UROC open house
Though the building has been open since October of 2009, the Urban Research Outreach/Engagement Center (UROC) officially opened its doors with a communitywide open house and ribbon cutting ceremony. The event was extremely well attended, with a packed presentation by University of Minnesota administration and community leaders.
The center, located at 2001 Plymouth Ave. N, replaced a former shopping center that had seen high levels of crime prior to closing its doors. The building itself now contains multiple large meeting rooms, a teaching kitchen, an art gallery, computer lab, and several offices for University of Minnesota staff overseeing the projects UROC is engaged in.
The concept for the Outreach and Engagement Center started in 2005, according to Insight News, through “informal conversations between Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and (UM President Bob) Bruininks about how the University might join with the city to tackle the complex problems that faced North Minneapolis, one of the most underserved communities in the metro area.”
The University Northside Partnership Community Affairs Committee began meeting at the Urban League on Plymouth and Penn Ave North in 2006. The community meetings where well attended and provided a forum for discussion and feedback between the community and the University. The UNP meetings had provided and will continue to provide the discussion space for open communication between the University and the community.
Sherrie Pugh of the Northside Resident Redevelopment Council played a significant role in putting together a Community Benefit Agreement, building trust between the University and the community, and laying out a list of expectations and demands of the University for what is now the Urban Research Outreach/Engagement Center.
UROC has already begun offering several classes and learning opportunities for area residents. Many of the current projects center around healthy eating and food access. More information is available by visiting their website, calling 612-626-UROC (8762) or stopping in during business hours.
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The vision and goal of The Northsider is to tell the stories of both the people of the community and of the work being done on behalf of the community through the partnering organizations. TheNorthsider.org is the collected media of community reporters working on behalf of several northside non-profits that make up the CCD (Comprehensive Community Development) pilot project of LISC.