On April 15, 2019, the Notre Dame Cathedral, built in the 12th century, burned down. Paris rebuilt it, and it reopened 1,915 days later.
On May 28, 2020, the Minneapolis Third Precinct burned down. As of today (Sunday, January 4, 2026) 2,047 days have passed and it has not been reopened, with no indication of when reopening might occur.
So….we have already taken 7% more days than it took Paris to complete one of the largest reconstruction projects in world history. They have something to show for it: a restored Cathedral. What do we have to show for our 2,047 days since the fire? Nothing.
Can our elected officials bring the Third Precinct back into the Third Precinct, on or before June 30, 2026?
Part of the problem with lack of patrols in the 3rd precinct is that their ‘station’ is downtown, so 3rd precinct officers spend a lot of time driving back and forth to downtown whenever they have to report in, file incident reports, or do any of the other paperwork required.
We used to see patrols fairly frequently. Now it’s once or twice a year. Maybe a patrol vehicle rolls through. Not acceptable.
I realize that’s partly due to staffing levels and responding to urgent requests in other places. But just having a presence would be nice.
Hopefully once the new building is functional the frequency of a police sighting will go up.
Here is to 2026..
As usual, the ever-innefective Wonsley and her DSA cohorts have wasted valuable time for no valid reason – and delayed Public Safety resources needed on-site in the MPD’s 3rd Precinct. Let’s get it rebuilt and reopened sooner – rather than later.
Yes, and the cathedral employed craftspeople from all over the world. However, it was not politically fraught like the 3rd Precinct is. As Zubby mentions, the usual folks on the council will continue to obstruct and delay.
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/11/02/mpls-city-council-moves-forward-on-purchase-of-new-3rd-precinct-site
Excerpt..
“City staff estimated in a memo last week that the building will be ready for occupation in 12 to 18 months. “
We don’t seem to have heard much about it. We do know that a group on the Council, at least until now, 2026, were probably not entirely displeased that it was taking so long for this move. The Wonsley Five on the Council had rigorously opposed plans for the 3rd Precinct to come back into any of the 26 neighborhoods the 3rd Precinct served, anytime soon. Folks can watch the Committee of the Whole mtg on 10/31/23 and the Council mtg on 11/2/23 to see the lengths that group would go.
The community was then told by the City that the 3rd Precinct could possibly be BACK and operating in the area, at 2633 Minnehaha Ave, sometime in 2024. Well, we are now in 2026, so why this substantial delay?!
This content was put up on the City’s site in 2023/2024. Key phrase……
” people within the precinct’s geographic area do not have the same level of access to community safety services….”
3rd Precinct Police Station Plans – City of Minneapolis
https://www.minneapolismn.goSee past work and backgrov/government/programs-initiatives/community-safety-centers/south-mpls-community-safety-center/3rd-precinct-station-plans/
3rd Precinct police station plans
The 3rd precinct police station will be in the South Minneapolis Community Safety Center.
The need for a 3rd Precinct building
Officers from the 3rd Precinct are now operating out of a downtown building. Because of this, people within the precinct’s geographic area do not have the same level of access to community safety services compared to those in other areas of Minneapolis.
What a police precinct provides
24-hour walk-in access to get community safety aid and referrals for other services
Community use of the building space for a variety of needs
A police building based within the community helps to build a connection and community partnership. It also makes it easier for people to access City services.
*More info in the link above about why it was/is such a timely NEED for the 3rd Precinct to move from a temporary office bldg in Downtown, into the South Minneapolis Safety Center, AND as soon as possible.