORY

/ -25%

SALES PRICE

0.8 M.

/ -46.7%

SOLD HOMES

$268,650

/ +7.5%

132

/ -12.6%

NEW BRIGHTON D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -22.2%

SALES PRICE

$307,500 60

1.2 M.

/ -7.7%

SOLD HOMES

/ +10.8%

275

/ +1.9%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

NEW HOPE D AY S O N M A R K E T

12 Days

INVENTORY

/ -33.3%

SALES PRICE

1.2 M.

/ -7.7%

SOLD HOMES

$292,250

/ +12.4%

322

/ +9.9%

OAKDALE D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -22.2%

SALES PRICE

$257,500

1 M.

/ -23.1%

SOLD HOMES

/ +10%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

506

/ +9.5%

61

OSTEGO D AY S O N M A R K E T

19 Days

INVENTORY

/ -9.5%

SALES PRICE

2.4 M.

/ -14.3%

SOLD HOMES

$346,881

/ +5.1%

667

/ +13.8%

P LY M O U T H D AY S O N M A R K E T

18 Days

INVENTORY

/ -21.7%

SALES PRICE

$392,000 62

1.4 M.

/ -36.4%

SOLD HOMES

/ +3.2%

1,591

/ +4.1%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

PRIOR LAKE D AY S O N M A R K E T

19 Days

INVENTORY

/ -29.6%

SALES PRICE

2.1 M.

/ -38.2%

SOLD HOMES

$399,500

/ +10.7%

734

/ +15.2%

RICHFIELD D AY S O N M A R K E T

12 Days

INVENTORY

/ -7.7%

SALES PRICE

$290,000

1 M.

/ -16.7%

SOLD HOMES

/ + 6.6%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

546

/ +8.1%

63

ROBBINSDALE D AY S O N M A R K E T

12 Days

INVENTORY

/ -7.7%

SALES PRICE

1 M.

/ -28.6%

SOLD HOMES

$264,000

/ +10%

313

/ -4%

ROGERS D AY S O N M A R K E T

15 Days

INVENTORY

/ +40%

SALES PRICE

$360,900 64

1.4 M.

/ -22.2%

SOLD HOMES

/ +8.7%

270

/ +6.3%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

ROSEVILLE D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -26.3%

SALES PRICE

$290,00

1.2 M.

/ -14.3%

SOLD HOMES

/ +5.5%

539

/ +3.5%

SAVAGE D AY S O N M A R K E T

13 Days

INVENTORY

/ -38.1%

SALES PRICE

$347,000

1.4 M.

/ -39.1%

SOLD HOMES

/ +7.3%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

718

/ +11.7%

65

SHAKOPEE D AY S O N M A R K E T

18 Days

INVENTORY

/ -18.2%

SALES PRICE

1.5 M.

/ -28.6%

SOLD HOMES

$305,000

/ +11%

852

/ +8.1%

SHOREVIEW D AY S O N M A R K E T

13 Days

INVENTORY

/ -27.8%

SALES PRICE

$306,000 66

1.2 M.

/ -29.4%

SOLD HOMES

/ +6.1%

450

/ +3%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

SHOREWOOD D AY S O N M A R K E T

31 Days

INVENTORY

/ -29.5%

SALES PRICE

2.5 M.

/ -44.4%

SOLD HOMES

$560,000

/ -11.1%

166

/ -1.2%

S O U T H S T. PA U L D AY S O N M A R K E T

15 Days

INVENTORY

/ -16.7%

SALES PRICE

$241,950

1.1 M.

/ -15.4%

SOLD HOMES

/ +8.4%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

339

/ -4.8%

67

S T. A N T H O N Y D AY S O N M A R K E T

12 Days

INVENTORY

/ -29.40%

SALES PRICE

1.5 M.

/ +50%

SOLD HOMES

$330,000

/ +15%

102

/ 0%

S T. M I C H A E L D AY S O N M A R K E T

20 Days

INVENTORY

/ -20%

SALES PRICE

$346,700 68

2.3 M.

/ -17.9%

SOLD HOMES

/ +13.7%

420

/ +21%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

S T. L O U I S PA R K D AY S O N M A R K E T

14 Days

INVENTORY

/ -33.3%

SALES PRICE

/ -12.5%

SOLD HOMES

$328,825

/ +7.8%

S T. PA U L D AY S O N M A R K E T

15 Days

1.4 M. 1,046

/ +20.4%

S I N G L E F A M I LY INVENTORY

/ -21.1%

SALES PRICE

$244,000

1.5 M.

/ -16.7%

SOLD HOMES

/ +7%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

3,522

/ +17.3%

69

TOWN HOMES/CONDOS

S T. PA U L D AY S O N M A R K E T

30 Days

INVENTORY

/ +3.4%

SALES PRICE

3.3 M.

/ +50%

SOLD HOMES

$212,000

/ +3.4%

554

/ -2.3%

S T I L L W AT E R D AY S O N M A R K E T

21 Days

INVENTORY

/ -38.2%

SALES PRICE

$380,000 70

2.6 M.

/ -10.3%

SOLD HOMES

/ +10.1%

492

/ +24.9%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

VA D N A I S H E I G H T S D AY S O N M A R K E T

16 Days

INVENTORY

/ -15.8%

SALES PRICE

1.1 M.

/ -35.3%

SOLD HOMES

$299,900

/ +11%

211

/ -7%

W AY Z ATA D AY S O N M A R K E T

67 Days

INVENTORY

/ -16.3%

SALES PRICE

$887,500

5 M.

/ -34.2%

SOLD HOMES

/ +37.1%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

112

/ +12%

71

W E S T S T. P A U L D AY S O N M A R K E T

15 Days

INVENTORY

/ 0%

SALES PRICE

1.1 M.

/ -27%

SOLD HOMES

$249,200

/ +8.3%

272

/ -12.8%

WHITE BEAR LAKE D AY S O N M A R K E T

13 Days

INVENTORY

/ -13.3%

SALES PRICE

$282,750 72

1 M.

/ -28.6%

SOLD HOMES

/ +8.8%

504

/ +37%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

W O O D B U RY INVENTORY

D AY S O N M A R K E T

19 Days

/ -24%

SALES PRICE

1.7 M.

/ -29.2%

SOLD HOMES

$376,200

/ +6.9%

1,709

/ +3.5%

ALL METRO D AY S O N M A R K E T

18 Days

INVENTORY

/ -21.7%

SALES PRICE

$307,000

1.8 M.

/ -18.2%

SOLD HOMES

/ +8.9%

THE BRIX MARKET REPORT

63,297

/ +7.5%

73

W H AT H A P P E N E D I N 2 0 2 0

One of The Strongest Seller’s Market Ever Seen I

n 2020, we saw a very strong market for single-family and townhomes. The median sale price went up 10% over the period of last year. The main driver was extremely low listing inventory in that sector, down 44% by November over the previous year.

