The Lowry Hill East neighborhood is named after Thomas Lowry, a leader in the development of rapid mass transit who installed the horse-drawn street cars that first ran along the neighborhood in the 1880s. The neighborhood is most often referred to as The Wedge because of its boundaries – Lyndale, Hennepin, and Lake – forming the shape of a wedge. Today, the neighborhood remains a hub for mass transit options, including the Bryant Ave Bicycling Boulevard, the Greenway that runs along the southern border, and the Uptown transit hub. The Wedge is among the most densely populated neighborhoods in the city of Minneapolis with nearly 7,000 residents living inside one square kilometer, and business-lined corridors along its borders. This densely compact built environment makes the neighborhood a magnet for people who value the ability to walk or bike to businesses, schools, the lakes, grocery stores (including the iconic Wedge Co-op, which was started in this neighborhood), medical and veterinary services, restaurants, art institutions, and nightlife. The Wedge continues to be an exciting and dynamic neighborhood at the forefront of progressive urban living.
The Wedge at a glance:
9,000+ residents in under a half square mile
4,473 housing units, 84% of which are renter occupied.
14% of residents are foreign-born
34% of residents take public transit, walk, or bike to work
58% of residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher
43% of residents are 25-34 years-old (Source: www.mncompass.org)