This summer, everywhere you looked in the center of Edina, there were orange cones. The construction started July 8th and was supposed to last five weeks. The goal of the construction was to improve water utilities, crosswalks, and sidewalks. 50th & France Business Association Executive Director Rebecca Sorensen stated in an interview that they “never got the full story of why there was a delayed start but it was very frustrating to see our district begin to slow down a full month before it was actually under construction. We then also had to face another project on the west side of 50th with the partial closure of 50th which is one of the main roads into 50th & France by Edina City Hall for a project there to build new sidewalks.” Sorensen described her experience as frustrating, however she worked the hardest she could to progress the project.
Several businesses were affected by this construction. The two closed streets, 50th and France, lost walk-in customers and the large browsing market. Sorensen said, “Truly the best way to get to us was on foot or bike at one point! We added more bike racks and thankfully all of our 1,000 free parking spots on all sides were still accessible.” It was a difficult transition for the community and businesses to adjust to. As an entire group, the 50th and France community had to work in unison and support each other while they had to make enough revenue with the construction blocking many access points. Sorensen said, “For our outdoor business district, the summer is typically their busiest month. We had to work together as a community and help people find their way to 50th & France and not avoid us because of construction. It was a real challenge and not something any of us had a lot of time to prepare for on top of our very busy work in the district.”
During the construction, the blocked-off section at 50th and France became a community square where individuals played pickleball and had social hours, which made it a lively environment. There was music playing and even chalk drawings. Although the construction continued into the last weeks of November, Sorensen said there were some silver linings as they “heard from many people how much they enjoyed the peace and quiet as the 50th closure became a pedestrian zone.” Pedestrians enjoyed the blocked-off patio section over the summer, and some asked for it to return in the future, even if it is only certain times of the year.
Through all the quick decisions and decisive arguments, Sorensen viewed the positive and negative outcomes through this physical barrier of construction. She stated, “We just wish when Metro Transit decided to do their project that they had considered the economic impact it would have on our district and the others along the bus line. Everyone was expected to just take the brunt of it without any compensation for the loss of revenue that we all know happens during construction.” Sorensen was both frustrated and fulfilled with the impact the 50th and France construction caused. Sorensen concluded by saying, “I think in the future, projects should consider a faster timeline and compensate businesses for their loss of revenue while they are being impacted.”
Small businesses are a crucial part of the Edina community and a great way to find new products or services. Now that construction has wrapped up, there are several exciting events taking place. Sorensen encourages community members to shop small businesses and support the local 50th and France community this holiday season.
