Minneapolis planners have advanced a rezoning proposal that would clear the way for an urban cannabis farm and workforce-training program to move in above a Near North bar at 1914 N. Washington Ave. The concept keeps the wine bar operating on the ground floor while transforming the two upper levels into classroom space and a hands-on cultivation lab. City documents note that interior renovations and odor-control measures will be required before any growing can actually start.
According to MinnPost, the rezoning item slid through the Planning Commission on the consent agenda at an April meeting. A MinnPost documenter watching the city’s livestream counted only a small audience tuned in as commissioners discussed the plan. The commission’s recommendation now sends the rezoning request to the City Council for a final decision.
What’s Planned Upstairs At 1914 N. Washington Ave.
A Minneapolis staff report lays out the details for the three-story commercial building, built in 1894 and currently home to Bar Brava on the first floor. The proposal would shift the property from Corridor Mixed-Use to Production Mixed-Use so the upper floors can host an urban farm. Plans call for classrooms on the second floor and a hands-on cannabis cultivation space on the third, with the bar staying put downstairs. Staff say no exterior changes are planned, and an odor-control and air filtration plan must be submitted and approved before any permits are issued.
Grants And Training Dollars In Play
The project has already lined up state support for both worker training and grower education. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development awarded a CanTrain grant to the college, and the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management backed a CanGrow grant for farmer compliance training. According to state announcements, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development awarded Minnesota Cannabis College about $250,000 through CanTrain, while the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management listed roughly $49,950 for a compliance-navigation program. Organizers say that funding will support a 12-week cultivation technician track along with shorter, retail-focused courses.
Rezoning Clock: What Has Passed And What’s Next
The City Planning Commission placed the rezoning request on its April 20 agenda and recommended that the City Council approve the change, according to the City Planning Commission agenda. City staff note that a comprehensive-plan amendment allowing Production Mixed-Use at the address cleared the Council in February and the Metropolitan Council in March, leaving the rezoning vote as the next land-use hurdle. If the Council signs off, building permits and the required odor-control plan must still be approved before any cultivation work can begin upstairs.
Why Equity Advocates Have This On Their Radar
Minnesota Cannabis College describes itself as a nonprofit focused on preparing people for jobs in the state’s legal cannabis industry, with an emphasis on serving those who face barriers to traditional education and employment. Project filings and college materials say training at this site will prioritize Northside residents and people disproportionately impacted by past cannabis enforcement. Organizers say the hands-on facility is intended to give social-equity farmers and new workers direct experience with compliant cultivation operations…