The year didn’t always look positive, as you may have guessed. When the lockdown was imminent, our market was approaching its annual peak and it was unclear how the lending industry was going to be affected.

Were showings going to stop? Could we still have closings? Interest rates jumped almost overnight and uncertainty reigned. Some feared another housing market crash.

Housing inventory dropped over 20% compared to the previous year to around 8,500 listings in the Twin Cities area—with the market still going strong. To put that in perspective, when the market crashed in 2008, there were over 36,000 active listings in the metro.

But soon, the market knew: business would continue, albeit with restrictions. Rates dropped back, but many would-be sellers still refrained from putting their homes on the market, driving low inventory even lower.

This cocktail of extremely low rates (eventually down by 25% over the same time in 2019) and extremely low inventory (down by around 30%) created one of the strongest seller’s markets ever seen in the Twin Cities by late summer.

74

Seller’s Market

August 2020

Neutral Market

Buyer’s Market

These ‘positive’ developments were not universal.

As we pointed out in What’s Hot (and Not) in the Twin Cities (p. 8), the median sale price for condos was down 9% and inventory up by 40% over the same period last year. The demand for more space—whether it was for social distancing or working from home and needing that extra room—paired with the low cost of borrowing were the main drivers of the downturn.

Other sectors saw outsized benefits from the pandemic, as well. Homes with pools, waterfront, or acreage outpaced even the appreciation we saw in the single-family and townhome market. Homes with waterfront saw a 12% gain, where that market was relatively flat in 2019.

W H AT W E P R E D I C T W I L L H A P P E N I N 2 0 2 1

Positive, for Some, Probably

H

eading into 2021, we will see a continuation of the 2020 market. Despite the devastation to the economy, buyer demand remains strong and is outpacing available homes. With dwindling supply, it creates increasingly difficult circumstances for existing homeowners who need the proceeds from their sale to be able to move.

Buying contingent on the sale of one’s home will often put one at a competitive disadvantage so an owner would either need to be able to afford to buy non-contingent on the sale of their home or find temporary short-term housing and move twice.

With the complications of working and schooling from home, the double move is problematic for many. As a result, many sellers are just staying put, further exasperating the supply side of the equation.

As the COVID vaccine starts to reach a point where restrictions can be eased or lifted, we could expect more homes to come to market; this isn’t likely until summer or fall. This means that buyers will continue to scrap over available homes and prices will continue to rise (likely in line with 2020 numbers or by

even greater amounts). As long as interest rates remain extremely low, the cost of ownership versus renting will stay attractive. It will take a rise in prices and interest rates to start to temper buyer demand along with additional inventory to ease competitive pressures.

A number of unknowns remain, such as continued stimulus and support for homeowners needing mortgage relief. There are many homeowners who are in forbearance on their mortgages (nearly 15% homeowners with FHA loans) so while a surge in foreclosures or short sales is unlikely with homes still appreciating, you could find some homeowners forced to sell if they don’t get the relief they need. The full impact of job losses on homeowners could take time to be realized in our market.

All in all, the 2021 Twin Cities housing market will likely tell a very positive story as home prices continue to rise along with demand.

However, this prosperity will not be felt by all.

75

BRIX St. Paul 1390 7th Street West St. Paul, MN 55102

BRIX Minneapolis 748 North 3rd Street Minneapolis, MN 55401

BRIX Maple Grove 6885 Sycamore Lane North Maple Grove, MN 55369

BRIX Burnsville 101 Burnsville Parkway Burnsville, MN 55337

BRIX Stillwater 124 2nd Street Stillwater, MN 55082

BRIXTWINCITIES.COM · 612-927-2749

A big thank you to our friends and partners:

Shaun Higgins Chad Priebe & Eric Bloomstrand NMLS 1462493 ¡ NMLS 274211

Ben Coulter

James Thovson

W H AT R E A L LY M AT T E R S ?

Some realtors boast about how many homes they’ve sold. Others talk about how fast they can sell a house or how low their commission is. But are you getting top dollar?

Our Sellers get 8.5% above market average.* Whether you’re selling a home in the city or a home in the country, BRIX Real Estate will get you the most.

Buy & Sell with BRIX BRIXTWINCITIES.COM · 612-927-2749

* based on price per square foot, as of December 2020.

All data pulled from MLS 1/1/2019 to 1/1/2020 in 13 county metro.