2116 Nicollet is officially The Monarch

Our partners at Whittier Alliance have spent the last few months working with neighbors and community members through a survey and public meetings to gather feedback on art proposals and to collect ideas for the building's name.

After much deliberation, The Monarch was selected as the name of the building, and local artist and muralist Greta McLain of GoodSpace Murals has been chosen to create a large-scale mural for the building. In the coming months, community members of all ages will have opportunities to help paint portions of the mural through a series of community events.

We think The Monarch is a fitting name for a project that transforms a vacant lot into a place of opportunity, connection, and belonging, both for residents and for the Whittier neighborhood. The building will provide 50 deeply affordable homes, including supportive 11 homes for individuals exiting homelessness. In addition, the building will serve as a community asset, featuring office space for Alliance Housing and Whittier Alliance and a community gathering space available to neighbors at a sliding scale fee.

Thank you to our construction partners at Watson-Forsberg, whose work is helping keep construction on schedule for an anticipated opening in late 2027.

We'll continue sharing updates as construction progresses and when community mural painting opportunities are announced. You can also stay connected by subscribing to the Whittier Alliance newsletter for neighborhood news and project updates!

Learn more and check out our one pager here.

Read our official press release:

Name and public art announced for under construction building in Whittier for people exiting homelessness

The Monarch Name and Artist Announcement for new construction at 2116 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404

Press contacts:

Alliance Housing Executive Director Jessie Hendel, 612-879-7633

Whittier Alliance Executive Director Anna Schmitz, 612-8717756

Background:

Construction began in August on a new deeply affordable housing building in the Whittier Neighborhood. The building will provide 50 units of housing including 11 for people exiting homelessness.

The project is a joint undertaking of Alliance Housing and the Whittier Alliance neighborhood association with input from neighborhood residents. In addition to the housing units, the building will contain new offices for both organizations as well as a community space available to rent by neighbors on a sliding scale fee.

Led by Whittier Alliance, the neighborhood responded to a survey to select a name for the building and an artist to create a public art mural on the front of the building.

The name chosen for the building is The Monarch.

Greta McLain with GoodSpace Murals has been selected as the muralist. Attached is an early draft of the proposed mural. In the coming months, Ms. McLain will host paint parties inviting members of the community of all ages and abilities to paint the base layers of the mural.

The Whittier lot was vacant and in need of development when Whittier Alliance purchased the property. Following extensive neighborhood discussions, Whittier Alliance determined to use the site for affordable housing and selected Alliance Housing as its development partner through an RFP process.

Alliance Housing is a nonprofit owner and developer of affordable housing based in Minneapolis. It owns more than 350 units of housing, including five apartment buildings. Founded in 1991, Alliance Housing develops and manages housing that is inclusive, affordable, relational, and flexible, making it possible for individuals and families to create homes for themselves regardless of income.

Whittier Alliance is an official Minneapolis neighborhood association. Incorporated in 1977, it works to help neighbors make connections with services, government, and each other. It plans free community events, organizes around housing issues, provides a platform for voicing ideas and concerns to elected officials, administers community grant programs, builds neighborhood coalitions, supports small business initiatives, and serves as a resource hub for all things Whittier.