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1,500 Sign Petition To Stop 5-Story Linden Hills Building

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- About 1,500 people have signed a petition to keep the Linden Hills neighborhood of south Minneapolis just as it is.

A developer wants to put in a 5-story building, but residents say the building will change the character of their neighborhood.

Mark Dwyer, the project developer, held an open house Sunday to show Linden Hills residents the building he hopes will stand in the heart of the neighborhood's business district, on the corner of Upton Avenue South and West 43rd Street.

"We wanted to bring out scale models and things that really give people a sense for how this will fit into the context of Linden Hills," Dwyer said.

The building will include space for condominiums, offices and retail development, he said.

But the city's zoning code does not allow buildings in this neighborhood to stand more than three stories high. So Dwyer says he needs the support of the city and residents to make the project a reality.

"Change isn't easy. It's our belief that a project like this can be steered in a better direction by people who love the neighborhood," Dwyer said.

Some who showed up at the open house had different ideas about the development and weren't afraid to voice them. One of those people was Bob Russell, a Linden Hills resident.

"We're not against development," Russell said. "We are simply against the scale and the size of what he is projecting to put in."

Maria Nelson, co-founder of Linden Hills Residents for Responsible Development, echoed Russell's thoughts.

"The scope of it is so large that it's not in line with the other developments that have been in the neighborhood," she said.

Those not in favor of the development also don't like the fact that the neighborhood Famous Dave's would be torn down to make room for condominiums, which many think are unneeded.

However, it may take months before a decision is made on whether or not the proposed building would be built.

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