With the continued efforts in remodeling Uptown, Minneapolis’ downtown area, Arts + Rec Uptown, the local art and recreation center in the city, celebrates its messaging of making “better fun.”
Having completed its first phase this past summer with the opening of a rooftop bar, the local entertainment venue now prepares to open its second phase of new artistic endeavors with family-fun activities and a new restaurant, offering even more ways to continue to celebrate local artisans and creatives in the beautiful and historic Uptown community.
Let’s explore the fun new ventures that Arts + Rec Uptown offers with Phase 2.
What’s New in Uptown’s Phase 2?
The art-forward entertainment venue of the Arts + Rec center in Uptown continues to grow as they open phase 2 of their new and improved center.
Included in Phase 2’s opening are:
- A speakeasy restaurant.
- New art studio space.
- A black box theater.
- A 9-hole indoor mini golf course.
- A new restaurant.
All of the venue’s latest additions continue the recreation center’s goals of celebrating local artists and providing a community space for people of all ages and backgrounds to gather and have fun.
Uptown’s New Mini-golf Course
Set within the Seven Points Mall at 3001 Hennepin Avenue, walking into the new indoor mini-golf course visitors can expect to feel a blend of whimsy with nods to the local community. This 9-hold mini golf course begins in an actual record store– the actual store that the creative team at Arts + Rec Uptown hopes to support with earnings from the new game space.
The course itself includes one hold dedicated to a large spinning vinyl record replica, and another fashioned after the nearby Bde Maka Ska lake. With a dedication to the city of Minneapolis, you will see a car wash, a skate park, and other parts of the course in honor of local legends like Val Johnson and Rhinelander Hodag.
If you manage to put into the final hole of the course, you may even be rewarded with a vinyl record of your own to take home. This new Uptown mini-golf course will certainly be popular with children and families, but anyone who knows the rich history of the Uptown area will appreciate the efforts in celebrating the local community and landmarks.
Uptown’s Art Studio Doubles as a Speakeasy
The August Bar, named for playwright August Wilson, is another debut of Uptown’s phase 2 opening. The retro speakeasy-style bar is reminiscent of the bars seen in prohibition-era America. This particular space celebrates the work of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and continues to toast the creative efforts of local artists by naming many of its drinks after people still creating art today in Uptown.
Naming their cocktails after artists is not the only way this speakeasy acknowledges the local art scene– in fact, the bar doubles as an art studio show space for Uptown’s up-and-coming artists. Visitors can enjoy their beverages while admiring the art of the past and present, and also are encouraged to create their own art as the bar provides drawing supplies so patrons can tap into their own creative space before leaving.
The New Black Box Theater
With a backdrop that pays homage to Uptown’s beloved lost restaurant, Chino Latino’s, the new black box theater boasts a back wall of gold sequins that will spark any local’s nostalgia. The theater space includes black tables and chairs, black-painted walls, and reflective ceilings.
The plan is to host future comedy shows, trivia nights, and theater performances in the black box theater. Additionally, Arts + Rec Uptown hopes to see this diverse space used by members of the community for private events.
Uptown’s New Restaurant at Seven Points
The new restaurant space carries on the whimsical feeling and artistic showcasing presented throughout the golf course and other new spaces. The food here will focus on locally sourced ingredients and favorites, and the vibrant visuals of artwork on the walls continue to celebrate the Uptown and Minneapolis community that locals will love.
The dining spaces themselves are built into booths that work as pods, with curtains for privacy, with other tables available throughout near the large, open bar space.
Finding a Community in Uptown
Whether you’ve lived in Uptown your whole life and are getting to witness this incredible resurgence of the area or you are a newcomer looking for a community to call your own, there is no better time to move to and visit Uptown than now.
As the local Arts + Rec center at Seven Points continues to reveal more additions to the space, people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds can come together and experience the rich lifestyles and way of life for Minneapolis residents.
If you are searching for a community where art is central to celebrating life, check out the available Uptown apartments for rent and become a local to this eclectic and exciting new Uptown artist scene.
Contact Us Today for Apartment Rentals in Uptown, Minneapolis!
Stutsman Realty, Inc. is excited to show you our historic Uptown apartment rentals in this diverse and creative community.
Surrounded by natural beauty, rich in culture, and right on the cusp of a vibrant upgrade, Uptown, Minneapolis is a great place to live whether you are apartment hunting with your family, renting with a partner, or looking for single occupancy apartment living.
Call us at 952-927-4144 or fill out the contact form below to set up your Uptown apartment viewings today!
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