Former US Bank Site Redevelopment
Community developer Redesign serves as master developer at 2800 East Lake Street, formerly a branch of US Bank that was donated to Redesign to be developed into affordable housing, commercial and outdoor retail spaces, nonprofit services, and arts and cultural destinations. The identified goals of the development are to increase density, add public amenities, and reduce environmental impacts in the community, while centering BIPOC voices in the process.
Redesign partnered with Ever-Green Energy to lead the development, financing, and implementation of a low carbon energy system for the site. Ever-Green established Longfellow Community Energy, a 501c3 nonprofit, to serve the redevelopment at 2800 East Lake in Minneapolis and the surrounding area.
Innovation and Sustainability for East Lake
This redevelopment will reduce environmental impact by incorporating a district energy system that will use aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) along with heat pumps to heat and cool buildings.
This type of system offers an innovative approach to eliminating on-site fossil fuel combustion while being significantly more efficient and cost-effective than all-electric heating and cooling equipment for individual buildings.
Each building connected to the system will be fully carbon neutral once coupled with renewable electricity, which is slated for 2040 in Minneapolis, but could be earlier for buildings that leverage a mix of on-site solar and other solar resources.
Some geoexchange technologies require large open spaces for well fields, but another benefit of an ATES system is that it only requires a small physical footprint for the wells.
There are also plans to expand the system to serve additional customer buildings in the area.
Benefits
The aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system proposed for this site will heat and cool buildings with benefits to customers like:
Sustainability: Progressively lower carbon heating and cooling as the electric grid decarbonizes, reaching 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040.
Quality: The team of experts managing Longfellow Community Energy provides reliable, cost-effective, efficient, and expertly-managed heating and cooling service.
Simplicity: Streamlined energy operations for building owners and facilities mean you can focus on what you do best.
How it Works
What is a District Energy System?
A district energy system provides heating and cooling to connected buildings through an underground network of insulated water pipes.
What is Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES)?
Aquifer thermal energy storage uses wells in the moderate-temperature aquifer to draw and store thermal energy. The system then uses heat pumps to reach the ideal temperatures for heating and cooling buildings.
Timeline
- 2023 – Community engagement events
- 2023 – Test well drilling for aquifer thermal energy storage
- 2024 – Coliseum building reopening, which will be served by the new energy system
- 2024 – Nonprofit energy utility is formed, Minneapolis City Council resolution passes in support of the nonprofit business, and 501c3 application submitted
- 2025 – Redesign is facilitating community input for 2800 East Lake Street
