Community celebrates Ripley Gardens' success
9/7/2007 9:07 AM“I find this development absolutely breathtaking—a true inspiration.” Those were the words of Tom Fulton, president of Family Housing Fund and collaborative partner of Minnesota Green Communities, which helped fund Aeon's Ripley Gardens development.
Fulton was one of six speaking on September 12 at the much-anticipated grand opening of the 60-unit Ripley Gardens in north Minneapolis. Over 170 people attended the event.
Both Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council Member Don Samuels praised the development for bringing revitalization to the neighborhood. Rybak also said he was struck by the “respect for people” evidenced throughout the site and that the development “turns on its head the idea that affordable housing is a detriment.”
Aeon preserved three historic buildings on the site and
added three new ones to create 52 apartments, some affordable and some market-rate. Aeon also partnered with Habitat for Humanity to create the site’s eight owner-occupied townhomes.
Before the grand opening event on September 12, a fiftieth anniversary celebration was held for the Ripley Memorial Foundation, which was formed in 1957 to honor the legacy of Dr. Martha Ripley, the founder of the maternity hospital that stood on the site for fifty years. Trustees from the foundation helped plan the memorial garden that now stands on the site’s northeast corner.
Just a month after Ripley Gardens’ completion, nearly all of the apartments and townhomes are occupied. The impact of the development on the neighborhood is also evident as formerly vacant sites are redeveloped and dilapidated dwellings are renovated or razed in preparation for new development.
Image Gallery: Ripley Gardens Grand Opening Slideshow
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