RED LAKE NATION PLANS DOWNTOWN COLLEGE CAMPUS NEAR VIKINGS STADIUM

Red Lake Nation has finalized plans for their new Downtown Minneapolis campus and they've officially been approved.

Red Lake Nation College will open within the Downtown East neighborhood in a building that was formerly home to Tiger Oak Media along with two neighboring buildings. The college will occupy space within three historic building located at 900, 910, and 912 3^rd Street S.

A campus plan for the project was completed in 2021 and now the college has gained the needed approvals to move forward with their plans. The Red Lake Nation plans to renovate two buildings located at 900 and 912 3^rd Street S while demolishing and constructing a new building on a site between the two existing buildings located at 910 3^rd Street S.

As a part of the campus project work, a new building will be constructed that will add 9,312 square feet of space to the 14,727 square feet of space located within the two existing buildings. All three buildings when combined will include classrooms, training spaces, student services, office space and other student facilities.

Designed by Firm Ground Architects, the expanded building footprint will create a distinguished and attractive destination that is accommodating to all that strengthens the adjacent buildings. The building has been designed in a way that ensures that is timeless, fresh, and attractive for years to come while also informing all that the building is home to a tribal college and a place for strengthening tribal members and the surrounding community.

Red Lake Nation College currently has a two-year tribal college located on the shores of Red Lake in Northern Minnesota. Their state-of-the-art facility provides not only top-of-the-line facilities, but also a facility that is combined with Ojibwe language and culture, globally relevant courses, and a unique combination of native innovation and tradition that will prepare students for the 21^st century job market.

The establishment of a new tribal college within Minneapolis was important to the Red Lake Nation as a sizable number of the Tribe’s residents live within the Twin Cities, which also happens to be the place of one of the largest urban populations of Native people within the United States. The Minneapolis campus will continue the college's mission to provide education to tribal members so that they can be leaders in the tribe’s businesses, government, social work, educational facilities, medical facilities, legal offices and beyond.

A limited number of Minneapolis classes will be offered this fall within the existing building located at 900 3^rd Street S. The goal is to have nearly 250 students in the future as the college expands not only their building footprint, but also their curriculum and degree programs to the surrounding Native and community members.

Plans for 900 3^rd Street S were approved by the Minneapolis Planning Commission earlier this month. Construction on the project is anticipated to begin in early 2023.