PROJECT TITLE: Acquire Riverfront Land Subject to Disposition by USACE at Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock I. PROJECT STATEMENT The City of Minneapolis and Friends of the Lock & Dam (FL&D) seek fee title acquisition of land abutting the Upper Lock (but not the Lock structure itself, which is still authorized for flood control) from the federal government for the purposes of creating recreational opportunities and a visitor and interpretive center on the Central Riverfront. The Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facility, was closed to navigation by an act of Congress in 2015. Federally owned riverfront property is now subject to disposition. FL&D and the City of Minneapolis have the expertise and wherewithal to protect and enhance this land as an iconic public amenity. The project implements adopted plans and resolutions including City Resolution 2018R-098 (2018) the City's Downtown Public Realm Framework (2016); Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board's Central Riverfront Regional Parks Master Plan (2016); Meet Minneapolis' tourism plan, Destination Transformation 2030 (2016); and the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board plan, Changing Relationships to the Power of the Falls (2014). The City of Minneapolis and FL&D worked with members of the Minnesota Congressional delegation on Section 1225 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2018 in the interest of expediting federal disposition and enabling a recommendation of partial acquisition of the federal property. If implemented according to Congressional intent as communicated in a letter from Senators Klobuchar and Smith to Assistant Secretary James, Section 1225 offers the Corps of Engineers the opportunity to dispose of obsolete land to its historic cost sharing partner, the City of Minneapolis, in the interest of creating benefit for the community it serves. II. PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES Activity 1 Title: Protect the public interest through fee title acquisition of land. Description: Acquire federally owned parcels identified by the City of Minneapolis and FL&D as priority areas for cultural interpretation, enhancement, recreational value, historic resource quality, park connectivity gaps, scenic qualities, water quality, and water access. FL&D will conduct due diligence activities including appraisals, environmental reviews, title investigations, and survey work. Acquired land will be donated or conveyed to our public agency partner, the City of Minneapolis, for joint site improvement, enhancement, and long term stewardship. ENRTF BUDGET: $1,500,000 Outcome Completion Date Approximately 3 acres protected for public use & enjoyment through fee title acquisition. 6/30/2023 Activity 2 Title: Capital improvements to enable connectivity, recreation, & restoration. Description: Design and install improvements that increase public access to the site and the river; introduce green infrastructure and restore habitat; and improve public safety. ENRTF BUDGET: $1,250,000 Outcome Completion Date Trail connections, pedestrian lighting, wayfinding, kayak and canoe access, shore and pier fishing enhancements, public safety enhancements, habitat restoration. 6/30/2023 Activity 3 Title: Strategic plan, partnerships, & programs for research & education. Description: Engage the Science Museum of Minnesota, Wilderness Inquiry, Minneapolis Public Schools, the St. Anthony Falls Hydrology Lab (UMN) and others to develop partnerships and plans for research, data collection, place based learning, credit recovery, and citizen science on the site, focused on water. ENRTF BUDGET: $250,000 Outcome Completion Date Research & Education Partnership, Funding & Implementation Plan. 6/30/2023 III. PROJECT PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS: A. Acquisition Partner: City of Minneapolis Friends of the Lock & Dam will partner with the City of Minneapolis to acquire and improve the subject property in a manner consistent with the public interest and adopted guidance. Future redevelopment of land abutting the Upper Lock will include a world class visitor and interpretive center. B. Programming Partners: Recreation, Education, Interpretation National Park Service, Mississippi Park Connection, Meet Minneapolis, Wilderness Inquiry, Science Museum of Minnesota, Minneapolis Public Schools, DNR (community fishing program) C. Coalition Organizations: Neighborhoods, Parks & River, Heritage, Business & Tourism "We support the St. Anthony Falls Upper Lock as the centerpiece of an iconic civic & cultural destination, reflective of our shared history, for the use & enjoyment of all." Endorsers: FL&D, Wilderness Inquiry, Nicollet Island-East Bank Neighborhood Association, Friends of the Mississippi River, Minneapolis Parks Foundation, National Parks Conservation Association, Meet Minneapolis, St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board, St. Anthony Falls Alliance, NiceRide, Minneapolis Water Taxi, East Town Business Partnership, Mississippi Park Connection, Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association, Minneapolis Downtown Council, Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership, River Life (UMN), Friends of the Riverfront, Great River Coalition. IV. LONG-TERM IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING: If awarded these funds, the City of Minneapolis and FL&D will undertake activities necessary to acquire property abutting the Lock from the federal government, and protect and improve it for public use and enjoyment. The property will be donated or conveyed to the City of Minneapolis, who will, with FL&D, be its long-term steward. V. SEE ADDITIONAL PROPOSAL COMPONENTS: A. Proposal Budget Spreadsheet B. Visual Component or Map C. Parcel List Spreadsheet D. Acquisition, Easements, and Restoration Requirements E. Research Addendum (Not required at proposal submission stage. Required later in process, if proposal is recommended. Staff will provide further information at that time) F. Project Manager Qualifications and Organization Description G. Letter or Resolution H. Financial Capacity